Posted by By Genevieve Nnaji on
While I was making movies in Asaba, it occurred to me that some things have indeed transformed for the better.
While I was making movies in Asaba, it occurred to me that some things have indeed transformed for the better. I don't know how men arrived at this conclusion, but back then, the slogan was that it's a man's world and so women were told that their place is in the kitchen and in the bedroom! I don't know who arrived at it but statistics already say that there are more women than men, so how can a few men still call the world theirs?
My saying that right now it's a woman's world is stating the obvious and I am sure that a lot of men will not argue with me on this issue. I don't know what could have triggered it off, but I am sure that a group of women woke up one fine morning and realised that they had seen enough of the kitchen and bedroom and needed to move on to a better life. Today, the result of that in the Nigerian perspective is that you will no longer find women who are satisfied with just cooking and warming beds, you will find women in corporate organisations standing out above the men. You find them asserting that what a man can(t) do, a woman can do better.
Look all around you and see these women of substance… in the movie industry, yes we got men but check out these babes, the ageless Liz Benson, Aunty Joke Jacobs who stand tall above ten men, there's Stella Damasus-Aboderin whom I am yet to find a man to match her skills. There's Eucharia Anunobi-Ekwu and of course good old me who tries to be the best. I may not call all the names, but believe me that if there was a contest between male and female in Nollywood, you be sure the women would stand out. Let's turn our searchlight into the government circles. Look at the Minister of Finance, she's a woman who has a CV that would make most men go green with envy. Anytime a woman in a top position is being criticised, it's not because she's not doing her job, its because she's doing it too well!
Let's go into media… most of the popular talk shows have as their anchors women, I don't watch New Dawn everytime, but I have seen it once and Funmi Iyanda promises to do more. We have women taking the bull by the horns in journalism, check Susan Eyo-Honesty, Iretunde Johnson, Ruth Osime, Betty Irabor, Stella Dimoko-Korkus, et al… These are women who stand tall in the so-called ‘man's job.'
When I boldly say that it's a woman's world, I also mean to say that I am proud to be a woman, I am proud to do the job that I do despite the criticisms I receive.
I am sure the menflok in Nigeria cannot come to terms with the fact that women have woken up to reality. If you are a Nigerian girl or woman and you still believe that your place begins in the kitchen and ends in the bedroom, please wake up and think of what you can do for your society to make it better. Think of what the men have tried doing and failed and try to make a difference.
I know a lot of guys (including editor of Daily Sun) might not find this piece particularly interesting, but I know they know the truth. When a woman gets all the attention for doing it bad, she better just relax. It's because when a woman is good she throws the men into a panic.
Maryam Babangida woke up one morning and said hey, it's not only Ibrahim that can do something for Nigeria and thus she glamourised the office of the president's wife in Nigeria and since then all first ladies have followed suit, realising that it's the right thing to do.
It may take a donkey years to happen, but one day I know that a woman president will emerge from this great country.
This write-up is not to bring the men down, it's just to let them realise that it's no longer their world, so they should let their wives work if that's what she wants.
This is a big salute to all women of courage, who have endured the sufferings and who have realised that it's time to grab the tiger by the tail!.
If you are a woman, a Nigerian woman, it doesn't matter whether you are still in the kitchen or bedroom, please give yourself a pat on the back for being feminine. Enjoy your time at home this weekend… woman enjoy your world.
By Genevieve Nnaji [www.genevievennaji.com]
Friday, June 25, 2004