Women are generally considered to be the weaker vessels making several people to assert that they are incapable of ruling their own folks (women) left alone their male counterparts. In some cultures, especially in most countries of the continent of Africa, it is unheard of for a woman to lead, be it a religious or social gathering. For politics the negative assertion is highly exhorted. This is also true in the Islamic world. Sadly enough, this canker is deeply rooted even among some intellectuals and elites.
Indeed, Gandhi meant it when he stated: ‘Let us become the change we seek in the world’. To take a cue from this, L.S.U, a grass root for raising future advocates to inject civilization in society, has set the pace. In its fourth general election, women emerged the winners of all the elective positions specified by Article 10 of its newly adopted constitution. Thus, the executive committee comprising the president, the vice president, the general secretary and the organizing secretary are now being occupied by women. This is a clear example that worth following to draw our able-bodied women to contribute their quota in national development.
Between 1960 and 2007, more than 46 women have been elected prime ministers and presidents worldwide. Ghanaian newspaper “Daily Graphic” on Friday, January 20, 2006 in its report entitled “women leaders take hold of power” stated the following facts upon its reportage on the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and Michelle Bachelet in Chile as presidents.
It stated that elected women leaders have played important roles on the world stage for more than a quarter-century including iron-fisted figures as former Indian PM, Indira Gandi (1966-77, 1980-1984) and Britain’s formidable Margaret Thatcher with Angela Merkel being now elected as Germany’s first woman chancellor. It added that women presidents already hold office in Ireland and Latvia, while a woman, Segolene Royal, has emerged as she clear frontrunner to be the opposition Socialist Party’s candidate in France’s 2007 presidential elections.
According to the aforementioned newspaper, the number of women in politics worldwide is steadily rising, although they remain severely underrepresented, according to Karine Jabre, a Swiss researcher who has studied the place of women in parliament since 1945.
“In 1995, women made up 11.8 percent of all lower houses of parliament rising to 13.4 percent in 2000 and 16.2 per cent in 2005”, according to Jabre. Her research pointed out that despite notable exceptions, such as the tough-minded Thatcher, women in positions of power tended to put a greater priority on social issues than their male counterparts.
It must be understood that, as a democratic principle, an individual in a country has the right to vote and to be voted for provided some basic qualifications are met. This civilized principle should be upheld by all well meaning human beings and that certain culture and beliefs that tend to hinder women from contributing their quota in their national politics must be surrendered to this principle.
It must however be noted that a political career marked by success and integrity takes a special type of person. Women can achieve this by having in mind the following:
First, political office is certainly no place for a person who is extremely materialistic. Second, you must have a high degree of tolerance for scrutiny into your private affairs and submit all details of your financial life for public consumption. A politician/leader must be ready to answer for anything he or she has done that might by considered improper. Lastly, there should be the determination not to yield to compromising, corruption and rationalization and perhaps dirty politics.
Women leaders should not forget that the “world” has negative impression concerning their involvement in politics, hence the need to utilize every opportunity that emerges to prove their critics wrong. Warren Bennis in the write-up: ‘The Character of Leadership’ offered this advice to leaders: ‘Successful leadership is not about being tough or soft, assertive or sensitive. It is about having a particular set of attributes-which all leaders, male and female, seem to share. And chief among these attributes is character’.
Of a truth, when a cloud gathers, even the deaf and the dumb; fancy that it is about to rain. A new wind is blowing all over the world, a wind of positive thoughts, that women are needed to complement the efforts of their male counterparts. Therefore, dear fellow men let us give the needed support to our women leaders to achieve the goals we all cherish to walk in. As Max De Pree once put it: ‘the signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers’. Fellows, let us follow (support) meaningfully instead of casting doubts. Indeed, males ought to support female(s) leaders for future excellence in all field of endeavor. Women can warm men to stimulate growth and development.
L.S.U, KNUST has indeed become the change that we seek in the world hence, the need to emulate this pace setting step.
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