*As  women protest in Abuja, seek justice over the killing of a woman politician

By Joseph Erunke

Mrs Tavershima Courage Anyekojonwa, an emotionally laden daughter of late Women Leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mrs  Salome Abuh, who was reportedly killed by hoodlums in post-election violence in Kogi State, has asked women not to be deterred in participating in politics despite her mother’s fate.

But she reasoned that if women would be given her mother’s treatment, then politics was not worth their efforts to participate.

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The late Kogi female politician’s daughter spoke to newsmen, Friday, in Abuja, on the sideline of protest embarked upon by women group under the aegis of Womanisfesto, calling for justice over the brutal killing of the politician.

The protest,led by Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi,a foremost civil rights activist and founding Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center, a non-governmental maternal and reproductive health advocacy organization,sought to draw attention of the federal government to violence against women in Nigeria as well as appeal for a declaration of state of emergency on violence against women in the country.

Mrs Courage Anyekojonwa, who said the way her mother died was uncalled for, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure justice was done over her death

She recounted in tears that her dear mother’s body was only recovered in ashes, saying the way she lived and related to people, such treatment wouldn’t have been given to her.

“If women will be burnt like this, I wouldn’t say they should venture into politics but a woman must stand.I still encourage women to go into politics but they shouldn’t be treated like my mother,” she said while sobbing.

Thanking the women who had come out in their number to register their displeasure over the gruesome killing of her mother, she said:”Indeed, she is my mum and she deserves this.”

“The way she died was uncalled for and I pray justice to be given to this women for the sake of late Honorable Mrs Salome Abuh,” she stressed.

The deceased politician’s daughter spoke further: “I really sincerely from the depth of our heart appreciate what the women are doing here. A lot of them have not met her physically but I see the passion from the way they are all out here crying out for justice for Salome.

“My mum was very full of life, very agile. She could be physically a woman but she was ten men in a woman.

“She was a very hospitable woman and very lively. She was a mobiliser, she was a woman leader for PDP and she had stood for PDP all the while,” she said.

According to her, the deceased did not just stand for the PDP but for everyone that came her way for help.

“She was a very good mobiliser, she was a help to widows, a help to the fatherless even people she had not known. Everybody was her brother and sister irrespective of where you came from,” she said.

“President Buhari, please arise for us, don’t be comfortable on your seat, let there be justice for Salome Abuh and the entire Abuh family,” she appealed.

The leader of the protesting group and Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center,Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi,speaking before the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen,who had stepped down from her office to received the protesters,explained that their mission was to present the recommendations that arose from the group’s three-days deliberations on women issues in the country and seek justice for the recent gruesome killing of the Kogi PDP Women Leader, Mrs Salome Abuh.

Hear her:”For the past three days, we have gathered together at the National Centre for Women Development to deliberate on the issue of women.

“For those three days, women from all works of life looked at five issues; violence against women, women political participation, women peace and security, sexual and reproductive right as well as women and poverty.

“We are here now to give the conclusions and key recommendations and the demands arising from the meeting.”

She added: “For almost two years now, we have been talking together as women in Nigeria. We have come together also with women who are in the diaspora who are concerned with the group we are working with under the womanifesto.

“It is a charter demand of the Nigerian women, it is still work in progress. We have come up with a draft of the charter.”

She spoke further: “The first demand we are making is that there is the need for government to increase the budget of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to be able to work effectively.

“Secondly, is that there is a need to declare a state of emergency on violence against women in Nigeria.

“We are also concerned about the situation of the IDPs, so we want the minister to strengthen her efforts. We know she is doing a lot but we still need to do more so that the women can have their lives back. We want you to concentrate most of the women in the IDPs.

“On women political participation, there is a need for us to move further. It is a pain in our hearts that this will be happening at this point in time.”

Addressing the protesting women, Minister of Women Affair, Mrs Pauline Tallen, said the President was worried over the violence that trailed the Kogi governorship poll, leading to the death of Mrs Salome Abuh.

While thanking them for not only holding the three-day meeting to discuss issues affecting women in the country, the minister assured that was committed to addressing the five issues raised in the group’s recommendations.

She said:” I thank you for the three days’ extensive meeting to come up with this manifesto. I want to state clearly that Mr Presidnet is a commitment to see that the five issues are addressed.

“The issue of our sister, Salome that was killed brutally in Kogi State some few days back, Mr President responded condemning it.

“Mr President is very worried and committed to this matter and he has made a statement and is fully committed to seeing that justice is done to this issue and similar issues.

“The five demands presented me in this womanifesto, I want to assure you that I will address it and follow it judiciously.

“The President, the Vice President, the wife of the president, are fully committed to this issue and we all condemn violence against women in its totality.

“These five demands, I want to assure you that my ministry will address it squarely. Already, I have gotten the nod of the president and all the issues here are being addressed and we will make everything possible to make sure that we stem the tide.”

Vanguard