The wife of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Dr. Offiong Jarigbe, has called on politicians to encourage their spouses to pursue higher education in order to become stronger partners in national development.
Speaking with journalists at a reception over the weekend shortly after receiving her Doctor of Philosophy from Baze University, Abuja, Dr. Jarigbe said Nigeria’s universities are now better equipped with quality intellectual resources and modern teaching tools capable of attracting international students.
She emphasised the need for Nigerian men to view women as partners in building society, stating that “gone are the days when women were seen to be only good in the kitchen and the other room.”
Dr. Jarigbe, who earned her PhD in Public Enterprise during the 12th convocation ceremony of Baze University, noted that many Nigerian universities now boast of highly qualified professors and lecturers with strong intellectual capacity to compete with their counterparts abroad.
“We need to return to the old system whereby expatriates compete with Nigerians to study in our universities,” she said.
The event was attended by over 45 wives of senators. During the occasion, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Jarigbe, also urged continuous retooling and empowerment of Nigerian women to enable them contribute more effectively to nation-building.
He encouraged men to support and motivate their wives to advance their education, stressing that such investment would enhance family growth and strengthen the nation’s social fabric.
