A prominent female politician in oyo state, Farmer, Hon. Kafilat Omolara Busari Svensson, has called on women across Oyo State and Nigeria to take more active roles in politics and governance, describing the proposed Reserved Seats for Women Bill as a critical instrument for strengthening democratic inclusion and representation.
In her Democracy Day 2026 message to women, Hon. Busari Svensson celebrated the resilience, courage, and immense contributions of women to national development, while urging them to intensify efforts towards securing greater representation in leadership and decision-making positions.
According to her, democracy flourishes when every segment of society is adequately represented, stressing that the advocacy for reserved legislative seats for women goes beyond numbers and seeks to ensure that women’s voices, perspectives, and experiences are reflected in governance at all levels.
She noted that the bill is designed to address the persistent underrepresentation of women in legislative institutions and create a more inclusive democratic system capable of delivering sustainable development for all Nigerians.
Hon. Busari Svensson urged women at the ward, local government, and grassroots levels to move beyond traditional support roles and become active participants in the political process by seeking elective offices, contesting for party executive positions, and contributing meaningfully to policy discussions within their communities.
“The future we desire cannot be achieved if women remain on the sidelines.
We must invest in self-development, mentorship, political education, and economic empowerment. More importantly, every woman who rises must extend a hand to lift another woman,” she stated.
She further emphasized that the numerous challenges facing Nigeria, including poverty, insecurity, youth unemployment, and inadequate social welfare, require inclusive leadership and diverse perspectives to achieve lasting solutions.
Hon. Busari Svensson observed that experiences from across the world have demonstrated that communities benefit immensely when women are actively involved in governance through more responsive, equitable, and people-oriented policies.
She lamented that the continued exclusion of women from key decision-making positions has deprived the nation of significant leadership potential, innovation, and talent that could contribute meaningfully to national progress.
Calling on women within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyo State, and Nigeria as a whole, she urged them to unite, organize, advocate, and prepare themselves for greater responsibilities in governance by supporting the passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and strengthening their participation within political structures.
She maintained that a stronger democracy can only be achieved when women’s voices are heard, respected, and reflected in governance, urging Nigerians to use the occasion of Democracy Day to recommit themselves to the ideals of justice, equity, inclusion, and national development.
Hon. Busari Svensson concluded by wishing Nigerians a happy Democracy Day celebration and expressing optimism about a future where women occupy their rightful place in leadership and governance.
Her message reads:
DEMOCRACY DAY 2026 MESSAGE TO THE WOMEN OF OYO STATE AND NIGERIA
Today, as we commemorate Democracy Day, I celebrate the resilience, courage, and invaluable contributions of women across Oyo State and Nigeria.
Democracy is strongest when every voice is heard, every citizen is represented, and every segment of society has a seat at the decision-making table.
As women, we must not relent in our collective struggle for greater political inclusion and representation. The ongoing advocacy for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill is not merely about increasing numbers; it is about ensuring that women’s perspectives, experiences, and solutions are reflected in governance at all levels.
The bill seeks to address the long-standing underrepresentation of women in legislative positions and create a more inclusive democracy for all Nigerians.
I therefore call on women at the ward, local government, and grassroots levels to become more actively involved in political activities.
Let us move beyond being supporters and mobilizers alone; let us aspire to leadership positions, contest for party executive offices, seek elective positions, and actively participate in shaping policies that affect our communities.
The future we desire cannot be achieved if women remain on the sidelines.
We must invest in self-development, mentorship, political education, and economic empowerment.
More importantly, every woman who rises must extend a hand to lift another woman. Together, we can build a stronger network of capable and confident female leaders.
Many of the challenges confronting our nation today,from poverty and insecurity to inadequate social welfare and youth unemployment, require diverse perspectives and inclusive leadership.
Evidence from around the world continues to show that when women participate meaningfully in governance, communities benefit from more responsive and people centered policies.
The exclusion of women from key decision making spaces has deprived our nation of immense talent, innovation, and leadership potential.
To the women of APC, Oyo State, and Nigeria at large, this is the time to organize, advocate, participate, and lead.
Let us support the passage of the Reserved Seats Bill, strengthen our voices within our political parties, and prepare ourselves for greater responsibilities in governance.
A stronger democracy is built when women’s voices are heard, valued, and included.
May this Democracy Day inspire renewed commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and national development.
Happy Democracy Day, Nigeria!
Farmer, Hon.Kafilat Omolara Busari Svensson
Egbeda State Constituency.
OMOLARA IS HERE, EGBEDA’S COMFORT IS HERE
