Shakespeare in one of his books says something that got me thinking about the plight inherent in womanhood. I quote, "hell has no fury like a woman scorned "
Next focus to prop up then will be why should a woman be scorned, hurt, abused, disrespected or undermined. The idea of the woman representing the weaker sex when compared to the male gender is common place, widely accepted and totally misappropriated. In one of the gospels Paul infers this but adds that the husband as the head must love the wife and nourish her, with the full realisation that she is the weaker sex. Genesis tells us in the inception man was created in the image of God.
Effectively God realised that it was not right for a man to dwell alone and out of the rib of the male created a woman as a helpmate suitable for him. Help and mate suggest a complementary role, however, the underrating of this role has resulted in womanhood being oppressed rather than cherished over the years. I like the part that says that at some point in history men began to go after women seeing that they were fair to behold.
The confusion over the years, however, is why men can not accept the fact that women are indispensable in their vital roles and contributions. Someone once said the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. In other words, the role of women surpasses mere passion or mundane roles. Women in almost all societies have had to fight assiduously for recognition over the years.
Emmeline Pankhurst was a pioneer for women's rights and emancipation in Britain. The society in 1872 was male-dominated and women were not allowed to vote. She actually started the suffragette movement. Emily Davison during one of the demonstration was knocked down in Epsom by the King's horse and died four days later.
These agitation inspired the reforms that qualified women to vote. During the struggle, these women were imprisoned and had to go through the degradation to be fed with tubes. With the advent of the war in 1914, women had proven to be relevant and capable to do men's jobs bringing the society to recognise the viability of women in politics as well.
Within Africa women traditionally had to face some stigmatization. From our Nigerian history books, there were women who stood out, outstandingly breaking the jinx. Such as Efunsetan Aniwura from royal decent was able to rise breaking long-established ranks not available to women.
She rose to the status of Kingmaker and had a handful of male and female servants, as spoils of war. She was so ruthless we were told that in hearing that one of our female slaves had been impregnated by one of her favoured servants went on to execute the two of them . This was after she had ignored please even by the Kingship council.
This resulted in her Waterloo and she was banished and finally killed. She typifies the fact that women can be overly high handed in power. Another women highly revered is Moremi. She hailed from Ile Ife. A Queen par excellence, notably regal and beautiful. Her inability to provide the heir for the throne was so challenging and shameful. With excruciating pain, she appealed to the goddess of the river who gave a child but not without a pact demanding that she must give back the child. Well, Moremi was no Abraham, she decided to change the offer to the offer of goats and various animals which the gods totally rejected.
The song
Moremi ajansoro
Ewure o fun mi
Me mo gba
Moremi. ..
Total rejection displayed by the goddess of the river infuriated her. She made herself the ultimate sacrifice and some historians claim after the child was taken, she relocated. Whatever it was this pact actually cut short and otherwise prosperous and powerful reign.
Also noteworthy is the role Yeye Oba, HID Awolowo played during the crisis in politics. She actually deputised during my grandfather's incarceration. She did campaigns and stood in the gap during the trying times of the Action group. Her imputation remains indelible renowned manifestly in the history of Nigeria. Today recently a young woman Leah Sharibu has also put her name in the Sands of time and history. When she refused to relinquish her faith, rather than denounce Christianity which was an option offered to her hold on to her beliefs. There are not many men or human beings with such capabilities. These are signs that women never submit easily or willing to oppression. Accolades on her fete, when faced with a life-threatening situation, reflect the power of a woman who has her convictions rightly placed.
Physically it will be total denial to lay claims to the fact that the strength of a woman is a par with our male counterpart. However, it is believed that the strength of a woman can be highly quantified in terms of measuring the strength of the character. This is the complementary factor in developing a better society universally.
The distrust and imbalance have evoked the undermining of female roles to the extent that some religions try to propagate that the role of the woman to be subservient and irrelevant. Malala from Asia had to struggle for years for the emancipation and the education of the girl child. This move nearly caused her life. She succeeded and has become a worldwide ambassador advocating for freedom of the girl child.
Some of the agitations for terrorism be it Boko Haram or herdsmen. All resist the education of the girl child, rapes and attacks of Chibok secondary schools which are all girls schools all reflect the backwardness in the acceptance of such development for girls. So by resorting to rapes and impregnating them, they ensure that the education is stopped abruptly.
Gender inequality is prevalent in our society and apparent in our various setting. The different levels in governance the house of representatives and the Senate altogether record only a handful of women. Godfatherism the determinant factor suggest a patriarchal setting , showing clearly the patriarchs as the dominating gender controlling our affairs.
In the past I recall some women who were impact full in politics. Women like Abibatu Mogaji recruited many traders, artisans of all gender and was a voice to be recognised for many years. She was able to replicate herself in Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Who is today , no push over in Nigerian politics currently. Our first lady to certain extent has demonstrated a surprisingly active part by her interview with the BBC, where she revealed the presence of a cabal who seemed to have hijacked the government of the day .
The response of Mr president openly declaring rather irrately , that she was the woman in the other room illustrated the disdain, and the threats most women confront from men in power . The idea that undermines women to some Kitchen cabinet is backward, archaic and so disrespectful. Women over the years have accomplished a great deal without demystifying the virtues of womanhood.
It is therefore necessary to allow and encourage more or even full participation for the female gender in all spheres . The days of a woman being regarded as persona non grata is in the past. The new direction is to foster and allow for catch ups ensuring a healthy participation. As we uphold the respect and accomplishment of the girl child and women we are directly clamping down on violation and the mentality that permits gender abuse.
Once you respect and inspire in this regard, actions and atrocities such as rape, domestic violence will completely fizzle out. The greatest protection for our women is positive regard for our gender. For some weeks now we have had to endure a rape committed by a renowned pastor in Abuja .
The humiliation on both sides has been huge , the act itself alarming and the anomaly in fact was calling for the society to correct one of the ills prevalent especially our pentecostal churches. For starters the pentecostal movement had always frowned on premarital sex, preaching against fornication and adultery.
Celibacy was practiced, encouraged and strongly propagated. So we find a new crop who were not ashamed to keep their virginity, those who slipped into such sin's openly confessed and adjusted. Every one was monitored and I found out with most of the Churches the pastors ensured checks and balances even in the church office.
Now you find out that such high standards are now treated with kids gloves and many have the mentality of being in control this flippancy has now translated into the tragic flaw that allow sin to creep back into pentecostalism.
Many women rather are scandalised, and instead of the church empathising with such they are castigated and turned to perpetrators and called marine, seductress or even demon possessed. For this reason many have to turn back to the world or go back to their various original churches.
That is not to say we do not have women who are devious or the Bible describes as weak, always learning and never coming to terms with true knowledge. For such women it's all an act and they display a form of "Godliness denying the power thereof " The word has no impact and they are there to pull down. T
That is why a pastor, man or woman must be discerning fleeing every appearance of evil. I remember at one point a certain Pastor had to appeal to the women to sit right , pleading with them to stop the winking and sticking out of tongues right there during the service. The call of God is not without its challenges but someone got to do the job as the rewards are massive in this life and in the life to come.
In this matter I am actually praying that the pastor in question will realise it's no longer business as usual and actually rather than vent allow for God to work in him and through him. He is the scapegoat now and God rebukes those he loves.
The sooner he humbles himself maritaly, spiritual and publicly the higher he will be restored. Something happens when our obedience is complete and that is my fear , there just might not be any victor's here.
For this reason it is pertinent that the public be careful about how rashly they judge a man of God. The lesson here for us all to hold to forever advocates that a woman must be cherished. There is no price that can fully transact or gamble with a woman's virtue. My grandpa told me this once rather passionately. Every woman must be treated with the utmost respect.
The hip hop song choruses this rightly exclaiming "Treat them like a lady " Pa Awolowo's voice echoes through eternity as he relishes his inestimable value, his jewel . Show me a great man , that will be a man that celebrates womanhood. A man that desires hell on earth will be prone to disregard and disrespect womenfolk .
Today I present to you the woman that compels admiration and Love all through the ages. She requires only utmost affection by all
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