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| Last Updated: Mar 28th, 2013 - 04:31:17 |
Office of First Lady
First Lady as agent of peace
Apr 23, 2012, 16:41
| | In the words of one philosopher ,the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. This aptly captures the role women play in the life of a nation, especially when we reflect on the fact that as mothers they gave birth to children that later became illustrious individuals in life.
So when Nigeria’s First Lady Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan embarked on her recent tour of Oyo state to thank the state, essentially the women folks, she was only giving meaning to the age-old African credo that, appreciation is an inherent value the Nigerian woman is imbued with. Not many know that Mummy Patience, in spite of her busy schedule could still eke out time to embark on a journey some would want to describe as ...just one of those trips.
But be that as it may, the visit to Oyo state has raised the political capital of the first lady in the eyes of well meaning people, even some of her perceived traducers have had to climb down their high horse to acknowledge the motherly milk of human kindness that runs through the vein of this African mother. The visit to Oyo state, holds a lot in terms of historical significance especially when one considers the sentiment that Ibadan and indeed Oyo state occupies an illustrious place in the politics of the country way back in the days it was dubbed the wild wild West.
One theme rings loud in Dame Patience Jonathan visit to Oyo state, and this is the issue of peace which is very central to the survival of any polity. How else can one capture this than her speech that de-emphasised political differences with a view to strengthening the much sought after peace and harmony this country need aplenty....Let us de-emphasis our differences and mobilise our strength...so read one of the lines of her speech. To any perceptive political observer, the Eleanor Roosevelt complex seeps through all her dealings with all segments of the society.
Like Eleanor Roosevelt, the Nigeria first lady is always one that want s to touch base like they say in political parlance. The Oyo state visit simply put in perspective, is one woman’s way of underlining the import of the women folk in the politics of a people, especially a heterogeneous polity like Nigeria. She never shrouded her intention, which is essentially to say a ..Thank you.. to the entire women political class that offered one of the most veritable political tool when it was needed by the Presidential ticket of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Sambo.
Like a true African mother she said in one of her numerous outings in the state...I have come to say thank you to everyone that made this..[Presidency] possible. She did not hide her inclination to the women folks because, in her political calculation they apart from galvanising their male folks, pushed the required electoral leverage to make the victory at the polls possible.
The current affirmative action of the Jonathan-Sambo administration has only given expression to the positive response of the government to the yearning of the Nigerian woman over the years who have decried their outright neglect in the scheme of things especially in the political scene.
That 13 women are serving as ministers holding various portfolios in government, is a ringing endorsement of the political sagacity of President Goodluck Jonathan, drawing from the political capital offered by Nigerian women folk riding on the back and leadership of Dame Goodluck Jonathan.
ADEGBOLA AKINWALE
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