‘Nigeria should have female governor by now’ – Joke Silva

Joke Silva, a veteran Nollywood actress, has lamented the lack of women from leadership roles in Nigeria, particularly in politics.

She claimed that women were at the forefront of leadership in pre-independence Nigeria but have since lost control.

According to the famed thespian, Nigeria should have at least one democratically elected female governor by now.

Virginia Ngozi Etiaba, who served as governor of Anambra State in 2006, was not elected, according to reports. She took over the administration of the state when Governor Peter Obi was impeached by the state legislature for alleged gross misconduct.

Speaking in a recent interview with TVC, Silva said: “In the area of leadership, especially political leadership, women have regressed. I mean, we had some really powerful women. You mentioned Fumilayo Kuti earlier. All these powerful women. There were so many of them spread around the nation. So, you expect them to grow in numbers by now.

“At least by now, we should have had a female governor. Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu for one, in contemporary Nigerian politics, is probably the most experienced female politician. She was just in the Senate for a long time and now she is the First Lady. But the thing is this: how many others? But we have so many male senators. It goes back to what late Chief MKO Abiola used to say: ‘A nation clapping with one hand.’ How do you clap? How is it heard?”

Kanyidaily recalls that Actress Joke Silva celebrated husband, Olu Jacobs on his 81st birthday.