She is the Executive Director of Gender Equity and Development Initiative-GEDI, a non-governmental organization that strongly plumps for women political empowerment.

An indigene of Ondo State, Mrs. Alaka Morenike Omoyiwola who is a graduate of Language Arts from the University of Ibadan and is currently rounding-up a masters programme in Social Work, desires nothing more for her state other than seeing its women getting actively involved in the decision making process. Thus, through GEDI, she is working tirelessly to get women in the state better represented in politics.

Mrs.Alaka is also the Proprietress of Toytim Private School and also, Leaders Moulders, both in Lagos state. Vista Woman had a talk with her recently. Her words:

Without political empowerment, women cannot be actively involved in policy making process. That is why we at GEDI are encouraging women who are interested in politics to come participate in it. Many perceive women in politics to be of loose morals and without discipline, but I want to state that it is only a woman that understands the problems of a woman; a man cannot.

So, if we yield to erroneous opinions on women politicians and shy away from politics even when we know we have the ability, how do we expect our problems to be solved? Come February, we intend recognizing sons of Ondo State who have been gender sensitive and daughters who have participated actively in politics. We have just a few of such men and this is wrong because if women are not allowed equal opportunities in a society, it cannot be well with such a society.

We are encouraging women through our programmes to seek elective positions. For instance, presently in the Ondo State House of Assembly, we have just one woman, and that’’s not a good record! We need a lot of advocacy and workshop to sensitize our women. We need to know that no man will go there to represent us. I want our women to know they have value and substance.

We must begin to appreciate ourselves because we are women of quality. Some women believe that party politics is too aggressive, but I want to let them know that politics is aggressive only when you make it aggressive. GEDI wants to support at least six women to vie for political positions in the forthcoming elections, and I am encouraging, most especially, women who know they’’re done with childbearing, to come into politics and be a part of nation building.

If you dread politics, how then do you hope to solve the problems of your child, neighbour, and even your own personal problems? Like I said before, politics is aggressive only when you make it aggressive. I personally know of women who are playing politics without violence. If you are violent as a person, your politics will definitely be violent. Politics makes no woman loose.

Women who are in politics and are perceived as loose, are not so due to politics, but because that is their nature. Enough is enough! Our women must be dissuaded from being used as clappers and singers, and must begin to hold centre stage in politics.Women are strong and sympathetic, and these are major traits needed by our society.

I once heard a story of a former First Lady who visited a blind people’’s home, and was curious about blind twin boys she met at the home. She was informed by the keeper of the home that the boys’’ case could be corrected, and she took responsibility of this task and sponsored the treatment of the twins. You know what, those boys are now in a normal school!

This is to tell you how emotional a woman could be. Of course men have visited that home without giving the predicament of those boys a second thought.For the year 2011 elections, GEDI is not relenting. For instance, in Akure North, we have a group of women who we sensitize and empower regularly. From among this set of women, we shall be having two vying for elective positions in Ondo State in the 2011 elections.

I may not be able to give the actual statistics of women coming out, but I can assure you that we will have at least six women contesting for various elective positions. Already, we have a good number of women showing interest, and we’’re prepared to promote and support them. My advise to women is that they should place value on themselves, and have faith in who they are. They should keep testifying that they can make it. One thing I also appeal to our women to do is to try and encourage their husbands on the issue of gender sensitivity.

If your husband refuses to be gender sensitive, then you might have to forget about politics because you are not likely to succeed in it without his backing. If you have his support, I can bet that you’’ll go beyond the sky. You must believe in yourself, and understand you’’ve got something to offer.

Just like Abraham Lincoln said, “I will pass through this world only but once”, you must make fruitful use of the time you have on earth. Refuse to be discouraged. You have a voice, so, you don’’t have to keep quiet. If you sit down in your house with your voice, even in your household, nobody will hear you.

Again, you must engage in activities that will add value to your life. One of my encouragers, Dr.Akingbade, an activist, once said to me that a society which sidelines its women is heading towards retrogression, and that is one fact I want our nation to wake up to.’