Recently, I attended a gender
initiative sensitization worshop. The
focus of this awareness workshop was on gender equality and women empowerment.
A whole lot of things were brought to light on how women can also forge ahead and be at par with men, right from training during childhood, through school, when it comes to choosing a profession, and adulthood.
We were made to understand that no particular occupation is strictly meant for men or women, though society may portray it that way. Everybody was made to understand that women don’t need to fold their hands anymore and wait for their husband, to come home from kaoranamoda even when they are sick, before going to the hospital for treatment. On this premise, the issue of economic empowerment for women was driven home with a major look at micro-finance schemes. The government has made available financial assistance in the form of small scale loans for small, scale business. Women are advised to take advantage of such loan facilities as they do not need any form of collateral base to secure such loans. Of course, we also took a look at macro-financing which at the moment is not yet easily accessible, for women who want to do huge business transactions.
Now to the main part of this write-up. It was after all these wonderful lectures I raised an observation which funny enough didn’t really go down well with some of the women. Some I believe misunderstood my point and one or two I believe had an already made mindset about my point of observation.
My point was that some women go about the issue of empowerment, gender equality and being at par with men the wrong way. In a bid to get “there,” they compromise their integrity, honour and dignity as women. Some women loose themselves on the way. They create unnecessary and unhealthy competition where there is non, throw caution to the wind, in the midst of the scheming and power play and completely loose their essence. At the end of the day, when they do get there, they have nothing to deliver, because they have no substance. They litter the way with dirt for other women who are working doggedly with dignity to get to that same place.
There is nothing wrong with using your influence, or your husband’s or fathers or friends influence to get to a position provided you are qualified for that job and can deliver. After all, everybody get’s recommended for a job by one person or the other, known or unknown. When I say unknown, it could be a complete stranger who has seen your works in other areas, and is of the opinion you can handle the job in question effectively.
If you are lucky to have a powerful and influential husband, father, uncle, or friend, who is able to recommended you for a job and you get it, good for you. But please when you get there make your mark, deliver well, and leave your prints in the sands of time for good.
On the other hand, whereby a sister sleeps with some man to get a position, or elected to a board, it is completely unacceptable. It is a dirty and demeaning short-cut. It is something that needs to be preached against while this gender campaign is going on, to empower women. Even in schools, young ladies offer sex to get grades, and more offer it for little if nothing inconsequential. If we are going to preach against sexual harassment, we should also preach against women using “what they have to get what they want”.
Today, every woman has what it takes to get to the top, unlike women of yester years. Each one of us has the academic qualification, wits, skills, God given talents and potentials which no other human being has.
All we need do is work hard, maintain our dignity and integrity and go through the rungs if need be, not necessarily marking time; so when you turn comes, you’ll show the world the stuff you are made of, instead of some premature and undignified launch.
Today, Prof. Dora Akunyili is a symbol of dignity and integrity. This is a woman who went through the rungs with dignity and when her time came, she delivered. She showed she had the substance. She made a mark where men had hitherto threaded softly, or didn’t deem it necessary to take worth while risks or simply didn’t care.
The career women of today can do without thuggery and “bottom power” because in the long run what makes you a woman of substance is your dignity and integrity which forms the core essence of a complete woman.
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