Paper short abstract:

This paper seeks to examine the gender power relations in leadership in Nigeria by assessing the women’s attitude towards political participation at different levels of political activities and investigate the factors sustaining gender inequality in politics in Ekiti South Senatorial district in Southwestern Nigeria.

Paper long abstract:

This study focused on the pitiable marginalized condition

of women in leadership in Nigeria. However, this study examined the

level of women’s political participation in Ekiti South Senatorial

district: it assessed attitudes of women towards political participation

in Ekiti South Senatorial district. Finally, the study investigated the

challenges affecting women’s participation at equal level with men in

politics in Nigeria. The study adopted descriptive survey design.

Quantitative and qualitative data were collected for the study. Three

hundred respondents were selected for questionnaire administration in

the randomly selected Local Government Areas in the Senatorial District.

Six Focus Group Discussions and six Key Informant Interviews were

conducted among purposively selected participants for the study. Results

showed that the women’s level of political participation was low

especially at contesting for political posts which was (22%). Women had

poor attitude towards political activities by scoring 40.3 percent.

However, inferences drawn from the analysis of the study showed that

there were significant association between women’s membership in

political parties (χ2=17.292, p<0.001), age (t=3.272, p=0.001),

occupation (χ2=13.592, p=0.004), geographic areas (χ2=6.511, p=0.039)

and employment status (χ2=6.150, p=0.013). The study further identified

women’s restricted freedom, inadequate finance, insecurity, cultural

gender roles, lack of policy implementation and laws backing gender

affirmative quotas in politics as challenges causing gender inequality

in politics. Findings also showed that increased academic attainment by

women does not translate to increased level of women’s political

involvement. The study concludes that improving women’s attitude as

crucial for bridging the gender gap in political participation.