ABSTRACT
Nigeria women has been relegated to the background
of Nigeria politics in this research we set out to study the political
participation of women in Abia State.
And to know why women have not been achieving involved in the process of
shaping the political system. The
objectives of this research work is to find out if women are actively involved
in the politics of Abia State. And
again, to find out factors responsible for how level of women participating in
the politics of Abia State and the strategies to be adopted in order to ensure
achieve participation of women in the politics. It is obvious that women in
Nigeria have encountered a number of problems while venturing into politics.
There is large scale of discriminations from the male folks, both in voting for
candidates and allocating political offices.
This issue and problem of women and political participation in Nigeria
is the issue of national orientation and awareness to the society at large
especially to the low level awareness of the majority of the masses. Finally government should educate the
majority of people especially the women folk as majority are illiterates and
had already behaved that many of them have no right in political participation
and public affairs.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE:
1.
Introduction
2.
Statement
of the Problem
3.
Objective
of the Study
4.
Significance
of the Study
5.
Scope
and Limitation of the Study
6.
Limitations
7.
Research
Questions
8.
Clarification
of Key Concepts CHAPTER TWO 2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Theoretical Framework
2.2 Women in Politics
2.3 Women in Pre-Colonial and Post Colonial
2.4 The Impact of Women in the Colonial Period
2.5 The Impact of Women in Post-Colonial
Nigeria
2.6 Women in the Post Independence Era
2.7 Women in Politics
2.8 Women in Economy
2.9 Women in Agriculture
CHAPTER THREE
3.1 Research Methodology and Design
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Sources of Data
3.4 Location of Study
3.5 Population of the Study
3.6 Sample Technique
3.7 Instrumentation
3.8 Validity of the Instrument
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3..10 Data Collection
3.11 Instrument Rate Return (IRR)
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Summary of Findings
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
Bibliography
Appendix
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
1.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF
THE STUDY
The fate of the Nigeria women for the past 45 years
cannot be described as the best but it can be said to be much better than what
is obtainable in some third world countries.
It is of a believe that women are sex symbols whose paramount place is
either in the kitchen or in their husband’s bed, the Nigeria women have
blossomed into what can comfortably be described as independent for over forty
five (45) years after Nigeria’s independent.
Women accepted whatever attitude, belief, biases and treatment meted out
to them until recently when Nigeria women have gradually become more aware of
this right and places in society.
To
the average Nigeria man, any woman who knows her political rights and asks is
quickly regarded as “Tomboyish” and quickly labeled “woman rebel” during the
colonial era, much was not heard of
woman in Nigeria political except few occasion when they stood their ground to
protest one incident or another.
In
African women had made history in politics often times, it is associated with
violence and military incursion for example, in 1929 over 10,000 ib,bio and
Igbo women reacted over taxation rumour which resulted into the killing of
about 26 of them.
In
1973, the agitation from the Northern Nigeria women brought about formation of
Northern People Congress (NPC) and Northern Elements of Progressive Union
(NEPU).
The
world body recognizes that women need a sort of special support in view of the
fact that they are often discriminated against in many part of the world even
the so-called civilized world.
The
above statement had established that fact that all over the world women are
discriminated against and need special training, support and encouragement to
attain political heights like their male counterparts.
The
Abia State the women folk has been greatly alienated, discriminated, subjected
and non inclusive in the general administration of the stat affairs. The female folk on their side have been on
constant agitation and struggle for economic improvement and social recognition
within the state polity.
The
research work will then enveil the nature and character of the Abia State
politics with a view at assessing the degree of women participation and
training in political activities of the state.
At the end of the assessment workable solutions will be preferred on how
best to improve their lot in the state specially with regard to political
participation.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A close observation of the degree of political
participation and training of women in Nigeria tend to reveal that women have
not been actively involved in the process of sharpening the political
system. This disparity between women and
non political participation has been a subject of controversy and debates among
scholars, politicians, analysts and stakeholder in Nigeria.
Since
1999 when the present civilian government came into power after a long period
of military regime, women politicians in Abia State like their counterparts in
other part of the federation have continued to express dismay over the low
participation and alienation of women in the politics of the state. Consequently, in 2003 a female governorship
aspirant, laureta Aniagolu joined the race for the seat of governor in Enugu
State.
Unfortunately,
she was maneuvered in the party primary of the United Nigeria People Party. She
later joined the National conscience party and was defeated with other
aspirants by Governor Chimaroke Nnamani in a General Election, which according
to Asowata (12006) and many other observers, was a rape of democracy and
political fraud.
Significantly
women apathy and alienation politics has been attributed to some factors such
as colonial system of economic and political exclusion of women in the control
and management of state, the post colonial system of exclusion, the religions
cultural enslavement of women, the contemporary economic deprivation, the
educational disempowerment and social discrimination.
Based
on these premises some fundamental questions become important:
1.
Have
women been actively involved in the politics of Abia State?
2.
Are
the post colonial retention of colonial system of social discrimination and
educational disempowerment responsible for low level of woman participation and
training in political in Abia State?
3.
What
are the strategies to be adopted in order to ensure active participation of
women in the politics of Abia State?
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
A research work is directed toward establishing the
nature of participation and training by women in politics, the level, which
they have attained, the hindrances and what should be made to improve, the
level of participation and training. The study established the participation of
women who are proficient in politics and how their participation have helped in
inculcating, progress and emancipation of women from the decision making body
of the state.
The
specific and concrete desired achievement at the end of the research work
underscores its objectives (Obasi:1999).
Accordingly, this research work intends:
1.
To
find out if women are actively involved in the politics of Abia State and so
what impact they have created.
2.
To
find out if there still exists colonial and post-colonial system of social discrimination against women in the
politics of Abai State.
3.
To
find out the strategies to be adopted in order to ensure active participation
of women in the politics of Abia State.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
As an academic venture, the significance of this
type of study is so enormous that one cannot comprehend such with or limited
ordinary words.
In
the first place, one can rightly say the significance of the study, is to
unmask the nature and character of the Nigeria political system and then use
such as a prelude for analyzing the nature and character of Abia state politics
with particular reference to the degree of participation of women in the
politics of Abia State.
The
work shall unveil in the political activities of Nigeria and Abia State in
particularly from the sector, it shall assess the fundamental factors,
responsible for low training of women in the politics of Abia State and Nigeria
in general. Going by this trend, the
study shall also provide both women and often political stakeholders there
required information necessary for addressing the problems of low training of
women in participation of the political of Nigeria and Abia State.
Theoretically,
there has been for a general work on Nigeria women especially in the sphere of
politics. This will give an overview of
the subject, incorporate and synthesize the various views of women and their
effort to emancipate themselves from the social, economic, cultural and
political subjugation which they find themselves. This work will contribute a lot in this
aspect.
At
the empirical level, women especially those aspiring to political position,
will equally be policy makers in general.
It would give them insight into the hindrance (economic, social and
culture) to women’s aspirations in the political spheres, and therefore, know
how to make legislations, which would encourage their effective participation
in politics.
1.
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE
STUDY
The scope of the study over a reasonable period of
time, which is 1999-2009 and area of Ohafia local government area of Abia
State. In the first place, the scope range from the colonial period to the
present period. This springs from the
fact that the colonial masters first instituted the process of economic and
political alienation and exclusion of women which invariably were inherited and
subsequently perfected by the indigenous political elite.
However,
in area of operation, the Nigeria state is the area of grand from work of
analysis which Abia State remains the point of emphasis women on their part
collectively remained the fundamental instrument of study.
1.6 LIMITATIONS
The research work had its own challenges which
either promote or militate against its advancement.
These
challenges and limitations include time constants, financial inadequacies of
the interviews, poor assistance from the government sector and poor
infrastructural facilities like poor power supply. All these challenges and limitations were
experienced by the researcher in the course of carrying out this researcher
work.
However,
with perseverance and enterprises these challenges were tactfully surmounted
and a successful completion of the researcher work attained.
1.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To be able to find out the impact of women
participation in politics in Nigeria the following questions have been put
forward as a guide.
1.
Have
the women in Nigeria been involved in politics?
2.
To
what extent have they been allowed to be involved?
3.
What
are the possible hindrances to the involvement of women in politics?
1.8 CLARIFICATION OF KEY CONCEPTS
The purpose of conceptual clarification is to
clearly define terminologies to aid understanding for the purpose of this
work. The following concepts will be
defined.
Women
Liberation: Women liberation emerged with these struggles
for rights and objective, it is said to constitute what is of women’s concern
and what is not, because people use the word freely.
Alienation: This concept of alienation
is defined as the state of being withdrawn or isolated. It could be denying of
one’s right.
Apathy: Apathy can be defined as
lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting
especially in the political systems of a society.
Culture: Culture is defined as
people’s way of life, which includes their mode of dressing, cooking, dancing,
eating, greeting, language etc. It is a
particular from or stage of civilization as that of a certain nation or period.
Furthermore,
its complex which include knowledge, belief morals, law, custom and any other
capabilities and habits, acquired by man as a member of society.
Discrimination:
The concept
discrimination is defined as the treatment of consideration of, or making a
distinction in favour of or against a person or group of persons.
Training: Training is defined as a
process of preparing or being prepared for sport or job, i.e training people in
politics to be able to participate very well in politics or training people for
a profession.