Abstract
Leaders are individuals who help to define the aims and goals of groups and organisations and then
help to channel the energy of the group or organisation members to achieve those stated aims.
Women in Nigeria constitutes a large number of the population, so the exclusion of women in
elective and appointment positions and socio-economic development is a significant challenge in
Nigeria, as in other parts of the world, this issue is deeply rooted in political, religious, cultural,
social and economic factors, despite Nigeria’s commitment to 35% affirmative action, women in
Ebonyi State remain significantly underrepresented in elective and leadership positions and so this
impacts negatively on overall socioeconomic development. This paper explores how the power
dynamics intersect with the factors present in the society, revealing the web of social structures
and power relations that maintain gender-based exclusion, information will be gathered through
secondary sources. The theoretical framework that will be used is participatory theory. This
highlighted the imperative of the study and the context specific interventions that challenge and
transform these norms and dynamics, thereby promoting gender inclusivity in governance and
bringing forth equitable socio-economic development.