This is a very interesting
piece and a must read for both gender. I'm a feminist to the core and when I
read this, I felt a rush of adrenaline and a subtle peace in my
heart.......Women who are referred to as the weaker gender, no doubt stand at a
risk at just being a woman. There are so many degrading and devastating
experience some women have had to deal with, just for being a woman, the young
girls inclusive. This piece is quite educative and expository. And maybe for
once, we should sit back, relax and trade places with the men, let's see how
they would deal. This piece was written by Wale Odunsi......Enjoy.
Each time I decide to write
on subjects that are miles away from politics, I feel this internal joy; the
type I am sure my father felt the moment I emerged from my mother’s womb.
The burden of regular
commentary on national issues is copulated with headache – sometime acute – and
my senior colleagues can attest to this. Writers on national issues always want
to hit the nail on the head, so hard that the topic itself left crying out for
help, while the readers armed with their personal views take on each other.
Over the years, I have seen
films and read stories about how the softer sex are raped, beaten, relegated to
the background and even killed for no just reason except being feminine. That
apparently is their only sin, same way Amaechi’s wrongdoing is his victory at
the Nigeria Governors Forum. There again; politics will never leave you even if
you decide to.
Continue after the cut..........
Womanhood can be defined as
the period in a female's life after she has passed through childhood and
adolescence. However, the word has different meaning to different people. In
some cultures, once a girl clocks 18, she is automatically a woman, while some
regard you as a woman with the understanding that you are married. To others,
the ability to make money and take care of family members qualifies that person
to bear the title. Yet to another segment of the society, a girl is ranked a
woman the moment she starts having sexual intercourse.
In spite of the several
delineations, there is no gainsaying that this set of humans makes our world.
They are readily available to share the pain of others, whether
relatives/friends or not. An average woman even in here toughness is kind
hearted, strong and never-relenting in her day to day activity. Here in Africa,
the percentage of the Renaissance woman – the type well educated, sophisticated
and knowledgeable in many fields – may fall short of other continents, however,
she can do more even with the very little at her disposal.
As tender as they are, it is
horrendous that there exist “Monsters” (emphasis is mine as they are not fit to
be called men) in both high and low places, who engage in routine battery of
their relatives, colleagues, girlfriends, wives and even strangers! Although
some later regret the act, to many others, “It’s not a big deal”. I am no
preacher but I think those that unrepentantly indulge in such despicable
conduct are doomed for life.
For instance, why would
someone rape an underage girl, an elderly woman or any age bracket of female
for that matter? Some blame it on civilization and all manner of excuses but
scratch that; our ancestors’ sexuality was way higher due to their healthy
lifestyles, but they controlled themselves, except of course the very few bad eggs.
Placing then and now in context, the spate of physical and sexual assaults
stand worlds apart. A Few days ago, precisely June 18 2013, two condemned men
in Kuwait – one of them Hajjaj Saadi – were executed for crimes said to have
shook the nation known for moral decency.
Authorities say the 33 year-old man abducted and raped young children
(mostly girls under the age of 10). Also known as 'Hawalli Beast' (the name of
the district where he perpetrated the crimes), Saadi would lure the kids onto
rooftops in the area then forcefully rape them.
To send a warning message to
those contemplating or carrying out such act, the bastard and the other guy
were both hanged on a gallows set up in a car park outside the country's main
prison. Here, Governors shy away from signing the death warrants of men found
guilty of committing heinous crimes against women, but rush to sign cheques for
their concubines as well as rogues they use as front to siphon public funds.
To the Men folk, it is high
time we desist from raising our hands on these beautiful creations. If only we
reflect soberly about the pains our mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends,
neighbours et al., go through during menstruation or childbirth and how weak
they become after losing pints of blood, perhaps we would appreciate them more
than we do at present.
"The history of every
country is carved by the hand of man, while the hope and love of humanity is
born of a woman's soul" – Joe Fazio
By Wale Odunsi
wodunsi@yahoo.com
@WaleOdunsi
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