Although the current vice president of the United States did not emerge victorious in the recent presidential election, Kamala Harris, has been described as a global catalyst for women in leadership and governance. As the first woman, first Black person, and first person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president of the United States, her candidacy challenges global perceptions of leadership in this male-dominated world. Her success serves as an inspiration for women to pursue political leadership roles worldwide.
In this context, analysts believe that Kamala Harris’s groundbreaking achievement offers hope and encouragement for Nigerian women to vote, volunteer, and run for office. A Nigerian lawyer and gender advocate Titilope Anifowoshe described Harris’s accomplishments during the US election as a moment of heartache and hope. According to Anifowoshe, despite the challenges women face in pursuing leadership roles, they will continue to stand tall in spaces where women before them have been excluded.
Anifowoshe emphasised that women will persist in fighting stereotypes and confronting injustice, even when faced with significant barriers. A stark example of such barriers is the delayed implementation of the 35% affirmative action for women in appointive positions in Nigeria. This delay persists despite a successful campaign led by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund and other civil society organisations, culminating in a landmark Federal High Court judgment in 2022. The court ordered that 35% of appointive positions in the federal government be assigned to women.
In this light, Anifowoshe lamented women’s challenges, saying, “Sometimes, the world feels unbearably heavy, as though every attempt to break free is met with another wall, another reminder of the old ways.”
She expressed optimism for the future of herself and future generations in Nigeria and Africa, stating, “One day, we will raise daughters and sons who believe in equity as naturally as they breathe.”
Commenting on how Nigerian women can emulate the American vice president, civil society leader Auwal Rafsanjani, who observed the US elections, argued that Nigeria must first build strong political party systems grounded in ideology, much like the Democratic and Republican parties in the US.
Rafsanjani stated, “Until we return to the basics and build solid political parties with clear manifestos and programs that people can subscribe to, we will not be able to make meaningful progress.” He added that without political parties rooted in ideology and principles, it is difficult to recruit members committed to those ideals.
He further pointed out that the lack of accountability in Nigeria’s political system hinders the recruitment of competent and capable candidates, especially women, for electoral positions. Rafsanjani stressed the need to build a political system that responds to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians based on principles and ideology so that Nigerian women can compete equally with men in elections.
