Int’l Women’s Day: Kwara Gov for Guinness World Record over cabinet

The Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has gone down in history as the first African leader with the highest number of female cabinet members and political appointees.

At present, nine, or 52.25%, of his 16-person cabinet are women. That’s way higher than the 35% affirmative action sought by the Beijing Declaration and a big statement for the Nigerian girl-child as the world marks the 2020 edition of the International Women’s Day.

Besides, the Governor has appointed women to head strategic government offices such as the tax office (KW-IRS) and civil service commission.

He recently tapped a UK-based female attorney as his principal private secretary, a very influential office that would be responsible for many of his plans as chief executive. Similarly, his special assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is also a woman while his empowerment programmes are also to be coordinated by a foremost grassroots female politician.

No national or subnational government in Nigeria has come anywhere close. On the continent, Uganda and Rwanda have 50% women cabinet members apiece. Rwanda has 61 women representation in the parliament.

There is an interesting background to AbdulRazaq’s gesture. His ruling APC had nominated all men for all the elective positions from the state. Part of his campaign pledges was to compensate women for that “unfortunate” development. The Governor’s cabinet picks clearly showed he is a man of his words.

Given the political constraints and the challenges he inherited, his 20.8% budgetary concession to education, 17.1% to health, and efforts to combat extreme poverty are a new high in the state.

AbdulRazaq’s unprecedented inclusion of women in governance is therefore a continental acclaim that deserves a mention in the Guinness World Record. It’s definitely a feat to beat in 21st century Africa!