Amaka Obi

Amaka Obi Listen^ⓘ is a politician. She is the only female chairman elected in the 2024 local government area election in Anambra State, Nigeria, out of the twenty-one local governments. She is the Idemili South local government area Chairman and a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) political party in Nigeria.^[1] She in turn inaugurated her council members at the council headquarters in Ojoto and charged them “to represent the interest of the people through commitment and diligence.”^[2] It should be recalled that globally, women are being empowered and encouraged to be part of the governance in their areas. According to UNDP, “this initiative aims to improve capacity for existing and emerging women leaders including young/marginalized women, accelerate the implementation of legislation on gender equality in leadership and elections, and sustain peace and violence prevention in electoral processes."^[3] Although many women are facing challenges in different countries in being part of the decision making bodies, the UN Women declared that “individual women have overcome these obstacles with great acclaim, and often to the benefit of society at large. But for women as a whole, the playing field needs to be level, opening opportunities for all.”^[4]

She was the Transition Committee Chairperson for Idemili South Local Government Area. The only female out of the 21 Transitional Chairmen in Anambra State.^[5][6] She was one of the eight Transition Committee Chairmen re-appointed and sworn in by Governor Charles Soludo at the Government House, Awka, after one year and eight months of their first tenure in the post,^[7]