Scholars and gender advocates have renewed calls for a stronger, inclusive gender policy framework to drive Nigeria’s national development.
The call came during a virtual roundtable organised by the Graduate Research Clinic on October 1, 2025, in honour of Professor Oluwafunmilayo Josephine Para-Mallam, a foremost gender scholar and activist.
The event, themed “A New Gender Agenda for Nigeria’s Development: Reflections on the Scholarship and Praxis of Prof. Funmi Para-Mallam,” brought together academics, policymakers and practitioners from across Africa and the Diaspora.
Chairperson of the session, Prof. Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome, said feminist scholarship in Nigeria has reshaped both academic and policy debates.
She described gender analysis as “fundamental to development, not an optional requirement,” and called for reforms that move beyond tokenism to address deep-rooted inequalities.
Keynote speaker, Prof. Dung Pam Sha, urged a reframing of the national gender agenda around “citizenship, justice, power and structural transformation.”
He lamented Nigeria’s slow progress despite its commitments under global conventions, saying weak implementation and depoliticised advocacy continue to hinder progress.
Panellists at the discussion highlighted the need for policies that promote structural change rather than symbolic representation.
They called for mentorship programmes for young women, gender-sensitive education, and stronger collaboration between academia and grassroots movements to ensure inclusion and accountability.
In her remarks, Prof. Para-Mallam stressed that equality must be backed by enforceable laws.
She advocated for the domestication of global conventions on women’s rights and the legalisation of the National Gender Policy to make gender quotas binding.
She also urged for fair media representation that reflects women’s leadership and resilience.
Closing the event, Prof. Okome described the dialogue as timely, noting that it coincided with Nigeria’s Independence Day.
She urged collective action to build a nation where women are recognised as key contributors to national growth and social transformation.
