Bold Women For A Revolutionary Change
-Olanike Adeoye
Growing up as a teenage Yoruba girl, an Ekiti girl more precisely, I was passionate about developmental issues; civics, ethics, values and morals.
I remember being shortlisted and taking home the third prize for a state essay competition, on the subject of ‘education as a tool for self sustenance and social development’ in my final year in secondary school. As a result of my ecstasy for a better society and my vehemence for positive change, people facetiously described me as not being feminine. Some even humorously said, ‘Are you sure you are a woman?’
In a way, my society was informing me that it was not expected of a woman to have as much fervor as she could, about the subjects of integrity and change.
I am sure we are all familiar with the famous idea that a woman does not have to do so much, as long as she can keep a man to stay with her the rest of her life.
As a result, the women who went all the way out to be exceptional in their career path, trade etcetera, etcetera suddenly got the tag of a feminist or a career woman.
If one projects that such notion would make the average Nigerian uncomfortable, it is therefore understandable that women who pursue revolutionary change would risk being unpopular or even face rejection. Let me take this privilege to correct the perception on the subject of being a feminist.
A feminist is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as an advocate or supporter of the rights and equality of women. It only seeks to accentuate the equality of sexes in political, economic and social fronts. It has no backdrop in marriage.
The big issues that led to the subject are issues around gender wage disparity in the USA and some other countries.
I think the abilities of women have been underutilized over the years. Knowing full well, that a woman is one of the greatest multipliers you can think of on earth.
By saying this, I do not mean only in the area of child bearing, this seem to have been the misperception of many women.
Women have been wrongly trained to believe their strengths are only assessed by the number of children they have, regardless of the quality of lives they are able to give these children. Why have ten children that are slaves to the children of a woman with only two?
I urge every woman training a male child somewhere on earth today, to not intentionally or unintentionally teach a male child that a female child is secondary to him.
Our parent unconsciously passes this message across by leaving domestic responsibilities mainly to the girl child. Let me partly borrow the words of the eminent writer; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; ‘I find it amusing that people leave the responsibility of nourishing their bodies to another person.
To take our place strategically in the society, women must take a reflection on what exactly swallows up our energy. Bearing too many children can swallow up a woman’s energy. This may not be a culturally acceptable statement but it is the truth that must be told.
This has led to the subject of the girl child marriage, a menace that has combated our society. This I have deftly woven into a fiction in my book titled POACHED RED; its reality and disadvantages.
I want to urge you, as my contribution to the International Women’s Day Year 2017, to look inward, consider talents that you have been endowed with, look outward, look at the problems around, what are you angry about in the society? Go to the drawing board and begin to do things about them.
We have many women excelling in social innovation and in other areas all over the world; we have Michelle Obama, the last FLOTUS, Hillary Clinton who was confident enough to consider standing up for a major political seat in the USA, Bilikis Adebiyi Abiola of Wecyclers, Ndidi Nwuneli of LEAP Africa, our very own Yewande Ogunrinde Adesua of Beyond Lipstick, Chief Mary Jacob Lot from Ijero Ekiti, a renowned entrepreneur and the first black secretary of Barclays Bank.
We also have our own Mrs Bolajoko Adeoye-Oke, my very own mother who has been impacting lives for over twenty two years as an educator.
You too can join the list of solution providers.
Thank you.
In commemoration of 2017 World Women's Day Celebration in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
-Olanike Adeoye
Growing up as a teenage Yoruba girl, an Ekiti girl more precisely, I was passionate about developmental issues; civics, ethics, values and morals.
I remember being shortlisted and taking home the third prize for a state essay competition, on the subject of ‘education as a tool for self sustenance and social development’ in my final year in secondary school. As a result of my ecstasy for a better society and my vehemence for positive change, people facetiously described me as not being feminine. Some even humorously said, ‘Are you sure you are a woman?’
In a way, my society was informing me that it was not expected of a woman to have as much fervor as she could, about the subjects of integrity and change.
I am sure we are all familiar with the famous idea that a woman does not have to do so much, as long as she can keep a man to stay with her the rest of her life.
As a result, the women who went all the way out to be exceptional in their career path, trade etcetera, etcetera suddenly got the tag of a feminist or a career woman.
If one projects that such notion would make the average Nigerian uncomfortable, it is therefore understandable that women who pursue revolutionary change would risk being unpopular or even face rejection. Let me take this privilege to correct the perception on the subject of being a feminist.
A feminist is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as an advocate or supporter of the rights and equality of women. It only seeks to accentuate the equality of sexes in political, economic and social fronts. It has no backdrop in marriage.
The big issues that led to the subject are issues around gender wage disparity in the USA and some other countries.
I think the abilities of women have been underutilized over the years. Knowing full well, that a woman is one of the greatest multipliers you can think of on earth.
By saying this, I do not mean only in the area of child bearing, this seem to have been the misperception of many women.
Women have been wrongly trained to believe their strengths are only assessed by the number of children they have, regardless of the quality of lives they are able to give these children. Why have ten children that are slaves to the children of a woman with only two?
I urge every woman training a male child somewhere on earth today, to not intentionally or unintentionally teach a male child that a female child is secondary to him.
Our parent unconsciously passes this message across by leaving domestic responsibilities mainly to the girl child. Let me partly borrow the words of the eminent writer; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; ‘I find it amusing that people leave the responsibility of nourishing their bodies to another person.
To take our place strategically in the society, women must take a reflection on what exactly swallows up our energy. Bearing too many children can swallow up a woman’s energy. This may not be a culturally acceptable statement but it is the truth that must be told.
This has led to the subject of the girl child marriage, a menace that has combated our society. This I have deftly woven into a fiction in my book titled POACHED RED; its reality and disadvantages.
I want to urge you, as my contribution to the International Women’s Day Year 2017, to look inward, consider talents that you have been endowed with, look outward, look at the problems around, what are you angry about in the society? Go to the drawing board and begin to do things about them.
We have many women excelling in social innovation and in other areas all over the world; we have Michelle Obama, the last FLOTUS, Hillary Clinton who was confident enough to consider standing up for a major political seat in the USA, Bilikis Adebiyi Abiola of Wecyclers, Ndidi Nwuneli of LEAP Africa, our very own Yewande Ogunrinde Adesua of Beyond Lipstick, Chief Mary Jacob Lot from Ijero Ekiti, a renowned entrepreneur and the first black secretary of Barclays Bank.
We also have our own Mrs Bolajoko Adeoye-Oke, my very own mother who has been impacting lives for over twenty two years as an educator.
You too can join the list of solution providers.
Thank you.
In commemoration of 2017 World Women's Day Celebration in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
Comments
Post a Comment