The Woman

Hi Dearies, long time no see. I’m sorry I’ve been unavailable for a while. I got caught up with work and some other things.
I was researching on something recently and discovered the month of march is women’s history month. Best of all, today march 8 is international women’s day. A lot of these celebrations people hardly know about. On a normal uneventful evening you’ll discover that day was world peck somebody day, give your neighbour a high five day, no chores for girls day. I really wish the last one was real though and should be a public holiday too. 😀 
Still I think it’s a good thing to set out a day to celebrate women all over the world. The International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.
What our society is today is largely influenced by the actions of women in the past and present who refused to sit in the seat of second class citizens.
I read an interesting story about Rosa Parks ” the woman who  would not give up her seat” .

She was a seamstress in 1955 who was taking the bus home from work and sat near the middle of the bus. Just behind the 10 seats reserved for the whites. Soon after all the seats in the bus were filled, a white man entered and the bus driver ordered  the four blacks sitting behind the reserved seats to give up their seats for the white man to sit. Three of them stood up except Mrs Parks who quietly refused. Her action was spontaneous and not pre-meditated, although her previous civil rights involvement and strong sense of justice were obvious influences. “When I made that decision,” she said later, “I knew that I had the strength of my ancestors with me”. She was arrested and convicted of violating the laws of segregation which she eventually appealed. The most interesting thing about her action is that it played an important part in raising international awareness of the plight of African Americans and the civil rights struggle and was what brought in Martin Luther King to the picture.

Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King in background

She’s definitely not the only one but I like her courage. There are also similar Nigerian women in character in the past who courageously stood up for what they believed in, who refused to sit back and watch after all a woman’s place is in the kitchen.
I admire Chief Mrs Margaret Ekpo a lot. She was a bold woman who fought for women’s right through out the country.

Margaret Ekpo and Onyeka Onwenu

She was daring, bold, contested with men, made fiery speeches, threatened the colonial authorities, demanded for women’s right to vote, rights for justice, fought alongside the progressive, eloquent and courageous Chief Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

I sincerely doubt we would have an independence today without women like these.
Women like Lady Oyinkan Abayomi, Queen Amina of Zaria, Mary Slessor, Mrs Charlotte Olajumoke Obasa, Adanma Okpara, Madam Omosa of Ibadan, Iyalode Efunsetan Iyaniwura, Omu Okwei of Ossomari, Nana As’mau Dan Fodio , Queen Kambasa of Benin are Matriarch mothers of Nigeria.
Today, there are many unsung over achieving women in our country who are working hard to rise above and make a name in a male dominated economy, politics and culture. Take a moment to appreciate every confident woman you know, every woman who has risen above pain, injustice, an ever demanding society, crappy relationships, monthly periods visits to hell and back……….and so on. 
If you are a woman, you rock! Happy International Women’s day! 😘 💋💋💋
Have a wonderful week ahead.

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