Nigeria’s former ambassador to the Netherlands, Eniola Ajayi, has called for more women’s representation in politics and diplomacy.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Ambassador Ajayi urged Nigerian states to ensure that women are included in ambassadorial nominations, stressing that leadership must reflect fairness and balance.
“I would like to plead nicely with Mr President to make sure that the one [ambassadorial nominee] who would come from Gombe would be a woman,” she said while referencing the list of ambassadorial nominees appointed by President Tinubu.
Her remark comes on the International Day of Women in Diplomacy celebration, a time set aside to promote inclusion and empowerment of women in diplomatic spaces.
The diplomat decried the low levels of women’s representation in the political space in Nigeria, saying there were more females in the National Assembly in the past.
“In the National Assembly, at one time we had more women, but today the number has dropped,” the envoy said.
There are about 20 women in the 469‑member National Assembly, representing just 4.2 per cent of the legislature.
But Ajayi pointed to some positive developments, including the appointment of women to key ministerial roles, as an indication that the situation is not all gloomy.
“Currently, the minister of foreign affairs is a woman, which is a good thing,” the diplomat remarked
She also praised women ambassadors appointed in the past few years, saying, “I know they have actually made a big difference in their missions and in their own areas of responsibility.”
Despite these gains, she expressed her concern about the Special Seats Bill.
“The speaker of the House of Representatives is promoting the bill to reserve a seat for women in the National Assembly, but it is not moving fast,” she said.
Cultural, Systemic Barriers
Ajayi also addressed cultural challenges that hinder women’s advancement.
“Women tend to be less aggressive and assertive in asking for positions,” she observed, adding that across the world, systems often impose limitations that women must navigate.
The diplomat emphasised that political will is crucial for change.
“There’s a need for political will within that system on the part of the leaders of the political parties,” she said.
For her, deliberate action is required to ensure fairness, saying, “If the system were deliberate in that fashion to make sure that women are given their due share just by being fair, then we would all benefit from it.”
