BY Omos Oyibode, Asaba
For giving Nigerian women 35 percent seat in the federal executive council, over 25 million Nigerian female students across all strata of higher institutions in Nigeria have thrown their weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan in the February 14 Presidential election.
National President of the student body under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Female Students (NANFS), Miss Joan Obi, gave the pledge on behalf of the female students when she led seven executive members of the association to present an award to Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, in Asaba, Delta State capital.
The seven executive member students who accompanied Miss Obi to Asaba are from University of Port Harcourt, University of Calabar, University of Lagos and Delta State University, Abraka.
Miss Obi, who is a 400 Level Mechanical Engineering student of the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, explained that President Jonathan had made much impact in Nigeria and had brought women to limelight, hence the support to actualize the second term agenda and create more room for women emancipation in the country.
Obi said the group had taken critical survey of the problems and prospects of the Nigerian women and observed that lack of education consciousness, discrimination and violence against women are part of the prevailing challenges confronting women in Nigeria.
She said the over 25 million female students in Nigerian tertiary institutions had resolved to promote justice and equity for all Nigerian women, to this end, she said NANFS condemn in strong terms domestic violence against women and called on all Nigerian governments to join in the campaign and fight for the emancipation of the Nigerian females.
She noted that as part of attempt at taming violence against women, the body would organize a seminar and sensitization programme to change the orientation of Nigerians in dealing with women both at home and in the work place.
Obi also said NANFS had decided to partner with genuine leaders and international organizations in its fight for the rights and privileges of the Nigerian female child, stating that the student body had strategized to launch an action plan to reform the youths and partner with exam ethic committees in tertiary institutions to curb exam malpractice on Nigerian campuses.
Beside exam malpractice on campus, she said NANFS was also working to abolish all forms of violence on campus, including cultism and other social vices that could truncate peace on campus and affect academic activities.
