VZCZCXRO2859
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #1417/01 3461433
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121433Z DEC 06
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8267
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 8108
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001417 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
ALSO FOR AF/EPS CAROL TRIMBLE 
ALSO FOR AF/RSA MARINDA HARPOLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV EAID ECON SOCI NI
SUBJECT: DHRF GRANT ENCOURAGES WOMEN CANDIDATES IN NIGER DELTA 
 
REF: LAGOS 1239 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  Twenty-eight women candidates, campaign 
coordinators, and aspiring political and party leaders attended 
the October 24-25 Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) 
workshop, QMainstreaming Women Leaders into the Political 
Process in NigeriaQs Niger Delta States of Rivers, Bayelsa, 
Delta, and Edo", sponsored by Niger Delta Professionals for 
Development (NIDPRODEV).  The participants discussed democratic 
principles, created election strategies, and learned from 
experienced political leaders.  End Summary. 
 
 
Workshop Participants from Diverse Backgrounds 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2. (U) Workshop participants were drawn from a wide range of 
backgrounds, including current candidates, chairs of womenQs 
societies, agency directors and members of registration 
monitoring committees.  Among the offices for which the women 
are candidates are State House of Assembly and Federal House of 
Representatives.  A participant explained to the SSH/DHRF 
Coordinator that, although the women were running for office 
from different parties, they had agreed to encourage and support 
each other in their campaigns. 
 
Supporter of Female Candidate Describes Death Threat 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (U) A Commissioner in the Bayelsa State Civil Service, also a 
former member of the Bayelsa State Assembly, is currently 
campaigning for a woman.  She described a death threat recently 
sent by text message:  "If your life is worth living, you are 
advised to stop supporting [this woman] as candidate.  If you 
dare continue, you will be sent to meet your ancestors in cold 
blood."  The commissioner told the group that she informed the 
police. She believes the threat came from the campaign of an 
opposing candidate. 
 
Campaign Manager Shares Experience and Offers Advice 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶4. (U) On the workshopQs second day, a former national assembly 
member, now campaign manager for a gubernatorial candidate, 
contrasted his experiences with political systems in Nigeria and 
in other countries.  Based on his observations of elections in 
both Britain and Bangladesh, he outlined the challenges to free 
and fair elections in Nigeria.  In his opinion, all elections in 
Nigeria should be held in one day, because the current system 
allows the incoming president and governors, who take office 
after the first round of elections, to influence the elections 
for other offices weeks later.  Nigeria, he warned, has 
"leadership by the few for the few."  Nonetheless, he noted that 
many stable democratic countries went through similar stages, 
and that military decentralization has greatly decreased chances 
of a military coup. 
 
¶5. (U) He also gave practical instructions for running a 
political campaign.  He advised the women to create a mission 
statement, decide on a slogan, and enlist intelligent aides. For 
women candidates, he advised they get to know their 
constituents, choose their support committees carefully and 
cultivate the media.  He encouraged the women to become active 
in formal and informal political structures, including 
participating in party caucuses. 
 
¶6.  (U) Following his discussion of "godfatherism" in Nigeria, 
one woman asked the presenter for his advice on how to exchange 
godfathers for godmothers.  His response, that such a change 
would be like "exchanging a monkey for a baboon," reflected his 
condemnation of how eminences grises have marred the Nigerian 
political process.  The women however, took the remark as a 
challenge.  As each individual stood to engage the speaker, she 
would begin by speaking softly, then build to a stronger tone, 
and conclude loudly that women are as capable of leading as men. 
One participantQs fiery speech called not only for support for 
her candidacy, but for a revolution as well. 
 
Political Aspirants Define Obstacles, Brainstorm Solutions 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Following the speaker's presentation, the women divided 
into groups according to their State of residence:  Edo, Rivers, 
Bayelsa, and Delta.  In each group, they created election plans, 
campaign strategies, learned to consider constraints and 
recognize opportunities.  Among the obstacles the participants 
identified were stereotypes of womenQs "place," low education 
levels of women, political environments hostile to women, 
poverty, low self-esteem, systemic corruption, the public 
 
LAGOS 00001417  002 OF 002 
 
 
perception of politics as "dirty," and the inaccessibility of 
women to people in power.  Several women related how men had 
excluded them from party caucuses or other decision-making 
opportunities, often hiding behind cultural norms.  One 
participant described how men would offer her a ride home from a 
political meeting, then return to the meeting where they would 
then make decisions. 
 
¶8.  (U) To carry out their campaign plans, the participants 
determined that they must identify funding sources, support 
other women, consult women leaders, increase the number of women 
commissioners, conduct sensitization programs, monitor election 
activities, monitor womenQs campaigns, personally contact chiefs 
and other traditional rulers for support, increase womenQs 
representation on state action committees, contact delegates, 
and mobilize local womenQs committees. 
 
Confidence-Building a Major Element of Workshop 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶9. (U) A management consultant told the SSH/DHRF Coordinator 
that what made this workshop unique is its emphasis on boosting 
the self-confidence of the women participants.  Although there 
are many intelligent and qualified women, they face so many 
obstacles that it becomes difficult to believe they can be 
successful in politics.  The second dayQs speaker also stressed 
the importance of self-confidence, saying that women are brought 
up to fear, and that fear must be overcome.  Mantras of 
encouragement adorned the walls of the simple conference hall, 
and were echoed in the workshops: "I know that I can succeed". 
 
Workshop Launches Support for WomenQs Campaigns 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶10.  (U) On the workshop's final day, participants created a 
song, QVote for Woman-O,Q which NIDPRODEV plans to have produced 
professionally and to run as an advertisement for women 
candidateson local radio.  The close of the workshop coincided 
with the first day of voter registration, and several women told 
SSH/DHRF coordinator that they were eager to become involved in 
voter registration when they returned home. 
 
BROWNE