By Adenike Ashogbon
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| Mrs Adeyeye addressing the women at the occasion |
March 8 is indeed one
of its kinds. A day set aside to celebrate the high and low, the outstanding
and the standing female folks of the country. It is a day specially designed to
commemorate the nation’s pride as reiterated by the Executive Director
Admin/Finance, Humanity Family Foundation for Peace and Development, HUFFPED,
Mrs. Kemi Adeyeye at a round table discussion held at Ishawo Community Hall,
Ishawo, Ikorodu, Lagos.
The program which had
in attendance about 100 women from nearby communities in Ikorodu; Majidun,
Ogedejoye, Ofin, Agric as well as the host community all to celebrate the
wonderful achievements and strive of every woman, mother, daughter, sister but
most importantly every female in the country in a special way.
Basically, International Women's Day (IWD) is to mark the
economic, political and social achievements of women. Organisations,
governments, charities, educational institutions, women's groups, corporations
and the media celebrate the day.
In order to mark the event, many groups around the world choose
different themes each year relevant to global and local gender issues revolving
the theme; "The Gender Agenda:
Gaining Momentum".
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| cross section of the participants at the event |
To prepare the minds of the women,
the organization, HUFFPED representative, Mrs. Onouha anchored the event in a
rather interactive manner to pave way for ffeedback as well as feedforward.
Speaking first was the headmistress,
Ogedejoye Primary School, Mrs Yetunde Alli Balogun. She narrated her personal
story and how well she has being able to manage her family even in times of
distress. With these, she implored the women at the forum never to relent,
rather, work hard and hold on firmly to the good things they believe in. She asked few questions to sample the women
level of understanding as to who and who is called a virtuous woman.
After her session, she reiterated the
fact that for one to call herself a woman of substance, then such woman would
have input something of quality in her family.
Mrs Deborah Adetunji enjoined the
women to always have faith even in the little they have. She went further to
buttress the point that every big thing starts small coupled with consistent
prayer and supplication.
Mrs Aramide Oikehun of Daily Independent
spoke vastly and indepthly to the women, she implored them to always be
themselves rather than making life seem more of a competition. In her words she
said, ‘your existence, your survival, your body composition, your make up
structure, your achievement, your challenges and your future shouldn’t be
dependent on someone’s else rather, strive to making it big yourself and not a
burden to your household and the nation at large’.
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| Mrs Olawunmi Onuoha, Program Officer, HUFFPED addressing the women at the occasion as the anchor peson for the event |
Speaking further, she also advised
the women to always be conscious of their health as this is their wealth. More
so, even as theu pray fervently, they should also put into action all their
best to make life a better place and always remember that HIV/AIDs is real and
people die as a result of its ignorance.
To balance the whole event and in a
bid to be gender sensitive irrespective of the fact that its suppose to be a
all women affair, Mr. Emmanuel Fakunbur, enjoined the women to always uphold
their superiority right.
He also said, the women should consistently celebrate
themselves and not make it a day affair alone. He said, ‘ he or she who
deserves to be celebrated is not restrained to a day celebration, rather, an
everyday agenda’. He advised the women never to relent in being supportive in
their various household. More so, they should see themselves more as that
missing rib men cant do without and always place themselves high rather than
being swept off by low self esteem.
He advised the very few men present
to always appreciate their wives and make it a point of duty to love them
endlessly as this is also going to be rewarding to them and their society at
large.
The headmistress of Ishawo community
primary school, Alhaja Aderonke Aregbesola wasn’t left out as she also
appreciated the turn out of the community women and prayed earnestly for them
and their household and the representative of communities present were called out
to give one or two speeches.
To round off
the discussion and talk, Mrs Adeyeye practically advised the women to not just
be women in the house but a friend to all that would add value to their life
and that of their household. She reawakened their spirit by telling them that
nothing is too small to start something that would help them sustain their
family as the onus boils on them.
According to
her, ‘being a woman is being an embodiment of the most special and most
precious values of mankind and being that special being, one needs to hold
oneself in high esteem as well as her family. As you call your calabash that is
exactly the way people will regard you. So, don’t portray your household in a
negative way as this would later back fire. Manage crises effectively in your
household to avoid backbiters and evil doers. Try as much as possible to be
happy for yourself, your children, your husband and your family in entirety.
And so the tone and nature of IWD has,
for the past few years, moved from being a reminder about the negatives to a
celebration of the positives. Thus, every woman should always remember that you
are a blessing and never a curse. Whatever situation you find yourself now won’t
be permanent just keep at doing that which is good and it will pay at the end
of the day’.
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