Nosa Omorodion.: The Attack on Mrs Ize-Iyamu is an Attack on the Freedom of Women

Nosa Omorodion.: The Attack on Mrs Ize-Iyamu is an Attack on the Freedom of Women

One factor that has been a hindrance to the massive participation of women in Nigerian politics, particularly as it concerns electioneering contestation, is violence. In most instances, contesting men hide their women away. In contrast to this, the forthcoming Edo State governorship election has presented before us, a situation where Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the PDP governorship candidate and his wife, even though in the vulnerable opposition, contending against desperate rivals, have summoned uncommon courage in letting Mrs. Idia Ize-Iyamu traverse the length and breadth of Edo State campaigning with her own party. And what a marvelous job she has done.

Perhaps propelled by the Amazonian spirit and the breath of the Warrior Queen Idia, Mrs. Ize-Iyamu, like her energetic, charismatic and captivating husband, has been touching the hearts and souls of Edo people with her message of trust and change for the SIMPLE Agenda. Surely like a general in the frontiers of a war, her campaign has remarkably been turning the scale against the opponents – the APC.

She has presented the quality of feminine competence, sacrifice and potent partnership found in the PDP governorship ticket and exposed the lack of same virtues in the APC’s candidature. This must surely have made the already insecure APC most uncomfortable.

Thus, they decided to strike when Mrs. Ize-Iyamu dug deep in the backyard of the Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his brother, Hon. Philip Shaibu, who incidentally is the APC deputy governorship candidate. The Hon. Running Mate is even reported to have led the scare crew.

The APC has a history of unfounded belligerence and violence which they seem to have elevated to a culture especially with miscreants being empowered to steer the levers of power they control in Edo state in particular.

However, this assault on Dr. Mrs. Idia Ize-Iyamu and her law abiding entourage of campaigners, is one too many. It does not only show the height of intolerance but an assault on the womenfolk which is but the silenced majority. It is an attempt to intimidate the courageous of the weaker sex as we have so assigned them.

Irrespective of the parties we belong, we should all rise to condemn this act of political rascality and violence against the freedom of womanhood. We must in strong terms and gestures demonstrate our abhorrence of this descent to primitive political intimidation.

Our women must themselves rise up to condemn this brazen attack; an injury to one is an injury to all, except perhaps they agree with those who believe that women should only be seen and not heard.