Understanding Sexual and Gender-based Violence (A reply to Augustus Bill)

Tops of the day, Sir, 

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge that I was undeniably exhilarated when I read your comment on my SGBV Article. I thank you for always sharing your thoughts, your encouragement keeps me going. 
Sir, on your argument about the exclusion and disregarding of Nigerian women in National Politics/lack of participation by the women folk, I admit there are truths to most of what you said, but I have an argument in favor of the women (the sex I belong to).  

You would agree with me that the society we belong to does not encourage women in politics, that women are given slots in several political parties to contest for free is merely theoretical.
Customarily, Political gatherings usually take place at nights. I have a number of female friends working as aides. And, all of them arrive home at anomalous hours. People say that “Politics is a dirty game” and I can wholeheartedly attest that it is not a myth. Politics is so dangerous and time-consuming. Nigerian Politics specifically, is like musky waters and hardly anyone ever comes out clean.
By cultural normalcy, a woman is supposed to cook, clean, bath the kids, ready them for school, these things we usually simplify as “wifey duties”. Now, how would society perceive a woman who isn’t able to fulfill these “wifey duties”? As wayward and disrespectful, right? Some women, in bid to retain the political candle burning would keep up to the struggle in hopes of light at the end of tunnel, doing this at the risk of having issues with their husbands or even extended family.

Now, Sir, shall we look at it another way? The part where the husband is the partner in the Political struggle. A caring and hardworking husband trying to leave a legacy, right? Oh, and with a doting wife at home saying midnight prayers for the success of her husband’s political career. Cute, right? But definitely intolerable and societally unacceptable if the table is turned around in favor of the woman.  

You are very much exposed, so there’s categorically no need trying to explain how financially draining Nigerian Politics is. In Igbo culture, a girl finishes school at 22 or 23, she does NYSC at age 23-24. At 25, she’s already given off to a man for marriage. When a man dies, his properties are willed off to his MALE children. So, even if a woman wants to collect a loan to pursue such a career, what collateral does she have? No matter how much we try to be emblematic, economic factors are a huge hindrance to women in this game.

Let me take you back to your reply on Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Dora Akunyili. Both women were on appointment in the Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo administration respectively, they never really belonged to any political parties.
What I’ve observed is- Parental exposure has a lot of effect in development of past and present events of an individual’s social thoughts. 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was born in Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta. A privileged child at birth, she was born to educated parents. Her Father, Professor Chukwuka Okonjo is the King from the Obahai Royal Family of Ogwashi-Ukwu. She was educated at Queen’s college Enugu, attended St Anne’s Molete Ibadan for secondary education. And, arrived the United States in 1973 as a teenager to study Economics in Harvard. 

Like Okonjo, Dora Nkem Akunyili, was born in Makurdi to refined parents- Chief and Mrs. Paul Young Edemobi. She attended Queen of Rosary Secondary School, Enugu, where she graduated with Grade 1 Distinction. Though Dora left official appointment for politics, her time in it was short-lived, as it only lasted for some months. She ran for Senator for Anambra Central 2011 under APGA and lost to Chris Ngige of ACN.

Both women are role models I look up to every second of my life. Akunyili was a well-recognized Rights Activist, as I am aspiring to be. They both are hard workers and trailblazers, no reservations about that. 

Now, my second question is; what about Aisha and Zainab in Northern Nigeria, who are sold off like livestock in the name of marriage at age 9 or 12? What are the likelihoods that child marriage instead of getting a degree to further pursue a political career will not have adverse effect on their overall development and autonomy? What exactly are the odds that they’ll end up like Okonjos and Akunyilis of their time?