Unmasking the Politics of Women’s Inclusion in Nigeria: A Deep Dive with Amb. Aju Elumelu
In a compelling edition of Joy Asonye Live, host Joy Asonye sat down for an in-depth conversation with Ambassador Aju Elumelu, founder of the AJU Morgan Elumelu Foundation (AMEF) and convener of the Women for 35% Initiative. The dialogue provided an unvarnished look into the entrenched barriers, political hypocrisy, and grassroots determination defining the campaign for gender inclusion in Nigeria today.
Despite representing nearly half of Nigeria’s population, women hold a dismal fraction of elective and appointive positions. From male-dominated party godfathers to extreme financial gatekeeping, Ambassador Elumelu unmasked the political machinery that continues to sideline female leaders—and shared why her foundation’s grassroots movement is gaining momentum across the country.
1. The Reality of Representation: Nigeria’s Ranking Deficit
During the broadcast, Ambassador Elumelu highlighted a stark reality: despite being a signatory to the 1995 Beijing Declaration and enacting the National Gender Policy in 2006, Nigeria ranks among the lowest globally for female legislative representation.
Out of 187 countries evaluated on gender parity in parliament, Nigeria sits near the bottom at 185th place. With only 4 women in the 109-member Senate and 16 women in the 360-member House of Representatives, female representation in the National Assembly remains under 5%—a figure Ambassador Elumelu described as a national disgrace for Africa’s most populous nation.
“Nigeria has done practically nothing to implement the treaties it signed. How can you have 109 senators and hardly hear a female voice? When women are missing from the building of a country, something vital is fundamentally broken.”
— Amb. Aju Elumelu on Joy Asonye Live
2. Deconstructing the Barriers: Money, Patriarchy, and Gatekeeping
Why do so few women emerge in Nigerian politics despite their recognized competence in medicine, academia, corporate governance, and civil society? The conversation unpacked three primary structural obstacles:
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Financial Exclusion: Political campaigns in Nigeria require exorbitant sums for nomination forms, primary contests, and voter outreach. Because wealth remains disproportionately concentrated among male networks, qualified women are frequently priced out before campaigns even begin.
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Entrenched Cultural & Religious Stereotypes: Female political ambition is often falsely framed as disruptive or unsupportive of family structures, with women frequently advised by community elders or party heads to “step down” for male colleagues.
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Godfatherism and Internal Party Manipulation: Male power brokers frequently use women as campaign mobilizers or voters during election cycles, but deny them political party tickets during candidate selection.
3. AMEF’s Strategy: Mobilizing the “Right Women” at the Grassroots
Rather than relying solely on top-down government goodwill, the AJU Morgan Elumelu Foundation is executing a grassroots mobilization framework across local government areas and wards nationwide.
Ambassador Elumelu explained that AMEF’s mission centers on identifying, vetting, and backing “the right women”—individuals possessing character, moral integrity, intellectual capacity, and a genuine commitment to public welfare. By building networks across 20 LGAs in Lagos, 43 LGAs in Kogi, and across several Northern states, AMEF is creating a sustainable talent pipeline of credible female candidates.
“We are intentional about looking for women with structure, tenacity, and ethics. If you put a dishonest woman in power, she will cause damage. We need women who will use constituency funds to build real infrastructure and uplift their communities.”
— Amb. Aju Elumelu
🎥 Watch the Full Broadcast
Stream the complete 57-minute interview on YouTube:
▶️ Watch “Unmasking the Politics of Women’s Inclusion in Nigeria with Amb. Aju Elumelu” on YouTube
4. Looking Toward 2027: Will Amb. Aju Elumelu Run?
Responding to persistent calls from constituents and political observers encouraging her to throw her hat into the ring for the 2027 general elections, Ambassador Elumelu acknowledged the growing public pressure while remaining focused on building the movement.
While acknowledging that campaign financing remains a major hurdle for any independent-minded candidate, she emphasized that true leadership requires sacrificial service to the people. She reiterated her commitment to consulting widely, raising leadership capacity among young women, and ensuring that the 35% affirmative action demand becomes a policy reality across all political parties.
5. The Path Forward: Advice for Citizens and Young Voters
The interview concluded with a passionate call to action for Nigerian citizens, political party leaders, and young voters entering the electorate ahead of 2027:
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Reject Electoral Inducement: Vote-buying handouts come at the cost of four years of poor governance and dilapidated infrastructure.
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Get Registered Early: Young Nigerians reaching the voting age of 18 must secure their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and actively participate in civic processes.
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Demand Party Policy Enactments: Political parties must provide free or subsidized nomination tickets and guaranteed quotas for credible female contenders.
To learn more about the 35% Affirmative Action campaign or support the work of the AJU Morgan Elumelu Foundation, visit www.ajumorganelumelufoundation.org.
