WOMEN IN POLITICS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF DORIS AYANKA IMALELE

This study has examined women in politics and their contributions to the socio-economic development in Nigeria; a case study of Mrs. Doris Ayanka Imalele. Despite global campaign for gender equality, 65 women‟s political representation in the country has failed to achieve the critical mass of 30% women‟s representation in the country‟s politics. The country‟s socioeconomic factors, political structures, historical heritages, political thuggery and gangsterism, societal norms and beliefs have created a culture that alienates women from the main stream of Nigerian politics. The imperative of democratic consolidation in Nigeria requires that women, who constitute half of the national population, should find prominence in the mainstream political development of the nation since democracy is only achievable on the altar of popular participation of every citizen of the society, males and females alike. It is therefore conclusive that any corrective measure adopted to address the low participation of women in Nigerian politics will only be superficial unless the nation‟s socioeconomic, cultural and political factors that limit women empowerment are decisively addressed.