This study investigates the factors that limit women’s participation in Nigeria’s
politics using as a case study, the period between 1999 and 2007, with emphasis on
Lagos and Ogun States. Among these factors are socioeconomic development, the
country’s cultural heritage, historical legacies and institutional designs.
The study engages both primary and secondary sources, including field survey,
personal interviews and questionnaire. A total of 200 women were selected from
Lagos and Ogun States through simple random sampling for the administration of the
questionnaires.
The study reveals that the patriarchal system and male domination of the society,
which relegates women to subordinate role, has created women’s inferiority complex
and alienated them from the mainstream politics in Nigeria. The Nigerian political
culture of thuggery and gangsterism has made the political terrain too dangerous for
most women to venture into mainstream politics. Besides, the stigmatization of
women politicians by fellow women discourages the political participation of the
former while religious beliefs and institutional arrangements that restrict women to
family responsibilities in the country coupled with lack of decisive affirmative action
to encourage women’s political participation, have created a legacy that limit women’s
political participation in Lagos and Ogun State respectively.
Consequently, the study emphasises the need to address those factors that entrench
women subordination in Nigeria’s politics. These include, among others, the
reformation of all religious, statutory and customary laws and practices that perpetuate
women’s subordination in the country and the explicit specifications and modalities of
affirmative actions on women’s political participation and clear guidelines for
implementations in the Nigeria constitution.