CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Women constitute a critical segment of the Nigerian population. They are active in the agriculture and economic sectors of the society and have also contributed immensely to the decolonization and general development of this great country.
    Women struggles, date back to the 19th century when women like Amina zaria, madam tinubu of lagos , Olufomilayo ramson kuti of Abeokuta, maggaret ekipo and haji gaban Swabia among others, fought to give women the pride of place in Nigerian history.
After the struggle for independence was over and Nigeria became an independent sovereign nation women continued to contribute their quota in the post-independence match towards development and progress.
    In the area of politics, the above named amongst others contributed immensely to the mobilization and sensitization of women with a view to ensuring that women are involved in the politics of the country.
    At present, the issues pertaining to women have continued to draw a global attention with the result that the problems that impede their progress are currently being addressed concretely. Consequently, the quest for women empowerment has heightened the political consciousness of women. Some of them occupy strategic position in government where they have continued to prove their mettle. For instance Ruqoyat  Gbemisola Saraki, Dora Akuyili, oby Ezekwesili of due process fame, Ndi Okereke Onyilike,           
    Ngozi Okunji Iweala and Faridat Waziri Among others have undoubtedly distinguished themselves in their official assignment.
    The role of women in development has for long being taken for granted and relegated to the background. For a long time, politics in Nigeria has been played with the usual patronizing attitude which usually does not go far in enlighten women. Some of the factors employed are social and cultural practices women hitherto have been mis-interpreted to create biases against women. There is need for women to be properly oriented so that their numerical strength and voting power can be profitably galvanized and oriented towards empowerment of other women who will in turn look after the welfare of all other women by formulating gender sensitive loss to promote women cause.
    Radio plays a major role in mobilization women for politics in Nigeria for majority of women groups in Nigeria, improving the lots of Nigerian women is a prime target.
    The experience of the management of women is all facts of life is feasible to cultural practice of gender relations within the Nigeria society these practice have become acceptability of life and are not to be questioned.
    The radio, because it is cheap have become affordably easy access and have become a base means of mobilizing Nigerian women for politics.
    One thing that is glaring today is that some of the radio stations in Nigeria is the presence of Nigerian women has newsmaker. The women groups in Nigeria have the greatest task of carrying out enlightment campaign over the radio to educated Nigerian women as their right and what constitutes violation of such right, some of these women empowerment and participation include
    WOMEN IN NIGERIA (WIN)
    NIGERIA WOMENS RIGHT WATCH
    CIVIL RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION CENTRE (CIBDDDOC).
    WOMEN’S CONSORTIUM OF NIGERIA (WOCON).
    NAWOS
The list is not exhaustive.
    The zonal workshop on women in governance and decision making network and working as a group was covered by the Imo state radio and radio Nigeria in Imo state. The zonal network groups are following capacity building framing activities designed to provide and contribute to the broader goal of empowering and advocating for the full participation of women and enlist ions potential women leader in governance and decision making. This interactive platform has been created in many parts of Nigeria expectation from the south eastern state of Nigeria and in particular from Imo state.
     At the zonal networking workshop that was held in Imo state, women were encouraged to take active parts in their unions to organize meeting with their leadership positive. Participants were also encouraged to organize awareness and skill acquisition programmers to enable them to contest and hold political offices
    Meanwhile, many radio station scattered all over Nigeria are coming up to address the culture of silence that has contributed to the absence of women in politics in Nigeria.
    In the area of information pertain to women in politics, our local Radio station are also coming up with beneficial information‘s in form of revamping the sector into a dynamic tools for facilitating effective women participation in politics.
    What is really the meaning of politics? Various scholars have different definition of politics some have defined it as a game of wits, all that begins and ends with government. Other say politics is essentially the art and science of government. That is, the study of the control, distribution and use of power over human activities in the society.