Woman As An Ascendant Role Model
“Iya ni wura, baba ni digi. Ojo ti iya baku ni wura eni womi. Ojo ti baba baku ni digi eni baje.” — African proverb.
The African proverb interpretation above is that woman is gold and father is a mirror. However, it continues that such a precious gold is lost when she dies and the mirror, the father, is shattered when he dies, as well.
Interestingly, over the years, I have been familiar with adages that attempt to explain riddles of life. Even I went as far as archiving and rehearse most of this innovative way of describing natures and meaning of life. However, many thanks to African great thinkers that pioneers African philosophy and generations that passed on these words of wisdom to us. In fact, I never hold back every chance I get to flaunt my dialectical prowess of my culture and power of words to those who care to listen. Not until recently, that I found out that this well-known saying is an inexhaustible role of women in shaping the destiny of a child, nay, and society of today!
Year after year I do write about a man of the year that shaped events globally. But this year, I painstakingly researched and was disappointed not to find any amiable man worthy of deserving much attention altogether. But then I searched in my vicinity for people who should be given attention and found out that it is our women.
This is self-evident when one looks closely at mother’s role in raising her child from cradle to adulthood through her unaided effort from her male counterpart — father. Right from birth, she lullabies her crying baby to sleep even in the dark period of the night when she is too tired to move an inch, she is there. In fact, house chores are everyday attendance and roasters for a career woman in this fast-paced age. In health and schooling of her children, either home or abroad, she never waivers to be at her duty posts.
The woman could be termed a general purpose machine that is all in one. She is a nurse, housemaid, cleaner, cook, attendant, prayer warrior, adviser, psychology, doctor, teacher, tailor, lawyer, account, scientist, banker, broker, pastor, hairstylist, CEO, economic, humanist, activist, mentor just name it.
Unfortunately, with all these unnoticeable accolades and titles woman has, yet the woman is being condemned and humiliated as a lesser being by his male counterpart. Gender inequality is further increasing rather reducing in Africa to her chagrin. She always plays second fiddle rather dictating the pace.
I believe the woman is long overdue to get empowered to transform this continent, Africa, for the better if given the opportunity because men have not fared better in this regard.
This fact is further evident in the outgoing President of Liberia, Hellen Johnson Sirleaf and Nigerian former Minister of finance Dr Okonjo Iwealla as examples of the exceptional women in leadership that have shaped the West Africa sub-region for good, through innovative policies and economic reforms. Interestingly, these two individuals successfully negotiated the pardon of Paris Club debts among other reforms for their respective nations.
Finally, the woman is a perfect being with unassuming personality coupled with diligence and willpower to turn the tides of this great continent to the promise land, if allowed to do so. Its high time woman reinforced her resolve to wrestle her place as a true mother of the great and small, as bestowed on her by nature or creator, to further carry the continent on her womb for safe delivery to greater heights. She is an idol worthy of attention, dignity, and pride in the committee of esoteric beings that had and would continue to determine to dictate the pace for years to come. Woman, compassionate in heart and tender in spirit, I salute you for being who you are!
