#RunToWin Series — Young Nigerians Running for Political Leadership E1
Meet Elizabeth Ekanem, the pediatric therapist and social activist running for office.
For the first episode of the #RunToWinNG Series, we share the story of Elizabeth Ekanem, a social activist and politician contesting for the Lagos State House of Assembly in Eti Osa local government, constituency 1, under the political party ADC- African Democratic Congress. She serves as her party’s Director General nationwide for the six geo-political zones.
Who is Elizabeth Ekanem?
Elizabeth Ekanem is a pediatric therapist, humanitarian advocate, educationist, and politician with years of experience running community development projects to impact her community positively. She has founded several nonprofits and organized many impactful programs to cater to the needs of different groups of people in her society. She is a graduate of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos, where she studied Office Technology and Management Information Systems. She also has a degree in Special Needs Education from the University of Lagos(Unilag).
Driven by her passion for helping people, she has served in several social impact programs and events in Eti-Osa, Lagos State. Through these, she has impacted the lives of Eti-Osa’s people, including marginalized youth, women, and people with disabilities. In recognition of her philanthropic work, she won a leadership award from the Omega Women Awards in 2019.
Her motivation for running for office
When asked why she joined politics, Miss Elizabeth said:
“17 years ago, I had a set of twins, and I lost one of them. The child that survived developed partial hearing. Despite all efforts to regain her hearing ability, there was no solution. So I had to take her to a special needs school for hearing impaired children at Surulere. It was so stressful and demanding, and I lost everything at that stage.
I had to apply to study special education to be able to communicate with my child. Then I started an advocacy program for other Special Needs children in my local government to assist parents with special needs children.
All this was and is because our local government area does not have a special needs school. This prompted me to become a voice for children living with disabilities by contesting in the elections so that I can pass bills in their favor.”
She added:
“Secondly, I joined politics because of the increasing number of youths in my local government, who do not have reasons to live a better life, did to the country's system. I believe the way to curb the high number of young people smoking, engaging in prostitution, and wasting their productive years is by representing them in the state assembly to push for a rehabilitation bill and opening industries and vocational centers to empower them.”
Her journey so far as a woman in Nigerian politics.
When asked what her experience has been like as a woman in Nigerian politician, she said
“ As a female politician, I have seen a lot; relationship-wise, family-wise, friends, neighbors, and institutions. They believe that women are not supposed to go into politics and that women will be corrupt if elected into office.
Fortunately, the reception from certain people encouraged me because it helped me change their orientation toward women's participation in politics. It has helped me mold women who initially did not have the boldness to participate in politics.”
In an interview with LTV, Elizabeth Ekanem noted that one factor that hinders women from participating in political leadership is the typical party structure in most political parties that do not benefit women.
“For example, the tickets sold by political parties to members who want to run for office are often too expensive for several women to afford. To truly reach a state of gender equality in political leadership, we need to remove the cost of tickets for party primaries for women. Doing this will encourage more women to participate.“ She said.
She also noted that the campaign process in Nigeria and its financing are very demanding, and not all women can raise as much money as men who have been in the political scene long before them. Most of these women lack the stakeholders, connections, and resources some of these processes require, so reducing the entry tickets of the party is a means to lower the barriers.
What she plans to do if elected into office.
“My Five Point Agenda, outlined in my manifesto, includes:
- Putting an end to avoidable flooding in Lekki. I plan on passing a bill concerning the LEKKI flooding. The bill will state that the Government will create waterways or drainages to enable water to move through into the canals, to ease Eti Osa residence of the overflow of water in their various communities during the rainy season.
- Bringing constant power supply to the Local Government Area;
- Collaborating with private and government banks to develop SMEs to empower everyone;
- Community job provision/skills acquisition etc.
- Provisions of facilities for regular government schools.”
Some of her contributions to her community over the years.
- She founded the (AICLDN) Advocacy Initiative for Children Living with Disabilities in Nigeria. Through it, she advocates for special needs children in her local government.
- She also founded the African Women’s Renaissance on the 26th of December 2020, an NGO that advocates for more women’s participation in political leadership in Nigeria.
- In collaboration with a senator in her political party, she empowered unemployed members of the community by giving them free POS machines to start businesses in 2022.
- She joined in the Protest against the causes of the Lekki flooding in 2019.
- She organized the Back to school program for Eti Osa children in 2020.
- For the past four years, she has organized Christmas celebrations for children with Disabilities in Eti-Osa.
- She also gave free Solar energy systems training to the youths and elderly people in the local government in 2022.
- She enlightened the people of Eti Osa on stigmatization and political inclusion through music in 2020.
As the elections approach
Elizabeth Ekanem is one of the young Nigerians who are well aware of the people’s struggles at the grass root level and is contesting for office to represent and serve her community in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Her track record over the years is enough for electorates to decide whether or not to vote her into office in the coming elections.
For more information on her campaign and political career, follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
