REMEMBERING OBY NWANKWO

Sonnie Ekwowusi pays tribute to Obiageli Nwankwo, women rights’ activist who died, aged 61

NGOS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS (CSOS) IN NIGERIA ARE NOT THE ENEMIES OF GOVERNMENT. BUT THE NGOS AND CSOS IN NIGERIA ARE INDEED PARTNERS OF THE GOVERNMENT IN PROMOTING THE WELLBEING OF THE NIGERIAN CITIZENS

Mrs. Obiageli Theodora Nwankwo (fondly called Oby by her numerous admirers), who died on December 9, 2017, at age 61, ranked among the most distinguished women’s human rights in Africa in the last two decades. Oby’s name features prominently in gender rights and gender politics discourses in Africa and at the United Nations. Oby was elected as a member of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Expert Committee in January 2013. She was re-elected to serve another four years in 2016. Before death came calling, Oby was at the zenith of the campaign for the domestication of CEDAW and the African Union Protocol on The Rights of Women (Otherwise called “Maputo Protocol”) and the passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill in Nigeria. She was, inter alia, a consultant to the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA). In fact, Oby’s sad demise is a reminder of the sad demise of another prominent Nigerian and a former Director-General of the UNFPA Prof. Babatunde Osetimehim on June 4, 2017.

With the death of Oby, a chapter, if you like, has been closed in women’s human rights advocacy in Nigeria. Oby knew where she stood on egregious women’s human rights issues. She was voice for the voiceless women and girls. She was the founder and chairperson of Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC), a non-governmental organisation based in Enugu which promotes women’s rights and access to justice. You will recall that in December last year the anti-NGO bill sponsored at the House of Representatives by Hon. Umar Buba Jibril suffered a disgraceful defeat on the floor of the Public Hearing Room of the House of Representatives. Why was the bill defeated? Because, contrary to Hon. Jibril’s understanding, NGOs and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria are not the enemies of government. But the NGOs and CSOs in Nigeria are indeed partners of the government in promoting the wellbeing of the Nigerian citizens. At the CIRDDOC, Oby proved that NGOs and CSOs in Nigeria are potent forces in the rebuilding and revitalisation of the social order.

Last Friday Enugu stood still for Oby. NGOs, CSOs, colleagues, acquaintances and friends of Oby gathered at the KOBB Civic Centre, Shoprite Complex, Enugu to pay glowing tributes to the lady who was clearly their heroine. This was no surprise. Oby’s contributions to the advancement of women’s human rights have been varied and impressive. A lawyer by profession and a former chief magistrate, Oby’s human rights advocacy especially in the areas of gender equality and affirmative action opened up a new vista and perspective in women’s human rights advocacy hitherto grossed over by many. Oby teamed up with like-minded women and NGOs in order to work to improve the health and welfare of women in Nigeria. She believed strongly that Nigerian women know what is good for them and should not be cajoled by die-hard patriarchs and misogynists to adopt warped and archaic ideas. Oby wielded a recognisable feminist influence in Nigeria. Affirmative action was central to her feminism. I think that impelled by Oby’s affirmative action programmes, there are now hundreds of Nigeria women who are poised to prove that women are not inferior to men and therefore possess equal stake in the scheme of things. Oby was a prolific writer and author. Some of her books which focused on women’s human rights include marriage, divorce and succession in Nigeria; gender and politics in Nigeria. Through her writings, Oby called for the revaluation of some of the assumptions on women on which most of us have been raised and to consider what we stand to lose by turning our back to the feminist tide. Oby was a lovely, loving and caring mother of seven. She believed that womanhood and love for children were cherished African values. She was married to Victor Nwankwo. It is said that even though Oby exceedingly excelled in the promotion of women’s human rights, her greatest achievement in life was in raising and educating her seven children to stardom.

Oby was a convivialist per excellence. She was a trusted leader too. Nigerian women readily rallied round her to fight causes which they believed was dear to their hearts. For example, Oby was a part of the Nigerian delegation to the United Nations Convention on the Status of Women (CSW2017) which took place in New York, United States, last year. Evidently she joined the delegation much later. But no sooner had she joined than the spontaneous shouts of “Oby! Oby!! Oby!!!” erupted from the delegation. Of course, during the CSW2017 proceedings, Oby played a pivotal role in addressing many issues affecting African women. However as things turned out, not all Oby’s human rights proposals gained acceptance. For instance, the National Assembly, Abuja has severally refused to pass the controversial Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill into law because it deemed most of the articles of the bill as being antithetical to the cultural, religious, family, social and philosophical values and convictions of the people. In the same vein, several attempts to domesticate CEDAW at the National Assembly, Abuja have been met with stiff opposition especially from Nigeria’s religious and traditional rulers. Last year the House of Representatives wielded the big stick on the controversial Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) smuggled into the syllabi of some public secondary schools in Nigeria. The House was of the view that immoral textbooks such as The Precious Child, By Queen O. Okweshine and The Tears of a Bride, By Oyekunle Oyedeji used in some public secondary schools in Nigeria in order to sexualise secondary schools kids should be withdrawn from such public schools.

Nevertheless, Oby’s human rights legacy will continue to be a subject matter of discourse among thinkers, policymakers, legislators, NGO practitioners and the public in general. Oby will be missed by all as was witnessed last Friday in Enugu when tears of sorrow rolled down the cheeks of many as the torrents of tributes kept pouring in honour of the fallen heroine of Africa.