The Ekiti State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to working with stakeholders to strengthen women’s political participation.
The Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Civic Orientation and Citizenship (BCOC), Mrs Olawumi Famuyiwa, made this known during a keynote presentation at an engagement with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Ado Ekiti.
The event, themed “Collaborating for Enhancing Women’s Political Participation”, was convened to foster dialogue and reinforce collective efforts to improve women’s involvement in governance.
Mrs Famuyiwa welcomed the collaborative drive to advance women’s roles in political and civic spaces. She said overcoming barriers limiting women’s access to political power requires a united front involving government institutions, civil society groups and community leaders.
She acknowledged a steady rise in women’s participation in political and civic activities across Ekiti State, particularly in voter mobilisation and community organisation. However, she noted that women remain underrepresented in key decision-making positions.
Mrs Famuyiwa said that while the appointment of the state’s first female Head of Service in 2018 marked a milestone, challenges such as financial constraints and socio-cultural biases continue to restrict women’s access to elective offices.
She added that under the administration of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, female representation in the State House of Assembly has improved, with six women currently serving, alongside 106 others occupying elective and appointive positions. According to her, these steps have brought the state closer to its 35% inclusion target in governance.
However, she raised concerns about persistent obstacles, including political violence and entrenched patriarchal structures, and called for sustained institutional support to create an enabling environment for women in political and decision-making processes.
Urging stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, Mrs Famuyiwa emphasised the importance of coordinated advocacy, joint programmes and mentorship initiatives to amplify women’s voices in politics.
“When we collaborate, the impact is multiplied,” she said, adding that collective action remains essential to dismantle systemic barriers.
She also underscored the need to engage men as allies in the pursuit of gender parity, calling for a shift from dialogue to concrete action.
In her remarks, the Wife of the Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, advocated deliberate and sustained engagement of women in politics, particularly at grassroots and tertiary institution levels. She said political participation should become a cultural norm rather than a seasonal ambition, and outlined practical steps to enhance women’s representation across all tiers of governance.
Dr Oyebanji stressed that early political orientation and structured mentorship would help nurture leadership among young women and build their confidence to participate actively in governance.
“To achieve meaningful inclusion, we must begin grooming our girls and young women early in our campuses, communities and local government areas, ensuring that political participation becomes a natural progression rather than an afterthought,” she said.
She commended Governor Oyebanji for what she described as his commitment to inclusive governance, citing the increased number of female appointments under his administration, while urging stakeholders to complement government efforts through deliberate policies and coordinated action.
In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs, Mrs Peju Babafemi, reiterated the need to dismantle structural and cultural barriers limiting women’s access to leadership positions, and called for sustained collaboration to advance gender inclusion in Ekiti State.
