IWD: Actress Nkechi Blessing advocates passage of gender bills

Nigerian actress, Nkechi Blessing, has joined other Nigerian women clamouring to pass the gender discrimination bill at the national assembly.

The bills, pending before the National Assembly, sought affirmative actions for women in governance and political representation.

These bills include the 35 per cent appointed positions for women and 20 per cent affirmative action in party administration in Nigeria.

Five of the bills, which sought to promote opportunities for women in politics, governance, and the society at large, failed to get the necessary support from the lawmakers.

The lawmakers on Tuesday rescinded its decision on three bills that it discarded at a constitutional amendment session.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday announced that it will now reconsider the bills in a month when it reconvenes for another parliamentary session.

Several women groups thronged the National Assembly in Abuja to protest the rejection of the bills seeking gender equality.

The actress made the call charge while giving foodstuff and other relief items to women in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, as part of a women empowerment drive.

Ms Blessing, the Group Managing Director of Ojulowo Omoluabi Empire Holdings Limited, promised to empower more younger women to make them self-sufficient.

During her opening speech, she said it was high time the men pitied women and ensured they had a say in the things that concerned them.

She said: “I can only appeal to our lawmakers to please hold us, the women folks, in high esteem for the first time in this country and let us be able to contribute that matters that concern us.

“Please remember that we can not be selfish with power because there is nothing we can do if the interest of our children and husband are not taken care of. In other words, we will still be submissive to us even after empowering us in society, but please give us a voice too. We need to be heard.”

Relief items

Meanwhile, the celebrity called on other well-to-do women to emulate her and help women who needed help worldwide.

Nkechi, as fondly called, had earlier announced how she would be giving lifelines to women in celebration of their contributions to national development.

She told this newspaper she hoped to donate clothing, rice, spaghetti, and palm oil to 2000 women in Abeokuta.

She said,” I will not stop giving to women as far as God continues to bless me. I will also keep blessing women with the little resources I have gotten… when we get further support, we will do more, and I want to use this medium to congratulate women around the world.”

The actress, who is married to an Ekiti-born politician, Falegan David, rose to prominence in 2012 after she bagged a lead role in ‘Kafila Omo Ibadan.’