There is a lot of talk about
“inclusive capitalism” and “inclusive growth” these days. That’s all well and
good but in addition to these, what we need is an “inclusive government”. A
government that includes capable, honest citizens based on merit irrespective
of gender. There is a positive
correlation between gender equality and economic growth. Countries that do not
treat women as second class citizens are more likely to prosper in a
sustainable manner, and this is true regardless of the prevailing ideology or
religion of that country. Look at Rwanda. Look at Dubai. Both places rank high
in comparative regional gender equality surveys and both have experienced an
upward trend in economic prowess and social development over the last 10 years
and 40 years respectively. In the book Flashes of Thought, the Ruler of
Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum says of his government “Our job is to
provide an environment that unlocks women’s potential – one that protects their
dignity and femininity, helps them create the necessary balance in their lives,
and values their talents and potential. Given this environment, I am confident
that women will perform nothing short of miracles”. To that end, 70% of
university graduates in Dubai are women. 85% of his personal team are women.
65% of their government employees are women and 30% of the leadership positions
are held by women.
Closer to home, let’s look at
Rwanda. Since the genocide ended over 10 years ago, women have generally made
up more than 50% of their parliamentarians. Currently approximately 63% of
their members of parliament are female. During that time Rwanda has experienced
year-on-year GDP growth. Their GDP per capital, their Gross National Income per
capital, their Agricultural Production Rate and their Food Production Rate have
all increased steadily over those years. Is this a coincidence? I think not. I
once heard someone say that women are the greatest causalities of war and he
might be right. This being the case, by putting capable women in leadership
positions you have a government that is less likely to make decisions that
would lead to civil unrest or war. Prosperity fosters in times of peace. The
absence of confusion and an orderly society fosters progress. One could
therefore argue that the more women you have in leadership positions the more
likely you are to have an orderly and prosperous country.
In her essay The
Economics of Exclusion, University of Oxford Business Professor Linda Scott
illustrates in monetary terms the national benefits of adequately including
women in leadership and the hidden, indirect cost of excluding them. "Taking
account of the benefits of including women should encompass not just the growth
possibilities, but the bigger economic impact lies in avoiding the costs
associated with exclusion, such as...hunger, violence and disease.”
In some of her
other work Scott compares the Women’s Economic Opportunity data compiled
by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the National Competitiveness Index created
by the World Economic Forum. Her findings show that "a country
making concerted efforts to protect, support, educate, and place its women
would be making similar decisions across the board to maximize its other
resources".
There are living
examples of gifted leaders all over the world who happen to be female, women
such as Valerie Amos, Michaelle Jean, Ursula Burns and Condoleezza Rice. We
also have our fair share of such assets here in Nigeria and in deciding who
should form part of the leadership team that moves this country forward, let
those who are gifted with skill, scruples, stamina and a solid track record
prevail.
Who or what is a leader?
It is said that a leader is
someone who improves the lives of those around him or her. People like Adepeju
Jaiyeoba the lawyer working to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates by
providing kits to pregnant women in rural areas, or Mosunmola Umoru the female
farmer who empowers other farmers by helping them find a viable market for
their produce.
Similarly, it is said that a
leader is anyone who can serve people and make them happy. For example, Enitan
Kuku who discovers Nigerian fine artists and helps them sell their artwork in
the international market, or Fisayo Olowu who runs a designated learning place
for children under the age of 10 living in an impoverished shanty town, or
Yewande Olofinro who goes to hospital wards to help those who can’t pay their
medical bills.
I also read somewhere
that a leader is someone capable of creating positive change, whether at a
micro level within his or her family or at a macro level serving the entire
nation. People such as Ijeoma Idika-Chima a young lady who galvanises other
young people to vote, or Amina Ahmed who despite incredible odds is possibly
one of Nigeria’s youngest female magistrates, or Temitayo Etomi a manager in
the Lagos State civil service doing notable work in her state government.
It should be a priority of the
incoming administration to “provide an enabling environment for women to
achieve their highest potential.” That environment would be one that
protects them from violence, one that does not force them to compromise their
principles and one that includes them on the basis of competence.
Overlooking women
for positions in leadership would be akin to a self-inflicted brain drain.
Speaking of a brain drain, Valerie Amos is originally from Guyana and Michaelle
Jean was born in Haiti. Both women are doing wonders on behalf of their
adoptive countries, the United Kingdom and Canada respectively. If the right
environment had existed in their countries of birth they probably would not
have left and perhaps they’d be doing these wonders as emissaries of their
birth countries rather than as representatives of their adoptive countries. Let
us create the right environment here in Nigeria so that capable women (and men)
don’t have to leave the shores of their country to find a place where their
intellectual talents can be maximized and appreciated.
The positive change that we
would like to see from the new administration is the significant inclusion of
clever, capable, conscientious and compassionate women in the leadership.
Let us realize the benefits inherent in our greatest natural resource. Let us
uphold the spirit and the letter of our National Gender Policy. You can create
an environment that enables women to succeed or sets them up to fail. By
choosing the former, the whole nation, male and female, young and old, will
also move forward.
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This article was written by Olubunmi Aboderi, a printer, publisher, writer, avid book reader, photo
enthusiast and the Chairperson, Board of Trustees of the Olubunmi Aboderin
Foundation. Ms Aboderin is also the
Executive Director, Business Development and New Projects for Punch Nigeria
Limited and an active member of the NGO WIMBIZ
where she served in the Conference Planning Group as the Chairperson of the
Speakers' Committee for 3 consecutive conferences. Ms Aboderin is a member of the Institute of Directors; The Corporate Governance
Society of Nigeria and the Havard Business School Alumni Association of Nigeria. Ms Aboderin whose 1st degree is a BSc in Economics, is a graduate of the
General Management Program at Harvard Business School and the Advanced
Management and Leadership Program at Oxford University.
Ms. Aboderin has presented case studies on Business
Strategy at Harvard Business School and Business Continuity at University of Oxford Said Business School.
Ms Aboderin has also given talks on Corporate
Branding at Heirs Holdings Ltd; Six
Sigma at Punch Commercial Printing; Problem
Solving and Critical Reasoning at the WIMBIZ Graduate Internship Training
Program.
Hi Olubunmi, I was wondering if you would grant permission for us to republish this article on our website? I am asking on behalf of GenderHub Nigeria, a non-profit initiative concerning all things gender in Nigeria and West Africa. We would like to feature you on our blog page, with full accreditation and link back to you page. Please e-mail me at deprairie at gmail, thanks!
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