Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has is of the opinion that like the example of the education of the girl-child, a more effective and balanced female representation and participation in politics and government will have major impact on the country’s socio-economic future and overall national development, IgbereTV reports
Prof. Osinbajo stated this today as the Special Guest of Honour at the 2022 Women Directors’ Conference.
Speaking in a pre-recorded message on the theme of the Conference: Facing Forward – The Evolving Nature of Boards in a Rapidly Changing World, the Vice President advocated for more female representation in leadership positions in government and across different sectors, “as an economic imperative and not a moral duty of men or mere concession by men.”
Said he, “a country that keeps down half of its productive demography is bound to perform sub-optimally. But the issue is not just board representation, it is about representation in politics and government this is where major decisions affecting our lives are made. But perhaps, most importantly, it is about education of girls.
“The high levels of female illiteracy is dangerous from all possible standpoints. If half your population is uneducated, it means that development and being competitive in a knowledge-driven world will not happen or will happen too slowly to be of much use.
Highlighting further the importance of girl-child education to national development, Prof. Osinbajo stated that “educated women means educated children, and this is the pipeline for women who will become CEOs, legislators, government officials and bureaucrats.
