By Mercy Gadia Adi
Abuja, Nigeria – Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, pioneer Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has called for stronger institutional representation of women in governance, describing it as a critical step toward achieving social justice, equity, and sustainable community development.
Speaking at an event centered on the newly introduced Reserve Bill and the broader Renewed Hope Agenda, Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi praised the leadership of the National Assembly, particularly Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, for advancing a national discourse that places women at the forefront of political participation.
“The Reserve Bill is not just legislation—it’s a movement,” she declared. “A movement from policy to participation, and from participation to representation.”
She emphasized the transformative potential of the bill in addressing gender disparities at all levels of government, including traditional and grassroots structures.
“When you invest in a woman, you invest in community and in the economy,” Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi noted. “It’s about giving women not just a seat at the table, but the power to strengthen that table.”
Highlighting the administrative structure of the FCT, she noted that it encompasses 62 wards, 886 communities, and 17 chiefdoms, yet women continue to be vastly underrepresented.
“Women must be visible not just in national and state assemblies, but also in our chiefdoms and communities,” she urged. “The time for tokenism is over—we need voice, visibility, and verifiable representation.”
As the first-ever Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs in the FCT, Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi underscored the significance of her appointment coming 48 years after the FCT was created without a dedicated gender-focused secretariat.
She credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for their support in prioritizing gender inclusion as part of the Renewed Hope policy agenda.
“This is real inclusion,” she concluded. “Nothing about us, without us.”