Some human rights defenders and development experts have celebrated the election of the cofounder of Constitution Lab, Azeezat Yishawu, as the Speaker of the Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP).
Yishawu emerged as the first female speaker of the fifth NYP after polling 50 votes to defeat her closest rival who got 48 votes following a rerun election.
‘A big congratulations to Dr Yishawu from all of us at Constitution Lab as we will join hands to continue to make strides of impactful leadership and sustainable development to ensure a delivery of real dividends of our democracy’, Constitution Lab said in a statement.
The founder of the Advocacy for Civic Engagement Centre (ACE Centre), Obinna Osisiogu, described her emergence as a ‘win for gender equality’.
‘This is such a win for gender equality. Perhaps [we are] witnessing the journey of our first female president? Congrats @azeezat4climate’, Osisiogu tweeted.
Also, the founder of Sikika Afrika Initiative, Adaje Obi’abo Sunday, noted that the Nigerian youth will benefit from Yishawu’s leadership.
‘Congratulations @azeezat4climate for this giant stride. Your strong spirit of [camaraderie] and friendship during the @YoungWomenPoli1 were infectious and unparalleled. All the very best as you pilot the affair of @NGA_YP. #Nigeria youth will certainly benefit from [your] leadership’, Sunday said in a tweet.
In a congratulatory tweet, the Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) said it was proud of Yishawu.
‘Congratulations to #GenCED #YWPLS fellow @azeezat4climate on your election we are proud of you’, GenCED tweeted
‘Another record broken, I love the sound of this mehn!!! “First female speaker…..” Beauty, brain, competence, doggedness all wrapped together. The future is female truly. Asese bere ni. I wish you a successful tenure madam speaker @azeezat4climate’, another human rights advocate, Ayotomiwa Olutayo, said.
Yishawu, who served as Speaker of the Lagos State University Medical Students Association between 2017 and 2018, has over four years of active experience in grassroots mobilisation, citizen engagement and stakeholder management.
She currently heads the PCV4Her Campaign – a permanent voter card campaign targeting women in communities in Lagos State.
Photo source: Constitution Lab
