March 20, (THEWILL) – The wife of the Olowu of Owu, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Olori Ameenah Adeleye Matemilola, on Thursday, said Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has the right to seek justice in court over allegations of sexual harassment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, claims that led to her six-month suspension by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, prompting her to pursue legal recourse.
Olori Matemilola, addressing the incident during an event marking International Women’s Day, asserted that Akpoti-Uduaghan was entitled to seek justice if she believed her rights as a woman and senator had been violated, following the suspension.
The event, organised by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), in collaboration with JESA Future Foundation, was held at the NUJ Secretariat, Iwe Iroyin, Abeokuta, under the theme: ‘Rights, Equality, and Empowerment for All Women and Girls’.
The royal consort cautioned women against prioritising equality with men, advocating instead for equity. She urged women to empower one another through entrepreneurial and leadership skills to enhance societal impact.
“Before supporting an issue, you must understand the narrative. If she feels harassed and seeks justice, there is nothing wrong in demanding it. She has every right to pursue justice.
“We should focus on equity, not equality. Women must be trained in empowerment programmes, such as leadership skills, crafts and formal education, including university degrees”, she stated.
Earlier, Ogun NAWOJ Chair, Alhaja Sekinat Salam, disclosed that the association had trained over 20 women in entrepreneurship to reduce dependence on men and bolster household support.
“This programme sensitises women to their inherent power. As highlighted today, our focus should be equity, not equality.
“We empowered participants with skills in producing liquid soap, air fresheners, chin chin and zobo. With limited resources, we trained over 20 women and directly supported four”, she added.
