Nollywood actress Joke Silva has expressed her dismay over the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles in Nigeria, particularly within the political sphere.

Silva pointed out that although women played prominent roles in leadership before Nigeria gained independence, their influence has waned in recent times.

The veteran actress emphasized that Nigeria should have, by now, seen the election of at least one democratically elected female governor.

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While acknowledging Virginia Ngozi Etiaba’s role as the governor of Anambra State in 2006, Silva noted that Etiaba assumed the position after Governor Peter Obi was impeached and was not elected.

In a recent interview with TVC, Silva commented on the regression of women in political leadership, saying, “In the area of leadership, especially political leadership, women have regressed.

I mean, we had some really powerful women.

You mentioned Fumilayo Kuti earlier. All these powerful women. There were so many of them spread around the nation. So, you expect them to grow in numbers by now.”

Silva continued, “At least by now, we should have had a female governor. Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu for one, in contemporary Nigerian politics, is probably the most experienced female politician.

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She was just in the Senate for a long time and now she is the First Lady.

But the thing is this: how many others? But we have so many male senators. It goes back to what late Chief MKO Abiola used to say: ‘A nation clapping with one hand.’ How do you clap? How is it heard?”