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By Samuel Adegoke
The Women’s Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) has faulted the exclusion of women in the appointment of new directors for the Odu’a Investments Ltd.
The Board of Directors of the conglomerate was dissolved in April and reconstituted on May 8 following appointment of six new directors by governors of South West states. All the newly appointed directors are men. Each director represents his state on the board. The conglomerate is owned by Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Lagos and Ekiti states.
But WORDOC, in a statement by its coordinator Dr Sharon Omotoso on Tuesday, faulted the governors for excluding women in their appointments, stressing that there are women who match the profile of the appointed men.
It emphasised that the governors did not comply with the United Nations’ 35 per cent affirmative action aimed at ensuring gender equality.
The statement read: “Following the recent dissolution of the Odu’a Investment Board of Directors, there were speculations by vested women groups, on how diverse the new board will be, especially in terms of gender, the wealth of experience, class background, and political affiliations. These speculations have been displaced mainly by the glaring lack of women in the newly constituted board. Women’s Research and Documentation Center (WORDOC), Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, is worried about the growing trend of authorities not complying with the United Nations’ 35% affirmative action which is aimed at ensuring gender equality in all spheres.
“This new board, announced on May 8, 2020, after a virtual meeting held among the governors, is made up of all men who were selected for being individuals with no political interests. They will be wealth of experience, integrity, and deep knowledge of business environment, to ensure socio-economic viability and competitiveness with the private sector. We recognize that nominees are sent by each governor, hence the difficulty of deciding gender constitution of the Board; we also appreciate the kind gestures of the governors on gender sensitive appointments, however women of equal qualification and integrity must be considered.
“Although Odu’a Investment records a past woman-led board, with Chief Mrs Iyabode Apampa as chairperson, and Dr. Adepeju Esan as a former female Board member, WORDOC considers it subjective that with this new direction of the Odu’a conglomerate initiated by the governors, women are so unrepresented. In terms of wealth of experience and class background, the new members are upperclassmen, giving an impression that no woman in the south west can match their profiles.
“As a research center and civil society dedicated to protecting the interests of women, since 1987 WORDOC alongside other women groups are worried about how women were dropped from elective offices including office of the Deputy Governor in recent past. We recognize that Odu’a conglomerate represents the collective interests of member states, as such a redirection should be sensitive to identity diversity. We seek systems that will mainstream gender, specifically in an organization that covers commerce and industry which are equally areas of women’s speciality. We believe that south west governors can do more with regards to the National Gender Policy of 2006. The southwest must lead by example!”