By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
Anambra State former governor and the Vice Presidential candidate of fhe People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, has called for more opportunities for women in society, while advising them to aspire for greater heights in life.
Obi made the appeal in his message to mark the International Women’s Day celebrated on Monday March 8, 2021.
He pointed out that the human person, irrespective of the gender, was capable of achieveing great potentials in life with the right mindset, efforts, focus and discipline.
The former governor also urged women “to do more, aspire more and occupy more positions of prominence and importance in society, by making genuine efforts to contribute to societal development.”
His words: “Leadership and human achievements are not exclusive to any particular gender. In this present age, there exists no barriers to women achievements and actualization in life.
“The likes of Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the DG of World Trade Organization; Dr Amina Mohammed, the deputy secretary general of the United Nations; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the internationally celebrated author and novelist; Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna, the first female Professor of Mass Communications in Sub-Saharan Africa; Prof Rita Orji, Nigerian-Canadian Computer Science Researcher and so on, serve as sources of inspiration that women, especially in Nigeria, can attain greater heights in any field they desire.”
On education, Obi advised parents to do away with the belief that only male children deserve good education in life.
He urged them to give also the female children better education, at least to the basic level. By so doing, he argued, they will be well equiped to find their places in life and not be strictly tied to the domestic activities of the home where their potentials will not be fully harnessed.
He called on women to avoid shying away from politics but play more active roles in the nation building process.
“Irrespective of our genders, this nation belongs to us all. We all must join hands to build it. In our individual fields of endeavour, let us always remember to gear our actions towards saving our nation from further collapse, and join hands to turn around the country for the better”, Obi said. He wished the women well as they celebrate their day.