Monthly Archives: October 2016

Community

Dear Society, stop focusing on telling women what to do

In Canada, October marks Women’s History Month and each year, in the month of October, the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child. I love what October has to offer in terms of celebrating girls and women. We deserve to be celebrated, our rights should be honoured – and not just in October.

There is still a long way to go in getting the message of women’s rights (as people), solidly rooted in the minds of many, in a world where woman are constantly belittled. Women have been pioneers of social progress in many societies. In this present time, women are still pioneering, still leading in different fields. I am 19 years old and I remember that a few years ago when I was in senior secondary school, it was women that led in terms of grades-ranking. However, women are still looked down on as a weaker gender, who are to be told what to do, especially by men or even by other women who are accustomed to the rules of patriarchy.

Society loves to dictate to the woman, how to speak, how to act and what kind of profession to choose – so that she can be ‘feminine enough’, so that she can be a good wife material or simply so that she can survive in a male-dominated world.

If we are observant, if we read the news often, we will notice that women are winning. It is not a competition but women are really shining out there. So, Dear Society, stop focusing on telling women what to do. Women are not lesser human beings than men. We are not made to be controlled or disciplined by a men, either. In many societies, the girl child is looked down on. There are communities where, a girl who is the first child of her parents cannot inherit her father’s wealth. In some homes, it is okay for  a woman to be beat by her husband – as a form of disciplining her.

Societies must treat their women better. Surely there is a long way to go. In the meantime, women, keep shining, keep breaking through glass ceilings, never believe that you were made to be controlled. And to those men (including my dad) who believe in the equality and power of women, never let go of such wisdom.

Ladies, you rock!!

Love,

Chiamaka

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Community, Uncategorized

Why we need a communal approach to equality and justice

A thought just clicked in my mind today, about selfishness as it correlates with injustice. Corruption is selfishness, racism is selfishness, promoting ‘gender inequality’ is selfishness etc. Injustice is very much centred around the idea of ‘the self’ which includes a person’s likes and dislikes, as well as his or her beliefs.

To really tackle injustice from the crux, we must constantly remind ourselves and society that there is usually room for more. Ever gone late to a class or a meeting that was being held in a small room, around a long but limited-capacity table? Well, what happens is that people start to make space and a space for at least one chair comes up. If there is no space at the table, the person who came late, will take a seat behind those seating at the table but still gets to hear what is being spoken. To me, that person is still considered to be at the table – and is benefiting from the same information that everyone else in the room is hearing.

There is usually room for more.

Again, selfishness is a factor that correlates to injustice. It is often puzzling as to why someone will take the effort run to be a political leader in a nation and end up looting the treasury and/or oppressing the people through wars or dictatorship. Some organizations aim to have diversity in race and ethnicity but do not care to make a plan that will sustain the diversity and make all feel welcome.

The marginalized must also not behave like the oppressors, in their defense for the self …

As a Nigerian, I try to keep myself in the loop of things trending in Nigeria. I noticed that it is problematic to some Nigerians (not all), when they see other Nigerians rooting for the Black Lives Matter movement. To such people, their anger is essentially – How about the injustices in Nigeria? Why not focus on Nigeria instead?

I can understand where they are coming from, as there is a lot of inequality in Nigeria. There is injustice. Also, I know the anger of feeling left out because your tragedy doesn’t make world news. But, we must remember that there is room for more. Injustice against me should not blind me against oppression that others are facing. I think that as a citizen of the world, it is my duty as it is every other person’s, to care about people no matter what part of the world they are in, especially when they are facing oppression.

Remember, selfishness is a factor that correlates to injustice. Even when the oppressed person takes on that notion of the self against others, it is wrong. It is just like acting in the manner of the oppressor.

In our collective strive for a just world, we must remember that there is room for more. A communal mindset sets the pace for just societies and hence, a just world.

Love & peace,

Chiamaka

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