African women are often faced with the challenge of being accepted or allowed to take up leadership positions, mainly in politics. Africa, as a continent, has diversity in culture, customs and tradition, and languages, which distinguishes ethnic groups from different Nations. These African women are women born and brought up in Africa, and they are from Africa. Over time the history and culture of African women have reflected the evolution and history of Africa as a continent. A few Africa women have shown so much courage in different fields of study and professions. Although many have yet to take the bull by the horn, these women Presidents have proven all odds wrong. Wow, these African women attained political heights that the African “patriarchy society” restricted a woman from achieving.
Background Of African Female Presidents That Have Made A difference In The African Political Sector Are;
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; She is a Liberian (born on the 29th of October 1938) politician who served as the 24th President of Liberia (2006 – 2018). She was the first elected female president that ruled in Africa. Ellen is a courageous woman who is well educated at the College of West Africa and later studied at Madison Business College and Harvard University, where she completed her education. However, She worked in different organizations like the World Bank in the Caribean and Latin America, Citi Bank, and Equator Bank. Although she was appointed as Minister of Finance in 1970, where she served to 1980 but later contested for a senatorial seat for Montserrado County in 1985.
Ellen continued to strive for political positions against all the odds, thereby contesting for top jobs and offices. In 1997 she lost the presidential election to Charles Taylor but did not give up; instead, she contested once more in 2005 where she won the presidential elections. She did well as a president; hence she was re-elected in 2011 when she also won the Nobel Peace Prize. Moreso, she was the First Woman elected as the chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in June 2016. Ellen is recognized for her Leadership skills and her efforts to bring women into the peacekeeping process of their countries. leadership.ng.
- Joyce Hilda Banda; Is the second African female elected president in Africa. She is an educator and a woman rights activist. She founded the Joyce Banda Foundation, National Association of Business Women (NABW), Young Women Leader, and The Hunger Project. Joyce banda had served in different capacities as a Parliament member, Minister of Gender and Child Welfare, Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2006 – 2009. However, she continued to build her political career, thereby becoming the first female Vice-President of Malawi from 2009- 2012. Moreso, Joyce Banda became the first female president elected into office and the fourth president of Malawi.
Forbes named her as the 40th most powerful woman in the world and the most powerful woman in Africa in June 2014 while she was included in the BBC’s 100 Women.
Conclusion
Some courageous African women have set the pace for the younger generation of women to follow. Presently 27 African countries have women as their heads of state or government.
Related: 10 Most Influential Africa Women
