Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of the first female local government chairman, Titi Ajanaku, as “a major loss to Nigeria’s democratic struggles because her roles in those struggles cannot be forgotten in a hurry.”
Buhari said in a condolence message to the her family that the late Ajanaku would be fondly remembered as an energetic woman politician who made a name for herself in the struggle to establish democratic order in Nigeria.
“She became famous because she chose to be an active player in the country’s political and democratic struggles instead of expecting to bring about change from the ringside.
“Ajanaku had imbued our women with courage and confidence to become active players in politics in order to influence and shape the course of events.
“To her credit, she achieved prominence in her own right because she worked so hard to make a mark”, the president said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba.
President Buhari urged other Nigerian women “to follow in the footsteps of Titi Ajanaku in the struggle to break the political glass ceiling, an effort that demands patience, tenacity, consistency and self-confidence.”