Wife of the president, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has called on women across the country to be change agents and wage a determined and sustained war against corruption in Nigeria.
Mrs Buhari who made the appeal in a keynote speech as she flagged off the Nigerian Women Against Corruption, WAC, project of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC, Wednesday in Abuja, described corruption as monster and cankerworm that had eaten deep into the fabrics of the nation stating that for it to be tamed, the role of women had become critical.
“My dear fellow Nigerian women, to totally erase the effect of corruption on us and our children, we must rise up to our role as responsible mothers and nation builders. It is time for us to go back and be the builders that we are meant to be. Every woman is the pillar of her home as well as in the society. We should not stand and fold our hands while our homes and lives are being destroyed by this cankerworm called corruption”, she charged.
She further encouraged women to use their natural instincts to care and nurture their children who in turn would exhibit sound values that would bring the country out of the doldrums.
While calling on women to effectively harness their immense, but largely untapped group power for a sustained and effective fight against corruption, Mrs. Buhari also called for the emergence of a ‘Women Anti-corruption Network’ to serve as a link between the Commission and women groups across the country.
In her presentation titled, “Women, The Missing Link In The Fight Against Corruption”, the guest speaker, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, identified a major cause of corruption as the pressure that some women place on their male counterparts to live above their means.
Aloma-Mukhtar, who is a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), admonished women to be contented and refrain from leading the men to yield to the temptation of Corruption adding that participation of women in commercial activities should be encouraged, as it will definitely obviate the penchant to push the men to seek favours that may have corruptive tendencies.
She also advocated for assistance from the government and financial institutions to encourage aspiring female entrepreneurs, politicians and policy makers to participate actively in contributing to society.
“We must not relent in our efforts to fight assiduously to kill this cankerworm that has eaten deep into the fabric of our society. This is a fight that both men and women must be involved in, whether they are working in government or privately”, Aloma-Mukhtar added.
Earlier in his address of welcome, the Acting chairman, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, identified corruption as the reason the country has been unable to transform its rich natural and human resource endowment into prosperity.
He stressed that the challenge of corruption the country was facing calls for the collaboration of all stakeholders, particularly women.
“We are here today to enlist women all over the country to be part of the fight against corruption. The Women Against Corruption project will create public awareness through the mass media, develop anticorruption programmes that will be women-focused and women-driven, involve women directly in the fight against corruption and thereby enhance their roles as watchdogs, whistleblowers and foot soldiers’, he said.
The anti-corruption czar highlighted the roles expected of women in the war against corruption, to include the need for personal integrity and transparency, practice of a simple life style, among others.
He said beyond the official flag off of the project in Abuja, “the advocacy will be taken to the zones, states and local government levels for effective grassroots mobilization and mass participation”.
The historic event was attended by dignitaries from all works of life including: wife of the Vice-President, Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo; Professor Grace Alele-Williams, first female Vice-Chancellor of a Nigerian University; Mrs Laraba Gloria Shoda, President, National Council of Women’s Societies; Former EFCC Chairperson, Farida Waziri; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi; Dr. Sa’adatu Abdullahi, representing wife of the Senate President, Toyin Saraki; Senator Binta Masi Garba; Wives of Governors of States of the Federation; Wife to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Magu; Captains of Industry; Market Women Associations and women from the armed forces, the police and paramilitary organizations.
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