Nike Kehinde Madaki Ali is the National Coordinator, PDP Female Youths. In this chat with ENE OSANG, she stressed the need for young girls and women to be involved in politics, saying voting the right choice during election is the only way to the desired change.
Can you tell us about PDP Female Youth Group?
The PDP Female Youth group has been in existence since 2012. We are driven by the passion to promote the confidence in the Nigerian female youths to be part of nation building.
Basically we cater for female youths between the ages of 18-35 and sensitize them on why it is important for them to join politics and why they should be heard.
In Nigeria, we have a biased mind towards politics, people say it is a dirty game and so even parents wouldn’t want to here that their daughters are politicians but, in this day and age, that perception has changed.
We must break the stereotype and wrong impression on girls, we will pull them out of the streets to give them some sense of belonging. I honestly want to thank Mr. President and his wife for carrying women along but we think it shouldn’t be just women, let us start from grassroots where the younger girls are being nurtured properly to teach them how to live in truth. It is not just about politics but then its about how to choose the right leader that can direct us and take us to the next level.
What inspired you to form the female group?
I looked around and saw that our females are lagging behind and I thought that we were playing with our future. So I said we are not involved in government and instead of criticising we should be involved and make a change.
Change comes from within; I keep saying so many things about Nigeria until I asked myself ‘what have you done for your country, what input have you made? And I couldn’t answer that question so I said to myself I will be part of impacting people’s lives and we the females needed that.
Why do you feel young girls should be in politics instead of facing their studies?
I did a research on line on the population analysis of Nigeria and I realised that out of 165.2 million people, 80.2 million of the country’s population are females. So therefore, when you teach a woman you teach the entire generation because they pass their knowledge unto their children, family and friends.
How will this programme benefit the girls?
We are sensitizing them to come out and vote the right person because when we have a right leader things will be better for all of us, and we in PDP will talk facts and not figures what we have done so far in the party under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Secondly, under the PDP government we are working to get 10-20% slots of job opportunities for our girls so what they will benefit basically is a secured job not just with government but through empowerment and skills acquisition.
We will also stand as a team to guarantee them or send appraisal whenever they are looking for job in any government parastatal.
Can young school girls be part of this organisation?
Yes that is the whole idea, and that is why we are going down to that age of 18 so we can nurse and nurture them to become great leaders, especially the future politicians amongst them. This is how we can bring the desired change. We make these girls know they don’t have to sleep with any man because of money or job which has been a norm and mentality of most Nigerians. We are trying to work together as females and have a voice, the males have leverage because they unite and so its high time females began to unite and stop all the malice between themselves because when we stand for ourselves the world would be a better place.
Where do you think the group will take you in the nearest future?
Its taking us to another level, its not just ending in politics but a time will come when we will divert from politics to the entire Nigeria. We will be coming out with the whole of Nigerian female youths where we will have a lot of programmes of activities including talk shows, empowerment programmes by sending the girls to countries like Malaysia, India to go learn handwork. Our intention is when they return from such trips they start teaching others what they have learnt. We will also teach then the little we know how to do here in Nigeria like the farming sector we really need to put more females into it because its a good business.
Nigerians have alleged that many organisations like yours spring up during elections to make money. Is that true?
Gone are those days when people accept money to vote for a candidate that is like selling your birthright that is why now we teach people not to accept money from anybody. Right now we tell people what our party has done through President Jonathan.
Many male dominated youths groups are uniting to make Nigeria a better place, is this same with your group?
Definitely because at the end of the day we will all end as one Nigeria irrespective of party differences. We come together to say instead of criticising and condemning, since we all want change why don’t we all put heads together and work to make Nigeria a better place?
Do you agree that females are their own enemies as people say?
Females don’t really unite they backbite each other and we don’t gain anything from it rather its keeping us apart. I am calling on all of us to come together and make this work because all over the world, females leaders are doing well because we are very detailed, and we do our assignment to the best of our ability.
What becomes of the group after the 2015 elections?
After the elections we will start concentrating on empowerment, right now is election period so the work now is to sensitize females, bring them together ensure they get their voters card and vote during the elections. After elections we will start different summits.
Are young girls in the grassroots carried along in your programmes?
That is where we even started from, we have organised an all female national rally which took place July 2014; where we sensitized and awakened the consciousness of Nigerian female youths to always be ready to answer every clarion call made; instead of waiting for the male counterparts to always make decisions for their future.
We have gone to the villages here in Abuja, in my state Kaduna, we have been to Rivers and our next visit is Uyo. What we are trying to do is go round the state to see their reaction because we tell them we are trying to get them jobs which is our main objective, and their interest is been wonderful. My target this before the year runs out since the inception of this group is to secure jobs for atleast 100 girls.
How do you manage work and family?
Its been a great experience though it has not been easy but my kids are grown and they are in boarding school so its easy for me to manoeuvre.
Do you think women are well involved in the polity?
This regime is very convenient for women because it has welcomed so many women and to be honest, women have more chances than men. We are not in competition with the men rather we are here to assist our men make things easier and achieve the desired change we all crave for. To get this change apart from voting the right choice, we also all need to start doing the right things by knowing that nobody is above the law because change comes from within.
Infact this group is affiliated with the PDP youth under the leadership and guidance of our ever dynamic and supportive youth leader Hon. Abdullahi Hussaini Maibasira
Do you agree that women interest in chasing careers is why youths have gone astray?
I don’t agree with that because women are multi-task talent. At same time we are at work we are catering for our men, children and many other things because we have the ability. It all balls down to planning and because women are enduring and persevering we have been able to accommodate so much so in that aspect so we can do it.
What is the strength of your organisation?
Right now we have 1820 registered girls with voters card and honestly they have been coming out on their own. We have gone for mini rallies, done community services and advocacy and girls really turned out. Some of them want to join politics but do not know how to go about it.
What would you advise females generally?
I would advise them to ensure they get their voters card because this election will favour women. There are a lot of opportunities we must not let swipe through our fingers. Women are demanding 50% affirmative action, it is achievable when we show more commitment by working in unity and utilising the one we have appropriately, because we haven’t utilised the 35% well enough.
Female aspirants face financial challenges and time constraint. Do you think this would affect them in the upcoming elections?
It should be a challenge though very necessary but we should derive other means of achieving our aim. Like what I am doing now which is sensitizing the girls, making them see what President Goodluck has achieved in terms of road networks, improvement in power supply, water, education and a whole lot more and so we must vote for him to complete the good works he has started.
What is your criteria for accepting girls into the fold and how would interested girls join?
We are on-line: Facebook, Twitter, or come to our office at the Goodluck support group office in area 11 or our office opposite Nicon Luxury. At the state levels we have different coordinators and you can locate them and register.
Any other thing you want to say to Nigerians?
The PDP female youths are encouraging all the females in Nigeria to please get involved in the elective process and vote for who you think can run this country well because its high time we stopped complaining. The best way to have that change is vote the right person in who for me is President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. We are discouraging females and every other Nigerian not to accept money to vote for anyone , rather should come out and vote for who will serve them better and move our country to greater heights.
