March 8 is International Women’s Day. We will be using the opportunity to engage the students of Abadina College, Ibadan on the theme of Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights for an equal future. This is also another opportunity to challenge stereotypes, call for inclusion, amplify women’s voices and to celebrate women. We shall be celebrating all women living beyond limitations, holding up, making an impact, influencing the world, leading positively, motivating the world, transforming lives, standing tall, aiming high, breaking stereotypes, shattering glass ceilings, breaking through concrete walls, striding on sticky floors and escaping career labyrinths. Host: Roseline Adebimpe Adewuyi Speakers: Daniel Akinyemi and Deborah Adeojo Coordinators: Rebecca Bolatito-John and…
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Becoming an Outlier
Most times, when a lady posts a picture of herself as a wedding guest, many people start flooding her comments section with comments of wishes and prayers, notably of which is: “this year is your year.” These kinds of prayers, though expressed with the best intentions, are sometimes unsolicited. I, personally, uphold that prayers are weightier when both parties are in agreement. Imagine that you’re praying for a lady to get married this year, but she’s praying for something else because marriage does not rank topmost on her list. The one-million-dollar question is: To which supplication will God turn a deaf ear? LOL! In my perspective, I believe it is…
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World Radio Day: Driving Women Empowerment and Social Change through the Radio
Today, February 13th is the World Radio day – a day set aside by UNESCO to celebrate radio broadcast, improve international cooperation among radio broadcasters and encourage decision-makers to create and provide access to information through radio, including community radios. From time immemorial, radios have been used to pass information to the general public. Even during wars of the early centuries and times when technological advancements were not as sophisticated as they are today, radios were very common and widely used to broadcast news and disseminate information. Today, radios are much more than communication gadgets. They are hubs of entertainment and art expressions. They are key agents of social change…
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International Day of Women and Girls in Science
For centuries, people have always seen science as too complicated and too logical for the female brain but women like Marie Curie the French-Polish physicist who won a Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry for her pioneering research in radioactivity and mathematician Ada Lovelace, who saw the potential in Charles Babbage’s analytical engine, wrote and developed software for it and became one of the first computer programmers have long since challenged and squashed these stereotypes. Today, although people still ask these questions and think of STEM as a male playing field, a good number of women have taken their place and begun making their mark there. One of such remarkable…
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International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation or female circumcision as it is called in the dark alleys and hidden groves of the interior villages where the abhorrent act is practiced has always been a hush-hush topic and because of the shame and myths or superstitious beliefs that surround it, there seems to be very little written about it. Female Genital Mutilation has been practiced by various ancient cultures in a bid to reduce female sexuality and prevent women from being promiscuous. The effects of the process however are much worse. Since it is usually done to young girls, the psychological trauma of the pain of the process usually lasts a life time. Many…
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Do not dim your light and sparkle!
Lillian had worked really hard this past year. Everyone knew this. She was the only one that got a fat bonus check at the end of year ceremony and it was well deserved too. She also won the employee of the year award for her kindness, thoughtful, resourceful nature, expertise and willingness to learn new things. Everyone knew that she was gunning for the big leagues. Ever since she joined the company, she’d always hoped she’ll be VP and sit on the board of directors. From the first day she became an employee, she had put in her best. She was always punctual. Never missed a deadline or a pitch…
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Dashed Hopes – A short story to commemorate Internatonal day of education
Panting, Miriam sat under the mango tree, hands on her jaw. She had just run out from the room adjoining the parlour from where she had overheard her father discussing with the yellow-stained teeth pot-bellied short man, Mr Lazarus. Tears rolled down her eyes as their conversation played in her mind: “My son will like her,” Mr Lazarus said, “She’s perfect, with the right curves in the right places.” Her father, who would on a normal day cringe at such statements and even sternly warn or assault the speaker, had tossed his head back and laughed shamelessly. After recovering, he had said, “She’s not only…
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THE OUTSIDER WIFE
Linda stared at her wedding picture that was framed nicely and sitting beside the bedside table. She couldn’t believe that Derrek had gone too soon. They had big plans. They had wanted to travel the world, expand their business and build a large family. They had wanted to help people in their community. All these were not happening anymore because he was no more here. She picked up her shawl and draped her neck. Then she stood and looked at her reflection in their huge mirror standing a few feet from their bed. Her eyes were swollen and had dark circles from too much crying and sleepless nights. Although her…
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Didn’t she deserve better
Violet blinked back the tears welling in her eyes. Her vision blurred as pain pulsated through her frail body. She felt the world spin. Her head was throbbing a little more than usual today, she observed. Her threshold had gotten better with time but this pain was more than she could bear. She touched her forehead and felt a huge bruise – larger than the ones he used to give her. This was definitely going to scar. He must have bumped her really hard against the wall this time. From the corridor, heavy footfalls stamping their authoritative presence marched towards her room. As they came closer, she shrank back in…
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MEN PICKING UP THE GAUNTLETS!!!
I started advocacy because of my experiences as a young lady. I believed that it would inspire young girls and help them choose to rise above the discrimination and inequality that they were facing from society. Some people, especially some men, belittle efforts of women by saying that all gender advocates do is focus on girls while leaving out boys. I know that I am not very good at male advocacy because it’s not my strong forte – not because I wouldn’t have the right words to say but because I don’t fully understand or live their reality as well as a man would. I suggest that this talk that…
