University Don urged Women to aspire for higher position in politics

Professor of medical microbiology at the University of Jos, Prof. Patricia Lar has urged women to aspire for higher positions because they have capacity to reform the society for the better.

Lar gave the advice in Jos to mark International Women’s Day organised by Women4Women Community/He4She Plateau chapter.

The Professor of medical microbiology said that women have capacity for growth and development that has been locked up based on prejudices and religious motives.

She said that the beliefs and stereotypes hindered the exploitation of the good leadership qualities of women.

Lar who was the guest speaker at the event, said that women need to overcome the stereotypes by aspiring and showing the stuff they were made up of.

“Women have good leadership qualities that need to be exploited.

“A women has capacity to give the society all embracing leadership and that is what I discovered having worked in the university for many years.

“Therefore there is need to create more room in leadership for women if we want the next 60 years to be better than the one we have experienced as a nation,” he advised.

She thanked the missionaries for schools that were created for females stating that schools allowed many women to develop.

“I worked for over 30 years in University of Jos and feel it is not wrong to aspire for the number one position in the university.

“I draw from strength within me and colleagues and I confronted the fear that could have been a stumbling block,” he stated.

Prof Lar is of the 18 persons vying for the position of University of Jos.

The Plateau Coordinator Women4Women Community/He4She
Dr Jophia Gupar said that the entire month of March is dedicated to women and chose to celebrate theirs March 29 because other engagements.

Gupar challenged women to be part of developmental activities going on their respective communities by joining women groups.

“The world identifies serious groups that are into development, empowerment and building if capacity of women.

“I encourage women to identify with groups that can support them in whatever they are doing,” she said.

The Chairman, Central Planning Committee Mrs Helen Dabup said that the topic of the celebration “choose to challenge” is apt.

Dabup said that women should choose to challenge discrimination in the society, choose to challenge stereotypical ideas against women.

The chairman advised women to speak up for the right of women and the girl child.

She advised women to look up to leaders that have compassion for women.

Dabup said that even if women would not get positions they desire and were aspiring for, they should support men that have compassion for women.

“Women are builders, they build their families and they have the capacity to build the society.

“Remember women are shock absorbers, we can bear a lot of pains in silence and still move.

“Without women, I don’t see how the family can be sustained, the family is the heart of the community and the entire society and when family is right, the society is right,” she emphasised.