November 11, 1940 – April 29, 2008
On April 29, 2024, we at the Women Law and Development Centre (Nigeria) remembered with nostalgia our great mentor, friend and founding executive director Professor Jadesola Akande (OFR), who passed on to eternal glory on that day.
She was the first female Professor of Law in Nigeria from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the first female vice-chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU); coincidently, the 2nd female vice chancellor in Nigeria after the late professor Alele Williams (University of Benin) and the first female Pro-Chancellor Federal University of Technology (FUTA) Akure.
An erudite constitutional lawyer and Human Rights Advocate, who strongly believed that Human Rights are Women’s Rights, it was on this basis that the Women Law and Development Centre (WLDCN) Nigeria was founded in 1993 following her retirement from public service.
We had worked together on women issues, when I was a Program Officer (NPO) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 1991 – 1993. We specifically worked on a proposal for National Policy for Women (now known as National Gender Policy). I had invited her to review and advice on the legal implications in implementing the policy.
We later decided to start an NGO on women, focusing on legal and socio-economic development, with professor as a legal luminary and myself a development economist. It was only natural that our NGO would be Women Law and Development oriented.
Before a watered-down National Policy for Women was signed by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in year 2000, WLDCN, established in 1993 and registered with the CAC in 1995, had been carrying out serious advocacy for more women participation in politics and governance in the new democratic dispensation.
In the process, a female-headed pressure group – National Democratic Equality Vanguard (NADEV) was formed with Professor Akande as the head and several programmes were organized in at least 14 out of the then 19 states of the country, preaching the message of Beijing in combating violence, harmful traditional practices and urging women to come out and participate in politics and governance.
Sadly, over 25 years on, Professor’s mentees notably WARDC (Dr. Abiola Akinyiode), WRAPA (Saudatu Mahdi) and WOCON (Professor Joy Ezeilo) are still putting pressure on the National and State Assemblies to pass the VAPP and Affirmative Action Bills.
Global trends suggests that the number of women in the Nigeria’s Parliament is still very low at 6% compared to some African countries like Rwanda 43% and South Africa with over 20%. Significantly, in some area of governance such as the academia, corporate governance, public service, women appear to have made some giant strides but real incursions into governance and decision-making is yet to be achieved.
As Professor Jadesola Akande would have suggested, we need to go back to the drawing board to tackle the problem.
As we remember this our great Professor, mentor and Human Rights activist, we call on all progressives not to relent in their advocacy to ensure more women participation in leadership and decision- making in every area, particularly politics and good governance.
We join the family of our late Professor Jadesola Akande in prayerful remembrance. We also, hope for a Nigeria where the rights of men and women are equally respected and together we can move the country forward particularly in areas of economic and political development.
May her gentle soul continue to rest in peace. Amen.
Dr. Keziah Awosika
For: WLDCN
