Helen Okon, who hails from Akwa Ibom state, is the Country President, Organised Minds for the Empowerment of Global Gender Initiative (EGGI), a nongovernmental organisation based in Abuja. She is also a gender advocate. In this chat with ENE OSANG, Okon talks about her NGO and its achievements, the need for women to be more sensitized as well as the role women need to play in this democratic dispensation.
What does your NGO do basically?
We are into women empowerment, career capacity building and we also empower women locally and internationally, right now we are carrying out sensitization programme on election for the need for women to come out and exercise their civic responsibility.
What inspired you to setting up an NGO and what is your educational background?
I am a chattered administrator; I graduated from Imo state University. Going into politics is just a passion not because of whether I read political science in school, I did management, specifically Business Administration and that is why I said it’s all about passion. The NGO is not funded but because of the successes we have recorded over the years we have people calling us to be part of what we are doing. My inspiration comes when I see women not doing well. I sat and asked God what I can do to change their situation, it’s not easy to eliminate poverty entirely but as an individual you can contribute your quota in assisting this people. For me it’s just the passion. I don’t think we should all depend on government to provide jobs for all; it is not the responsibility of government to provide jobs, rather government should provide the enabling environment for people to thrive in whatever they do. When I see women and their children suffering it just comes to me that I should do something in my own little way to assist.
How do you get funds?
I am also the CEO of Health Consult, which is a management consulting firm and we carry out trainings both locally and internationally. We train people on management issues.
You like carrying people along, was that your childhood dream?
When I was growing especially during my school days I always want to see myself in the midst of people and I always say I am going to be an administrator. As a child you know how we say what we want to be when we grow up and this is one of my dreams, of course it is one thing to dream and another thing for you to have clarity of vision. I started praying to God about it because it is also very important for you to be focused. I have worked in different organisations before and from there I started my own business and found I have achieved so much what else can I do? How do I give back to the less privileged and give them a voice?
How would you describe Nigerian women political participation in Nigeria?
In the past women’s participation in politics was very low but from my experience with grass root women I discovered that grass root women have been underrepresented. But from the series of sensitization programmes, their agitation for political offices is encouraging. So we need to do more and this call is to other NGO’s as well. There is need for women to participate in politics because they also contribute to national development. Government and NGO’s need to do more.
This administration is worth commending for involving women by allowing women hold positions of authority and giving them the platform to thrive in politics, a whole lot has happened and we hope that more women will have opportunity in politics.
There seems to be few women representatives and election is fast approaching, why is that so?
It is like this because politics has been seen as men’s job and that is why I said there is need for more awareness and sensitization. This has to be an ongoing thing that is; before and after elections. Women always feel there is no point voting because they believe their votes don’t count and that is why we are making them see the need for political participation because when you come out to vote you have a voice and also become a stakeholder in governance.
Do you see these upcoming elections favouring women?
I cannot really say yes or no on that but I know that women are now interested in politics. There is need for women to be empowered because if you do you have empowered the whole community. The first empowerment women need is that of knowledge. We have heard issues of money politics but if you have knowledge you can fight for your rights. It is important for women to come because they are over 70% of the electorates and they suffer the more, which is why we go from community to community. One area council to the other to sensitize them of their rights and the need for them to stop accepting being stereotyped.
How many women have you empowered so far, or rather what has the NGO achieved so far?
In the past two months I would say roughly 6000 women and we are still carrying out sensitization programmes. We have achieved a lot. So far we partner with INEC and NOA and before now there were many women who could not assess their PVC but some of them have gotten, they know the party they belong to and they now have good knowledge of the upcoming elections and why they need to vote. From what we have achieved people even invite us to come have our programmes in their community as well as various religious leaders calling us to come impact knowledge on their people.
Do you face any challenge running this NG0?
We don’t have any challenge except for finance because we have been going to different communities and there is need to do more and for you to carry out such programme you need mobility, logistics you need to be taken care of and so far, we don’t have any serious challenge.
Why do you focus on women alone and not Nigerians as a whole?
Like I said, over the years people believe politics is for men alone, we decided to focus on women because like the saying goes; if you want something said, talk to the men but if you want it done, talk to the women. We believe that if women can participate actively in politics we will see a lot of changes, women has been under represented for a long time and because of the opportunity given to women by this administration we decided to take advantage of this. We have a gender friendly
President who believes in the power of a woman and we have to leverage on this and that is why we go to the grass root women because it is not only urban women that should be empowered. We also talk to these women about violence and that is why we go even to the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) camps to talk to them on the need to advise their children and husbands against violence.
Where do you envision your NGO in the nearest future?
I will like the NGO in the next 2-3 years to be big, visible and laudable I want the NGO to be able to touch lives of women globally and create an impact that people will always be proud to talk about. I want to see other NGO’s collaborate and do the kind of work we do to touch lives both locally and globally. Generally, what we are set to achieve is more women in politics, the elections is just by the corner and we want women to come out en mass and vote. This message is very apt now because the election is now and the responses we have gotten women really want to participate actively in politics but they don’t know how to go about it.
Many groups today campaigning for a particular party, which party is your NGO supporting?
We are not campaigning for any political party because we are in collaboration with INEC and NOA, if we campaign, that will defeat our purpose.
What can you say about the war of words between the two major parties?
I was once invited for a TV programme on politics without violence and I will say it again that there is no point for political parties throwing words at each other, that is not what we need at this moment. We want to hear what you want to do on development and your plans for Nigeria, there is no point coming out to instigate war like saying there will be war if one looses or that they will set up a parallel government, those things are not called for. The President has said he will try as much as possible to ensure a free and fair election and all the parties should work together if any looses they should team up with the winning party and build Nigeria together because all that matters is National Development. There is no point for violence because women suffer most if there is violence.
How do you manage all you have to do?
It’s all about planning. I have credible men and women workforce but I make out time to plan my programmes very well and still make out time to relax because I need to be healthy and look good to be able to carry out my daily activities. God has been faithful too because it is not an easy work as it is challenging but because I am passionate about it and I want change, I am not waiting for somebody to do something that is why I took it upon myself to create the change I want.
Are women their own enemies as people say?
I have heard that before but I think it depends on the vision you have; when you say women are their own enemies I don’t agree with that rather I believe when you are passionate about something you just go for it though there will be competition and challenges but when you have a vision you keep working towards it.
Do you have any leisure time?
Maybe just once in a while but when you are passionate about something like right now this project for me is a baby and when you are nursing something you won’t have much time to yourself, but I try as much as possible to find time to relax.
What advice do you have for women?
I will encourage women to come out and be part of national development. They should vote and have a say in building Nigeria. Apart from voting, women should support one another. There is a whole lot to be done and a whole lot women can do, we shouldn’t wait on government for everything.
