Press Releases

Fashola And Babangida Aliyu Call For Better Appreciation Of Women

Oct 29, 2008 - Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu and his Lagos State counterpart, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Wednesday called for a better appreciation of women as symbols of purity, holiness, innocence as well as psychological and economic support to their families.

Both Governors spoke at the opening ceremony of the Eighth National Women Conference organized by the Council of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) held at the Ocean View, Eko Hotels Victoria Island.

Speaking further, Governor Aliyu called on all colleagues- Governors and State Houses of Assembly to pass the Child Rights Act so that the girl- child can grow into a complete woman that she wants to be while playing the role of conveyer of civilization.

Governor Aliyu added that there is a need to put in place a legislation that would make it compulsory for medical certificates (probably of mental or other fitness )to be sought before marriages are contracted in Nigeria as this is a way of avoiding the spread of diseases like HIV/AIDS.

He reminded people that women have fundamental human rights and freedom to decide to what to do with their lives, especially in decisions relating to marriage .

He added that Islam allows and emphasizes negotiation and agreement in a marriage contract, whereby the representatives or the bridegroom could sign an undertaking to abide by all the terms of the agreement that is binding on the marriage.

The Governor added that the negotiation could involve the amount of dowry, the ethical codes of behaviours in the relationship and indeed a demand for the husband to be monogamous.

He encouraged people to study the established Islamic traditions of marriage in Egypt and Malaysia where a woman’s rights in marriage are clearly enshrined in the penal codes and enforced to the letter.

He said the government of Niger State recognizes that education is the bedrock of the development if any society and that is why the state has introduced free education for the girl child so that they could be responsible mothers and wives in future.

Dr Aliyu reiterated that most advanced and developed societies the world over are those which accord a pride of place to women in their scheme of thing, including political appointments.

He charged the conference to redefine and consolidate the nature of the women’s place in society today while making her feel good about herself and satisfied with who she is and the roles she play.

Also speaking, Governor Fashola said the African woman is confronted with a lot of difficult and stagnating conditions that challenges her genuine will to survive.

Governor Fashola charged the women to transfer the talent which is holding sway in the fashion world through the use of local fabrics and has drawn the awe of the international community into other fields of human endeavours.

He added that no other set of people are better positioned to midwife the birth of a new order in the task of transforming the city of Lagos and articulation against the inappropriate position of women than wives of Lagos State officials.

He implored them to take a cue from past heroic women like Madam Mary Slessor, Kudirat Abiola, and Abibatu Mogaji that have fought for the liberation and mobilization of women against oppression in the past.

THE Governor urged the women to stand up and be counted in the comity as agents of transformation in the engine of the train of the transformation of Lagos are counted.

He explained that it has become imperative to give much thought to the state of our women folk in the face of economic hardship and social abuse, cultural restrictions and matrimonial battery and emotional distress which they daily face.

Governor Fashola added that because of the strategic role of Lagos, the present administration is determined to ensure that women would not lose life in the process of giving life.

He included that this is why in addition to its free antenatal care programme, it is also building child care specialist centres in Ikorodu ,Isolo, Amuwo Odofin, Mushin and Surulere in addition to several poverty alleviation programmes of skills training and micro credit for the women folk.

He said he is proud of the quality of leadership being provided by all the women who have been opportuned to serve in positions of leadership in all the three arms of government, as they have performed creditably.

Speaking earlier, the Wife of the Governor of Lagos State and Chairperson of COWLSO, Mrs Abimbola Fashola assured participants that part of the proceeds from this year’s conference would be used to support women with serious health issues such as cancers and HIV/AIDS.

She explained that feedbacks reaching COWLSO after previous conferences have revealed that there is a large prevalent of women suffering from those diseases that needed support.

She added past conferences had been successful as participants had been enlightened on the importance and management of time and how to discover and realize their full potentials.

The immediate past chairman of COWLSO, Chief (Mrs) Oluremi Tinubu was given the Inspirational Woman’s award at the ceremony.

Chairman emeritus of COWLSO, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu in her appreciation of the award, said she was overwhelmed by the gesture and promised to make it a deserving one.

She dedicated it to her husband and children for making her work and talk her dream

She commended the passion and spirit of continuity exhibited by the current leadership of COWLSO and reminded them that the challenges still facing them were those of the environment and youth problem.

The occasion was attended by Deputy Governor, Adebisi Sosan of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji and his wife, Mayowa. State Action Congress Chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale, Head of Service: Mr Yakub Balogun, the wife of former Governor, Mrs Abimbola Jakande, Chief (Mrs) Oprah Benson, Alhaja Zainab Folawiyo and members of the Lagos and Niger States executive council.