THE ROLE OF WOMEN DEVELOPMENT IN OGUN STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Woman are seen as; the weaker vessel, feeble minded personality, child bearer, emotional being, man’s helper, caretaker, man’s better half, man’s wealth preserver, man’s soul mate, home managers, among others (Okereke, 2010). Despite the number of categories the woman is placed on, she is more than all these. A woman is powerfully created with high structures. She is uniquely made by her maker. The emergence of 21st century laden with sufficient evidence; scientifically and otherwise, has proved that women are capable of holding leadership positions as men. Woman, as many think, are not naturally weak. They do not have limited capacity or lower intelligence quotient compared to men. This is proved in the likes of women like Margaret Thatcher “the iron lady”, former Prime Minister of Britain, Indira Ghandi, former Prime Minister of India, Queen Elizabeth II of England, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia. In Nigeria, we have women like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Finance Minister, Late Professor Dora Akunyili, former Minister of Information and Director of NAFDAC, Dr. Ndi Okereke Onyiuke among others who distinguished themselves in leadership and administration of Nigeria. In the last 20 years ago, debates, on the status of women and the need to integrate them into development process of any nation have ranged on at national and international workshops, seminars among others. In Nigeria today, the women have come a long way in business, politics, education, sports and other professions Olaleye (2008). They have left an unforgettable mark in their efforts to overcome the limitations of the past which have tried to place them permanently in the kitchen and bedroom. Lack of educational, economic and political power necessary to actualize their innate potentials has relegated Nigerian women to the background. According to Ifedili and Ifedili (2012), Nigerian women are hindered by culture, which made them, vulnerable to effectively join the workforce and contribute to economic and thus, national development. Most of Nigerian women have not been properly oriented and empowered to contribute to national development. Otherwise, we would not still be talking about women development. Development has been seen from different perspectives; social, economic, political and cultural. Development means greater understanding of social, economic and political process, enhanced competence to analyze and solve problems of day-to-day living, expansion of manual skills, greater control over economic resources, restoration of human dignity, self respect and equality. Thus national development is a multidimensional process involving the transformation and improvement of the economic, social and political situations. Historically, development clearly teaches us that nations are constructed or built by the collective decisions of the citizens and creative hard work. It is evidence that one of the shortcomings of the emerging economies of African nations nowadays is the failure to properly involve women in the process of governance and development (Okereke, 2010). No nation can develop to the limit of its potentials unless women are fully empowered to take up responsibilities as men and work collectively towards the political and socio-economic development of the country. To fully develop women requires an overall approach to cut the cultural and traditional hindrances that hold women in bondage in a free world of equal opportunities. This is the time to fully integrate women into the scheme of things for national development. Women are the fundamental human reservoir of every society as they control most of the non-monetary economy (subsistence, agriculture, bearing children, domestic labour etc.) and play an important role in the monetary (training wage labour, employment etc Yawa, (2015). Women in many societies, whether developed or developing are seen as currency with which political and economic alliances are sealed. Thus in social anthropology, the transfer of women between lineages and clans is regarded as a medium of communication more potent and clearest than language itself (Coleman, 2009). The woman as a person is an agent of reproduction of life itself. This places her in the position of the life itself. This places her in the position of the life blood of the entire humanity. The industrial revolution in England and other parts of the western world in the 18th century drastically altered the primary role of women in the society. Women could be seen playing roles regarded as the exclusive reserves of men in the economic, political and social lives of the society in the African setting women have played the role of peace maker, the symbol of beauty and major molder of the character of the children she is the first teacher, the sustained and maintainer of the home. Fasugba (2010) asserted that many women today are engaged in activities and jobs hitherto regarded as the exclusive reserve of men. He further states that since women have become conscious of their right, they have continued to slug it out with men in all areas of human endeavors. By their physiological and intellectual make up they do perform more than mere complementary roles in the production process. Finally, the most important factor in development would be transferring of power to the powerless from the hands of powerful. So, then the people will be empowered irrespective of their gender, caste, colour, class or ethnicity. In order to achieve this broad development goal, there is a need to address the changes in the existing socio-economic and political structures which constituted as hinders to the positive changes of the society.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The issue of discrimination against women in governance at any level is not simply an African or Nigerian phenomenon but a global one, except that the developed countries are fast moving towards gender equality and equity (Agbalajobi, 2009), with the view of maintaining gender balance in every endeavor. Nigeria like other countries in the world is responding to the clarion calls made variously by the United Nations to rid societies of all forms of discriminations especially gender based discriminations (Ekpe & Eja-John, 2014). Nigeria took a bold step in the year 2010 when it adopted and passed into Law National Policy on women guided by the Global Instrument on the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Nigeria is currently reawakening its effort in achieving gender equality. To achieve this, a development process which takes women and men as partners in development, and more importantly that which challenges the structure which continues to produce gender-based inequalities in the society, and balances power relations between women and men both at micro and macro levels is inevitable (Ekpe & EjaJohn, 2014). Nigeria indeed has tried to respond to this development from the international arena by articulating policies and programs that seek to reduce gender inequalities in socio economic and political spheres, however, the success of bridging the gap between men and women is far-fetched. Omonubi-McDonnel (2011) opines that politically, Nigeria women are negligible and undermined force, with little political involvement. It is an incontestable fact that women constitute over half of the world's population. Nigeria's case is not different; women constitute a significant part of the nation's population (Agbalajobi, 2010). Unfortunately, this numerical strength has not found corresponding expression or representation in Nigeria’s public life. Women's participation in politics and governance is of strategic importance, not only for women's empowerment, but because it has wider benefits and impact. Many people have expressed the view of the great importance of women's participation and representation in governance of their country that it can bring to national development.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the roles of women development in Ogun state. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. To examine the level of women participation in national development.

2. To examine the role of women in national development.

3. To examine the impact of women on community development in Ogun state.

4. To identify the challenges hindering women in contributing effectively to national development

5. To examine the relationship between gender issues and community development in Ogun state.

6. To make some suggestions that will enhance women development in Ogun state.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the level of women participation in national development?

2. What are the roles of women in national development?

3. What is the impact of women on community development in Ogun state?

4. What are the challenges hindering women in contributing effectively to national development?

5. What is the relationship between gender issues and community development in Ogun state?

6. What are some suggestions that will enhance women development in Ogun state?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1

H0: There is no significant impact of women on community   development in Ogun state.

H1: There is a significant impact of women on community development in Ogun state.

Hypothesis 2

1. : There is no significant relationship between gender issues and community development in Ogun state.
2. : There is a significant relationship between gender issues and community development in Ogun state.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would be of benefit to guide developed and developing countries toward the best solution to achieve both gender equality and growth in developed and developing countries. The study would also be of immense benefit to students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing further studies on the subject matter.

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the role of women development in Ogun state.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Women: Refer to the female gender, the opposite of male gender. There is the dependency syndrome that women are known to have being dependent on men. In order words, their roles are that of helpers to men.

Women in development: Is an approach of development projects that emerged in the 1960s, calling for treatment of women's issues in development projects. It is the integration of women into the global economies by improving their status and assisting in total development