Fashola, Dankwambo Decry Violence against Women

Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and his Gombe State counterpart, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo has asserted the need for a change in rhetoric to reflect the fact that no one could stop a determined woman from attaining any desired height.

Both Governors graced the closing ceremony of the three-day conference of the 2013 edition of the National Women Conference organized by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials with the theme: “See Beyond Today: Enhance the quality of Life”.
While making his remarks at the closing ceremony of the event, Governor Fashola cited a number of achievers to back up his call for a change in rhetoric.

“How can you take more responsibility for a world that you are not only half the population but you brought the other half? There is always talk about men won’t allow us, the men don’t let us, give us 30 percent affirmation. Give us this, give us that but really and truly instead of asking what really would the men allow you to do, perhaps the question to ask is who has stopped the Deputy Governor from being a Deputy Governor, who has stopped Mrs Lola Akande from being a parliamentarian. Who has stopped Akinyemi-Obe from being a Local Government Chairperson? Who can stop ‘Iya Kalokalo’ from attending APC rallies; maybe you should change the rhetoric from, “who will let us to who can stop us,” the Governor said.

Fashola also enjoined women to ensure that they plan their business well by getting professional advice, stressing that often times it is businesses that are planned that endure and that businesses that are registered stay longer and have records that are easy to track, easy to explain.
In his address, the Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, who was the special guest of honour, said Lagos women have distinguished themselves and made massive contributions in agriculture, trade and education and other endeavours.

He said the theme, “See Beyond today: Enhance the Quality of Life” is apt considering the critical role women have been playing in enhancing quality of life and surmounting the daunting challenges  that impede the nation’s collective efforts.

“The Nigerian woman has proved their mettle to be more than mere bench warming spectators in our social economic and political life. Even in our male dominated society Nigerian women have carved a niche for themselves in various human endeavours and in many instances they have even outperformed the men.

“The valuable contribution of women to the development of the country both in the private and public sectors and their progressive prominence in national scheme of affairs have to a large extent dismantled the confusing and misleading notion that successful women constitute a threat to the society and especially to their husbands,” Governor Dankwambo said.

Earlier in his address, the First Lady and Chairman of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola urged all the participants to remind themselves of the need to continue to reflect on the key messages that had been passed across in the past two days.
Speaking on violence against women and girls, Mrs. Fashola said victims should report such cases so that the perpetrators can be prosecuted as there is a nee d to take advantage of institutions like Office of the Public Defender, the Citizens Mediation Centre and others that have been established by the government to assist vulnerable citizens in seeking justice at no personal cost.

Certificates of Appreciation were presented to elder statesman and business mogul, Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas and Dame Marie Fatai-Williams as Friends of COWLSO at the ceremony which also had in attendance the Deputy Governor, Hon (Mrs) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, wife of the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Mrs Janet Adeyemo, members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye and delegates from different parts of the country.

dailytimes