A nation’s strength is not only measured by its economic power, military might, or political influence. It is also gauged by the values it upholds, the dignity it grants its people, and the level of inclusivity and respect embedded within its institutions. Today, Nigeria stands at a dangerous crossroads. The recent developments in the 10th National Assembly, marked by physical and verbal abuse, character assassination, and an alarming display of disregard for women, are not just political scandals they are a symptom of a larger decay that threatens the very soul of our democracy.
When a young senator physically and verbally abuses a Bolt driver, it signals a troubling trend of impunity among those who should be model citizens. When Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a woman who has fought against corruption and injustice, is met with unimaginable dehumanising abuses, online bullying by some of her colleagues in the Senate and an unjust suspension at the hands of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, it exposes a legislature that has abandoned decorum and fairness. When Senator Onyebuchi Onyebonyi launches public insults Hon. Senator Natasha and demeaning words at women, including a former Minister of Education, it underscores the systemic misogyny that continues to thrive in Nigerian politics.
But beyond these individual incidents lies a more sinister reality. This culture of unchecked power, where leaders believe they can disrespect, humiliate, and attack women with impunity, seeps into society at large. Today, Nigeria is witnessing an increase in the brutalization of women and girls ritual killings targeting young girls, rising cases of rape and gender-based violence, and domestic violence that has claimed the lives of countless women, often at the hands of their own husbands. This week alone, I have read the news report of a husband who butchered his wife, a police officer who constantly raped a 12 and 23 year old girls at gun point and the 13 year old is pregnant. I have lost count of the number of girls brutally murdered and their organs removed. I have read of young boys killing even their mothers for money rituals. I have read and seen many girls that were trafficked. I have written a few articles about these terrible happenings.
What future can we speak of when the very leaders who should champion justice and equality are the ones perpetuating oppression? What kind of democracy are we building when women in leadership are bullied into silence while those in the grassroots suffer in greater numbers, with no one to speak for them?
A Nation in Moral Crisis
The Nigerian Senate should be the highest platform for decorum, intellectual engagement, and policy-driven discussions. Instead, it has become an arena for public humiliation, power play, and gender-based degradation. When a senator one of the few women in the chamber is silenced through unjust means, it sends a loud message: that women, no matter how competent, are unwelcome in governance. It emboldens men in society who already see women as lesser beings.
The consequence of this is evident in our homes and streets. More young girls are being lured into dangerous situations, their lives cut short in ritual killings. More women are dying in the hands of abusive husbands. More cases of sexual violence are reported daily, yet justice remains elusive. The normalcy of these horrors is proof that we are breeding a generation of men who see violence as a tool of power and a generation of women who live in fear of speaking out.
The Need for Urgent Intervention
Progressive leaders across the world are pushing for the inclusion of women, girls, and marginalized groups in governance and decision-making. They recognize that societies thrive when the voices of all are heard. Yet, in Nigeria, we are witnessing a backward slide an environment where women in politics are bullied out of their seats, where misogyny is given a stage, and where gender-based violence is dismissed as mere domestic issues.
Women bring a different perspective to leadership; one rooted in empathy, inclusivity, and long-term planning. They see the impact of policies not just in economic numbers but in human realities. A nation that silences its women silences half of its potential. A democracy that sidelines its women is not a democracy at all.
We cannot afford to normalize this descent into lawlessness and moral decay. Civil society, human rights organizations, and the Nigerian people must demand accountability from their leaders. We must push for legislative reforms that protect women in leadership and criminalize all forms of abuse including online bullying and character assassination. We must stand against the growing wave of violence against women and girls, ensuring that perpetrators face the full force of the law.
This nonsense of total disrespect for human rights, the law and abuse of democracy is not just a women’s fight it is Nigeria’s fight. The very fabric of our democracy is at stake. If we continue to allow the abuse, intimidation, and degradation of women at the highest levels of government, what hope is there for the ordinary girl child? What hope is there for the young woman dreaming of leadership?
Every sane mind in this country must rise against this trend. We must refuse to let impunity reign. We must demand a Nigeria where respect, integrity, and inclusion are the foundation of governance.
A country that disrespects its women is a country that disrespects its future. And without change, that future is bleak.
Mabel Adinya Ade
Executive Director,
Adinya Arise Foundation (AAF)
8 EKET Close Area 8 Garki Abuja
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