Nigerian president decries chauvinistic attitudes in Mexico

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday said male chauvinistic attitudes continue to prevail in his country during a meeting with Mexican lawmakers.

Obasanjo said, they do have is what he calls male chauvinistic society, meeting with Mexican senators to discuss subjects ranging from women's rights to management of natural resources. Obasanjo also met Monday behind closed doors with Mexican President Vicente Fox.

Kano, Nigeria's largest city, recently started to enforce an Islamic policy separating men and women on public transport and states across Nigeria's Muslim north have implemented a strict Shariah legal code. On an overnight visit to Mexico, Obasanjo said about 30 percent of his Cabinet ministers are women and said women's rights have advanced in Nigeria including minimum quotas for female elected officials.

Mexican Senate President Enrique Jackson said oil was an unavoidable subject of discussion with the Nigerian president as their countries respond to soaring world fuel prices. Mexico is the world's sixth largest producer of oil, while Nigeria ranks 11th. But both countries must import most of their fuel for lack of refining capacity.

Nigerian trade unions and activists said Monday they would hold a series of rallies to protest against a steep rise in fuel prices, but would not call a nationwide strike as they had earlier threatened.