MEDIA PROMOTION OF WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN CONTESTING FOR PUBLIC OFFICES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The reduction of women to mere agents of procreation, sex objects, care-givers among others have been identified as factors deterring active participation of women in present day politics. In addition recent studies have also identified some unhealthy cultural, social or religious factors that have continuously relegated women to the background in political system instead of offering them an opportunity to engage their physical and intellectual prowess. This paper therefore looked at the culmination of factors hindering women from actively participating in politics and contesting for public, elective and appointive, offices in Nigeria. The conceptual paper reviewed relevant literatures on media promotion of women participation in contesting for public offices in Nigeria and hinged its discourse on the agenda-setting theory of the mass media. The paper adopted a qualitative design as interviews were conducted to gather the opinion of women who were randomly chosen at the APC and PDP secretariats in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State. The study concluded that despite the numerical strength of the female gender in Nigeria amounting to half of the population, they are not in any way near the attainment of the 35% affirmative action for women in politics as contained in the extant National Gender Policy of Nigeria. It was recommended thatthe media must increase the tempo of its education and sensitization of the populace for there to be a positive development.