The First Lady of Kwara State, Omolewa Ahmed has condemned the ramapant incidences of violation of the rights of women apparent in the Nigerian society, despite enabling law which have been enacted to guide against acts of aggression and suppression against women.
She lamented the phlight of women on Wednesday in her keynote address at a lecture organized by the Nigerian Bar Association which held at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Lagos.
Whilst delivering her address, she point out that though women contribute in no small measure to the growth of the nation’s economy she is prejudiced by the laws of nation enacted to protect her.
Mrs Omolewa noted that to address the ill-meted against women in the society ‘a genuine drive through pressure groups like’ the NBA must be in place to ensure the implementation of existing legislations and to possibly improve on them.’
‘It is apparent that our case as a nation is not one of dearth of legal framework but the challenge lies in the implementation of what is already in existence, ’ she added.
The First Lady who is also the founder of the LEAH Foundation, a leading women and child rights enforcement organization also canvassed that attitudinal change as the necessary tool to birth the needed political will towards the enforcement and improvement of relevant legislations.
‘ If our society continues to view the woman as a “semi-human being”, very little progress will be the inevitable outcome. Women’s rights must be seen as human rights which are observed as a matter of course without the need for any special demand or coercion.’
Others who attended the event included the wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, the panelist were Mrs Titilola Akinlawon, Mrs Yewande Zaccheaus, Mrs Titi Osuntoki, Mrs Rosemary Koku, Hajia Saudatu Mahdi, Ms. Eno Udoh Olafisoye, Mrs Folashade Alli, Mrs Josephine Effah-Chukwuma