Gender Inequality And The Achievement Of Women’S Aspiration To Top Political Leadership Positions: A Study Of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Ogun State, South- West, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria is one of the African countries with fewer numbers of women in political leadership position and governance activities. It is assumed that women make up almost half of the country’s population with 236.636,695 million citizens as at May 2, 2025. (Worldometer, UN Data, 2025) It is rather unfortunate that most top leadership portfolios are male dominated.  Gender inequality therefore remains highly pronounced in all major sectors and spheres of the Nigerian society particularly at the top political leadership positions. The study therefore examined the main influence of gender inequality on the achievement of the aspiration of women to top leadership positions in the Nigerian political sphere. The general objective of the study was to determine how gender inequality affect the aspiration of women to top leadership positions, the study also discovered how Nigerian women believes restrict their ability to participate actively in the political spheres and other leadership positions within the country, and explored strategies that can be designed to help Nigerian women effectively participate in the top political leadership sphere. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between gender inequality and the distribution of elective positions to men and women to top leadership positions in Ijebu-Ode Local government. Results also showed that gender inequality, lack of finance and other inhibiting factors such as the place of women syndrome negatively affect the aspiration of women to top political leadership positions in Ijebu-Ode Local government, Ogun State, South-West, Nigeria. It is therefore assumed that when gender inequality is reduced, equality, inclusiveness and diversity promoted, more women will be able to aspire to leadership positions. The study recommends that government design strategies that will enable women to bring out their potentials in order to be able to fulfill their aspirations.