From Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Wife of the Olowu of Owu, Ameenah Matemilola has posited that the embattled Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduanghan has the right to seek justice at the court over her claim of sexual harassment.
Akpoti-Uduanghan had accused Senate President Godswill Akpapio of sexual harassment, an allegation that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions suspended her for six months, forcing her to seek justice at the the court.
But reacting to the matter at an event to commemorate the International Women’s Day, Olori Matemilola said Akpoti-Uduanghan has the right to seek justice at the court if she feels her right as a woman and her position as a senator had been violated, following the six months suspension.
Speaking at an event organised by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, in collaboration with JESA Future Foundation at the NUJ secretariat in Abeokuta, with the theme as ‘Right Equality and Empowerment for all Women and Girls,’ the monarch’s wife cautioned women not to seek equality with men but equity among themselves, while urging them to empower their fellow women on entrepreneurship and leadership skills to become better in the society.
“Before one needs to support an issue, you need to understand that story line, she feels that she is been harassed and needs justice for it, so there is nothing wrong in demanding for justice. I think she has the right to actually seek justice.
“We are also talking about women’s right and rather than talking about equality we should be talking about equity, but we need to train women on empowerment programme like leadership skills such that when giving the major skills maybe in craft, and maybe in giving them proper education like going to university,” she noted.
Earlier, the state chairperson of NAWOJ, Alhaja Sekinat Salam said the association had embarked on the training of over 20 women in various entrepreneurship skills so as not to depend on men and support their homes.
