Nigerian Women As Conveyor Of Our Future

BY SIMON REEF MUSA

The 8th March of every year is set aside by the United Nations to celebrate the International Women’s Day.  Apart from highlighting the strides achieved by women in economic, political, social and cultural spheres, the day is also globally observed to review achievements and challenges being confronted by women.

In Nigeria, the roles played by women have been tremendous and have continued to inspire our society to crave for more grounds to conquer in defence of our collective corporate existence. There can be no hope in sticking for our nation’s best than demonstrated in the authentic qualities of our womenfolk in demanding for what is best for our country.

Even before now, the story of our nation has been enmeshed in the patriotic zeal of women in demanding equality and fairness to all. While the roles played by women for Nigeria’s independence has been largely unreported and unappreciated, the Aba Women Riot of 1929 opened the floodgate in the demystification of colonialists as superhuman that are immune to threat from other humans.    .

 There are many women whose struggle for the emancipation of our people from the chains of colonial oppression still rings a bell. One of them is Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who died at the age of 78 years in 1978. Apart from being a teacher, political campaigner, she was committed to fighting the rights of women and was known to have been the first woman to drive a car in Nigeria.

Another prominent woman activist who fought against colonial domination in Nigeria is Mrs Margaret Ekpo who died at the age of 92 years in 2006. She also played an important role in encouraging women to participate in the First Republic after Nigeria’s attainment of political freedom on October 1, 1960.

Other women that have attracted global recognition are Mrs Ladi Dosei Kwali who is the pioneer of modern pottery and the only female on one of the nation’s currency notes. Professor Grace Alele Williams is not only the first female professor of Mathematics, she is also the first female vice chancellor in Nigeria.

The womenfolk are also not forgotten in the defence sector, a medical doctor, Aderonke Kale, got enlisted in the Nigerian Army and became the first female Major-General. Captain Chinyere Onyenaucheya is the first female pilot in Nigeria. What more, Mrs Sarah Nnadzwa Jibril is the first female presidential aspirant and candidate in Nigeria.

From the above, it is obvious that women have continued to play a role in the development of Nigeria. Against the backdrop of increasing banditry ripping across the country, the Nigerian Army recently deployed no fewer than 300 women soldiers to flush our banditry and kidnapping along the notorious Abuja-Kaduna expressway. Tagged Operation ‘Sa maza gudu’ (Operation put men on the run), since the deployment of these daring female soldiers, recurring kidnappings and other criminal activities have stopped, with not a single act of kidnapping reported.

Nigeria’s women in time past have not relented in their endeavours to leave footprints in the sands of their professional careers.  They have not only proven their worth in various fields of national and local sectors, they have continued to be the flame of inspiration in a society that is groping in the dark in a bid to recapture the essence of its survival in a tumultuous moment of national upheavals.

The emergence of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) reveals the intellectual prowess of Nigerian women on the global scale. Before now, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has stunned the world as Vice President of the World Bank for Africa’s Region.  Dr Amina Mohammed’s position as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations demonstrates the relevance of Nigeria’s women in the world’s body.

In Nigeria, we have had almost a zero level of scandals with women holding public offices than when compared to their male counterparts. The footprints of Okonjo-Iweala, Ezekwesili and Mohammed when they served as ministers under various administrations reflect the integrity of these female public figures attached to their positions. Instead of seeing their appointments as a place to enrich themselves and build a political empire for themselves; these distinguished women with a vision founded in national development refused to be corrupt but embraced strategies at growing the nation.

This year’s celebration of women assumed a relevance that must testify to the endless urge by women to put our nation on the frontline of developing countries. Unlike most of their male counterparts that were concerned with helping themselves with the public treasury, Nigerian women who have found themselves in the corridor of power are less hawkish in acquisition of personal wealth but concentrated in dealing with issues of development for the progress of the nation.

More than anything, Nigerian women are excellent metaphors for unity and development. While we must recognise the fact that institutional structures are in place to strangulate the progress for the development of the girl-child and women, relevant political structures, including string advocacy, must rise up and ensure Nigerian women continue to walk unhindered to their manifested destinies. It is not enough to always insist on the enviable roles to be played by women; we should also be worried by the decreasing number of women in the corridors of power and assist them in all possible means in enthroning what they represent in our nation’s corridor of power.

From the excellent footprints left by Nigerian women in all spheres of national life, there is no doubting the fact that they have come of age. If we must continue to grow as a nation, we must never discourage women from playing roles necessary for the unity and progress of our nation. As victims of crises, women stand in the best position to evolve policies and strategies in guaranteeing the safety and corporate existence of our nation.

Women bear in themselves the womb of the future. In actions and though, they have continued to envision a peaceful world where all find happiness to attain greatness. They have proven this in the air and ground as military officers. The record of the late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile in her brief career proved her resolve to decimate terror gangs that have made life an excruciating experiment for citizens.  The participation of women in various fields of endeavors enables them to deploy their matriarchal dispositions for the defence and growth of our nation.

While we celebrate our heroines that have continued to provide a candlelight of hope for our nation, the menfolk must continue to lend helping hands to ensure Nigerian women continue to blaze the trail as they seek to turn our battered dream of nationhood into an abode of possible and positive change by turning the symphony of our national discord into a coalescing cord for all.