ADVOCACY AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN LAGOS AND OGUN STATES, NIGERIA (1999-2015) BY POPOOLA, ROSEMARY OYINLOLA Matriculation Number: 06AH03802 OCTOBER, 2018 i ADVOCACY AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN LAGOS AND OGUN STATES, NIGERIA (1999-2015) POPOOLA, ROSEMARY OYINLOLA Matriculation Number: 06AH03802 B.Sc International Relations, Covenant University, Ota M.Sc International Relations, Covenant University, Ota (Matriculation Number: 06AH03802) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, COLLEGE OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, COVENANT UNIVERSITY OCTOBER, 2018 ii ACCEPTANCE This is to attest that this thesis is accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, College of Leadership Development Studies, Covenant University, Ota Mr. Philip. J. Ainwokha …………………………………… (Secretary, School of Postgraduate Studies) Signature and Date Prof. Abiodun H. Adebayo ……………………………………. (Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies) Signature and Date iii DECLARATION I, POPOOLA, ROSEMARY OYINLOLA, Matriculation Number: 06AH03802 declare that this research work was conducted by me under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Egharevba, Department of Sociology and Dr. Oluyemi Fayomi Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State. I attest that the thesis has not been presented either wholly or partly for the award of any degree elsewhere. All sources of data and scholarly information used in this thesis were duly acknowledged. POPOOLA, ROSEMARY OYINLOLA ……………………………….. Signature and Date iv CERTIFICATION We certify that the thesis titled “Advocacy and Women’s Rights in Lagos and Ogun States, Nigeria (1999-2015)” is an original work carried out by POPOOLA, ROSEMARY OYINLOLA (06AH03802), in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, College of Leadership Development Studies, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Egharevba and Dr. Oluyemi Fayomi. We have examined the work and found it acceptable for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations. Dr. Matthew Egharevba …………………………………. (Supervisor) Signature and Date Dr. Oluyemi Fayomi ... …………………………….. (Co-Supervisor) Signature and Date Prof. Sheriff F. Folarin ……. …… ……………………. (Head of Department) Signature and Date Prof. Micheal. A. Oni (External Examiner) …………………………………. Signature and Date Prof. Abiodun H. Adebayo ………………………………. (Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies) Signature and Date v DEDICATION This work is first and foremost dedicated to God who is the “Essence and the Centre” of my life. Secondly, the thesis is dedicated to the memory of my late father, Pa Remilekun Johnson Popoola, and late Prophetess (Mrs.) Esther Abolade Popoola (nee Abimbola) who saw potentials and a future in me that have materialized though they are not physically present to witness it. Finally, the work is dedicated to my family members that have slept in Christ, who I always imagine standing among the cloud of witnesses in Heaven cheering me on. Your memory is a blessing to me. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I am grateful to God whom I often praise as “Baba ti ki pa omo lekun” (A father that does not delight in making his child cry). He was and is the anchor for my life on difficult days. He stood by me, with me and for me all through life and particularly in the trying period of this doctoral programme. Moreover, it was the Prince of Preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon that once said that “gratitude to God must not be excuse for ingratitude to men.” Hence, my appreciation goes to those who made the journey pleasant and easy for me. I deeply appreciate the leadership of my spiritual father and Chancellor of Covenant University, Dr. David O. Oyedepo. Daddy, thank you for your obedience to the Heavenly vision that birthed the Liberation Commission and our royal institution, Covenant University. More so, for your relentless and untiring commitment to see it become a globally renowned institution and one of the top ten universities in the world captioned as Vision 1 of 10 in 10 by 2022. I equally celebrate and appreciate the support of my spiritual mother, Pastor (Mrs.) Faith Oyedepo. Thank you for being a living epistle of the woman described in Proverbs 31. You are indeed a woman of the God-kind. Also, I want to thank the management team of Covenant University led by Vice Chancellor, Prof. A. A. A. Atayero; Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Akan Williams, Registrar Dr. Lanre Amodu for your wonderful leadership. Similarly, the Dean of the College of Leadership Development Studies, Prof. Innocent Chiluwa and Head of Department, Prof. Sherrif Folarin, thank you. I am deeply indebted to the immediate past Head of Department and Co-supervisor, of this thesis. Dr. Oluyemi Fayomi for your unwavering love and support since my undergraduate days at the Covenant University. Thank you for being a role model of ethical and compassionate leadership and also for being an “Apostle” of honesty, sacrifice and authenticity in the work place. I am also grateful to my supervisor Dr. Matthew Egharevba. I also appreciate the Dean of Postgraduate Studies Prof. Abiodun Adebayo for his leadership and encouragement. vii Furthermore, I am thankful to past and present member of the Department of Political Science and International Relations. Professor Daniel Omoweh, Professor Daniel Gberebvie, Dr. Jide Ibietan, Dr Oluwatoyin Oluwaniyi, Dr. Felix Chidozie, Dr. Fadeke Owolabi, Dr. Duruji Moses, late Dr. Bankole Olorunyomi, Dr Patrick Assibong, and Dr. Segun Joshua. Others are Dr. Samuel Oni, Dr. Kester Onor, Mrs. L. Ajayi, Mrs. Deborah Udoh, Mrs Faith Olarenwaju, Mr. Olumuyiwa Ajayi, Mrs. Excellence Oluye, Mr. Peter Olarenwaju, Mr. Kunle Olarewaju, Mr. Olaniyi Trust, Mr. Gideon Forunsho, Mr. Seyi Ogunnowo, and Mr. Timilehin Deinde. Particularly, to my office mate and colleague-turned sister, Mrs Oluwatobi Babatunde Njoguani, I deeply celebrate and appreciate your support. Also, I am grateful to late Prof. Kunle Amuwo and Prof. Kayode Soremekun for their mentorship when I joined Covenant University as a faculty in 2012. I also want to thank my friends in Department of Business Management; Dr. Stephen Ibidunni, Dr. Hezekiah Falola and several others for their encouragement. Significantly, I celebrate my “foster” parent, Pastor Gideon Oyedepo and Pastor (Mrs.) Grace Adunola Oyedepo. Thank you for believing in me. I deeply appreciate your financial, spiritual, emotional and material investments. Thank you for standing by me when I thought my life had ended and I would never smile again. Specifically, I appreciate and celebrate your kindness mummy; I have learned not to qualify your motherhood in my life as biological or otherwise because you tower above such a qualification, you did and surpass what my biological mother would have done if she was alive. I deeply and sincerely love you mum. I also want to express gratitude to my younger brothers: Johnson Oluwatosin Isreal, Johnson Adeyinka Daniel, and Johnson Abiola Moses. I am learning through you continually the definition of love and kindness. More so, I celebrate my sisters, Dr. Faith Oyedepo and Sarah Oyedepo; you ladies exemplify and redefine sisterhood in ways that will be models for generations to come. Similarly, I am thankful to a brother and father figure in my life, Deacon Peter Popoola and his lovely wife, Mrs Bunmi Popoola.Thank you for your encouragement and support during this programme. Pastor Kayode Popoola and Mrs. Elizabeth Popoola, thank you for your support spiritually, financially, and materially all through this doctoral programme. May the anointing over your life never run dry. viii Furthermore, it is Iyanla Vanzant that distinguishes being a mummy from being a mother. The former, she asserts is biological and the latter is a product of role and responsibility. I am thankful to my elder sister turned “mother,” Johnson Florence Abosede. Your role and responsibilities in my life reflect that of a mother. Your kindness and love towards me and my younger ones in many ways are reminiscent of our biological mother and for this I am grateful. Also, I am grateful to Lady Victoria Johnson for towering high as an intellectual “brouhaha” that as a child I craved to become. Thank you is so inadequate for all you did and will continually do for me. Of great significance are the contributions of Gbade Popoola, Brother Sola Popoola and Faith Popoola; thank you for standing with me during the most challenging and difficult moment of my life. I celebrate your sisterhood and honour your support. I am grateful to my friends turned sisters, prayer partner and gist partner, and with whom I have walked on the sea of life together and known the high and low of life; Dr. Olufolahan Osunmuyiwa, time has proven that you are a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Engineer Funmi Adiat, thank you for being my shade when I would have been melted by the sun and the heat of life. I am thankful for the day I met you. Dr. Ayo Adiat and my Lagos, Global Positioning System (GPS), Queen Adiat, I am thankful. Equally, I am thankful to my friend’s parents Dr. and Mrs Adiat and Mrs. Abiodun Osunmuyiwa, thank you for loving me as one of your daughters. I am thankful to my number 1 in-law, Mr Leye Wuraola and his amiable wife, Mrs. Funmilayo Wuraola for being a constant pillar of support. My gratitude is beyond what I can articulate in words to Dr. & Mrs. Ojo (Mummy and Daddy Tope), I appreciate your prayers and encouragement. I am indebted to one of my elder brothers who was solidly behind me in turbulent times, Dr. Olatunji Oyedepo and his lovely wife, Mrs. Moyo Oyedepo; thank you for your encouragement and counsel which I greatly cherish and value.