By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Kaduna women have vowed come 2019 to drag to court politicians who failed on their campaign promises after they clinched power, saying they will enlighten women not to collect salt and maggi in return for votes as it amount to selling of their rights.
They stated this at the end of a three-day empowerment seminar for women of Malali and Tum communities on Civic Education and Participation for Women Project, (CEPWOP) in decision making and politics in the country on Friday in Kaduna.
According to them, come 2019, when politicians come to canvass for votes as usual, the agreement strategy will be employed to tackled them. “We will make them write down all the promises of what they will do to better our lots and our communities.”
When asked what will be their next line of action if the politicians failed in their promises? They said; “If they failed to deliver their promises, the first step is to call those who were present when the agreement was reached.
“Then if they denied making such promises at all, we will take them to the community leaders that also witnessed the agreement. And if they remain adamant, we will take it step by step, then we drag them to court.
“We will enlighten the women not to take salt and maggi because this is selling of our rights. Salt and maggi is just for now after then we will not see the politicians again.
“We will tell the politicians in clear terms what we lack in our communities, projects that will affects our future and our children positively not salt and maggi or N500,” they said.
Gingered by the lectures at the event, the women with one voice said they were going to work with the knowledge acquired at the seminar to better their lives and that of other women in their various communities.
One of the participants, Mrs Rhoda Giwa, who represented Malali Community in Kaduna North Local Government Area, said she will step down the knowledge garnered from the seminar on the women in her community.
According to her, women participation in politics in her community is very low, noting that, while some of them are not interested, some lack education, and yet others are bound by culture and traditions.
“I’m going to step down the knowledge acquired so far on women in my community. I will mobilize and give them civic education, encouraged and empower them to participate in politics and developmental projects within the community,” she said.
Another participant, Mrs Theresa Musa Binniyat, from Tum Community in Kaura Local Government Area, said that with the knowledge so far acquired courtesy of CEPWOP, she will impact women to be courageous, to be up and doing so that they could help develop their community.
Mrs Binniyat said women participation in politics in Tum community is very low due to cultural norms and other factors that affects them, and promised come 2019 to ensure that women don’t go after political parties but look out for candidates that will developed their community, and also impact lives positively.
“We will go for such candidates not those who come to give us salt and maggi today, and tomorrow they kill us all.
“What is N10,000? Look at how people are being killed and massacred just because of the tips they collected from politicians. People are selling their voter cards for N5,000, N10,000. How will that help us? she queried.
The women empowerment seminar was organized by a Nongovernmental Organization, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative, (EWEI), and supported by Inti Raymi Fund. Highlight of the event include presentation of certificates to participants.