On Monday, January 8, Nigeria’s presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale announced in a statement that Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu had been suspended by President Bola Tinubu, amidst N585m scandal making headlines.
A few days before Betta’s suspension, Mr President had suspended Halima as National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Program Agency following an alleged ₦44 billion money laundering.
In Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-long years as President, guess the only Minister who was sacked? No points for saying the former Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosu. I mean, only women get sacked, not so?
Betta Edu has been accused of approving the payment of N585,198,500.00 into a private account. Trending also is the case of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, who has been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning over allegations of corruption in the handling of N37.1 billion social intervention funds.
Then there is the “Curious case of Diezani Madueke” which, never mind.
One by one, Nigeria’s patriarchal system which worked so hard to reward “Mummy Z— Debbie” (of course she deserved it though) is gradually kicking off all the women.
We know of course that even though strong women such as Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala have fought to make this country better, pressure from all angles have left her focusing more on the international and even trumping her US citizenship above her Nigerian citizenship. In the twilights of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Minister Okonjo-Iweala also came under a barrage of attacks.
Patriarchy isn’t done though, if you ask me. There is still this fair gem. One who has decided that innovativeness and complete commitment to a better and sustained development of Nigeria is what leadership means.
Patriarchal Nigeria has tried to tag her as the “Beauty Queen of Nigeria’s Senate”. Yet she moved beyond that with impactful projects and even driving for a re-configuration of how things are done to focus on a bottom-up approach.
Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, beloved by her people of Kogi Central, but more than that, relentlessly working for a new Nigeria anchored on the innovativeness championed by young people, seems to be the last one standing.
A bright hope for a country in dire need of selfless leadership. A different brand of politician, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has embraced her emergence as the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District with exceptional drive to change the landscape of Nigerian politics.
In two months, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is already touted as the symbol of hope for Nigeria.
A number of persons have spoken in awe of how two months into her position as the Senator representing Kogi Central, Distinguished Senator Natasha had started bringing joy to her people including through her streetlight project, a handful of job opportunities, the distribution of foodstuff to her constituents in line with the palliative provision of the Presidency, amongst others.
Goodness Alike, a young female entrepreneur from Anambra thinks Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is “Hope. She makes me believe”.
Susan Nwuke who runs a fashion house in Lugbe, Abuja says that: “I got to know Natasha when they first dug up her community roads to disrupt her election. She is a fine determined woman and I want my children to be like her”.
Gradually, and with impactful actions, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has begun to redefine what leadership should be about in a country in dire need of vision and symbol of hope.
The rumour mills are also ripe with several engagements by the dogged celebrity Senator to bring to bear purposeful action to change the state of Nigerian women and even contribute to the revitalisation of the Nigerian economy using cerebral and innovative ways.
Against all odds, it seems that as one Nigerian woman is taken down, another rears her head and re-emphasises what we all know — the future is woman, and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan holds the torch.
Nnaemeka Oruh is an author, researcher and public affairs analyst
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