By Comfort Olayinka
In a powerful advocacy for gender equity and social justice, the Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, has called for greater institutional representation of women in governance, describing it as pivotal to national development.
Speaking on the significance of the newly proposed Reserve Bill, Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi praised the leadership of the National Assembly—especially Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu—for pushing forward legislation that prioritizes women’s visibility in decision-making spaces.
“The Reserve Bill is not just legislation—it’s a movement,” she declared. “From policy to participation, and from participation to representation. When you invest in a woman, you invest in the community and in the economy.”
She emphasized the vast reach of the FCT’s 62 wards, which encompass over 886 communities in 17 chiefdoms, yet noted that women continue to be underrepresented in legislative and traditional institutions. Her call: more women in leadership from grassroots to federal levels.
Marking a historic milestone, Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi celebrated her appointment as the first-ever Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs in the FCT—ending a 48-year void in the administrative structure. She expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for advancing gender inclusion under the Renewed Hope agenda.
“This is what real inclusion looks like,” she concluded. “Nothing about us, without us.”
The Reserve Bill is expected to become a cornerstone of gender-inclusive governance in Nigeria, reinforcing the belief that women’s representation is not symbolic—but structural.
