Umari Ayim's feministing...

WHY WOMEN ARE LIKE CRABS IN THE BUCKET

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 23:52:00 +0000

Pulling Each Other Down

How many times have you heard how safe it was to approach the males in an establishment before the females? You are warned how Mrs. Y is such a wicked woman whose highest point in a day is snarling and talking down at people. When you think that the people who have issued this warning are just meddling busybodies who hate Ms. Y and then go ahead to try to discover for yourself the angel that these “busybodies” might have missed in their “unfair” assessment you discover to your shock and horror that the “busybodies” were right and Mrs. Y is the most horrible human walking the side of your planet. You are even more surprised to find out that Mr. Z who is Mrs. Y’s superior is far more approachable and willing to help with your problems. I have been in this situation several times and every time I come out of it, I am plagued by the singular question – why?

After several “whys”, I finally decided that women are like crabs in a bucket. For many people who do not know about the crab-in-the-bucket syndrome, it is one of those syndromes used to refer to situations where people trying to escape an unfavourable situation are kept from doing so by others either out of envy or just maliciousness, so that at the end of the day, neither party gains freedom. This syndrome is the biggest problem facing women today.

It is always rare to see women take a united stand on issues that affect them. From feminists who disagree on the right ideology to pursue to the mother in law who holds down her daughter in law to be beheaded to the vicious and unfriendly female exec who hates you for no apparent reason, women have become their own enemies. Some of us have become short sighted and petty and there is no hope for emancipation where members of our specie lack a constructive unified type of thinking.

While there have been obvious advantages to the women liberation struggle as can be seen in the emergence of powerful female leaders, more needs to be done as women continue to struggle on the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder. To enjoy a level playing field in all sphere of human activities, women must learn that only a unity of purpose can help them. As an advocate for gender equality, I have lost count of the number of times I have had to debate with men who quickly point out the fact that women are less sympathetic to themselves than anyone else. This is our greatest problem and we must address it.

In all, one can only hope that true emancipation of women will be realized in my time, if not, the future is indeed very bleak because like crabs in a vicious competition to nowhere, our bucket will always be our prison.

Umari Ayim

MALALA AND THE BURDEN OF THE FEMALE CHILD

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 07:11:00 +0000

It was a hot Wednesday afternoon and I had to make a short visit to my bank on Herbert Macaulay Way Yaba. It was about a new account and my first stop was at the enquiry desk just three steps away from the security doors. The smiling customer service officer, a young soft spoken woman in navy blue skirt suit was already busy with a young couple and their two children, so I stood a few inches away from the desk and waited.

Within minutes of standing there, I saw that the couple were there to open an account for one of their children. Judging from their physical appearance, this was clearly not a rich couple and I being impressed by the fact that the man sitting in his faded white shirt and holding on to the arm of the little girl standing beside him while his wife held their little baby in her arms, was thinking of securing the future of his children.

“So what is her name?” The customer service lady asked, pen poised over paper and looking expectantly at the man before her.

“Ah, no ma,” the man says with a sheepish grin. “No be for her, na for him.”

I was just as confused as the customer service lady. Him? I thought to myself, wondering if I heard the man right.

“Are you talking about the baby?” The customer service lady asked in a confused tone.

“Yes, ma,” the man nods, his smile growing wider. “The baby na man. This one…” he paused to pull the emaciated little girl closer to him, “this one na woman.”

“But,” the customer lady began, flashing a smile bright enough to win a deal for a toothpaste advert. “She is the older one, don’t you think the right thing to do is to open an account for her instead.”

The smile disappearing from his face, the man disagreed with the customer service lady with an emphatic shake of his head and a curt, “I come to open an account for the man.”

In the end, the ‘man’ swaddled in white shawl in his mother’s arms got the account while the little girl, wiped her nose, cast a long curious look at the smiling customer service lady and let her father drag her away. That afternoon stayed with me for a long time. Long enough for me to still be writing about it three years after it happened.

Preference for male children has always been one of society’s greatest defects. This problem spans across continents, races, religions and tongue. From China to India, to Nigeria, the female child suffers discrimination right from the cradle. Perhaps the only societies where girl children are valued just as much as their male counterparts are advanced ones like America and most of Europe where women have emerged as leaders and game changers.

When the story of Malala Yousafzai came out, many people like me followed it with a horror befitting the situation. Malala was singled out for assassination because she spoke of her right to education, taking a stand for herself as well as several other little girls in her country. As she was flown to the United Kingdom for treatment, I joined faith with thousands, and probably millions of people touched by her bravery and hoped that she survived the gunshot wound on her head. Malala did survive that assassination attempt, but her ordeal got me thinking just how badly the girl child has it.

Accordin g to statistics, more than 60% of the 110 million children out of school are girls. This is a depressing fact as it means that girls who fall into this category are more likely to get married before the age of 16, become victims of exploitation, trafficking, and child labour. The burden of the girl child is not a light one. She is shot in the head for declaring her right to education in Pakistan, left to die in a pot in some remote Indian village and refused an account by her own father in Nigeria.

There are a millions of young girls like Malala who will never enjoy the benefits of going to school. They will never learn practical skills or how to protect themselves from exploitation. They will never be able to fully partake in decisions that affects their health or general wellbeing. They may never be able to make meaningful contribution to the income of their families and the society by large. This is the grim reality. This is the truth and as we continue to submit ourselves to cultures that place more importance on male children than female children, the world will never reach its full potential. The burden of the female child is also the burden of the world.

Study after study has taught us that there is no tool more effective for development than the empowerment of women. – Kofi Annan

Defining Feminism As An Expression Of Femininity

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 13:40:00 +0000

I never thought I would be revisiting this topic anytime soon. This is one topic I am guilty of over flogging, and for my friends, I have gone a step further to kill the subject. I plead guilty, but I am tempted to revive the subject again to clear the air on what I believe are desperate attempts to talk women out of their beliefs or what they recognize as an ideology that gives them freedom. I am one of those feminists who have had to explain times without number what feminism is all about to my male friends, and while understanding their narrow perception of what feminism is all about, I find the constant need by African men to brow beat feminists over their beliefs as unnecessary bullying. To say most African men still hold on to the picture of the 60s style feminism that swept the West is to speak the absolute truth. They see the era of hard faced women brandishing placards and burning brassieres as the whole essence of true feminism, and that is far from the truth. The era of militant feminism is as old as the first computer designed by man.

What is feminism? The online free encyclopedia, Wikipedia, defines feminism as a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. The most important part of this definition is - "a collection of movements and ideologies". Feminism like very school of thought has different proponents pushing for recognition of their own unique idea as to what feminism means to them, but in spite of this, these proponents are united in their belief that women should be able to enjoy socio-economic and political advantages like their male counterparts. They disagree with ideologies perpetuated by patriarchal run societies. However, not all feminists ascribe to the same philosophies which is perfectly normal as human beings are different. I have had a long running arguments with male friends who think that having different ideologies defeats the purpose of feminism. I pointed out that nearly all religions in the world have different ideologies, but were connected with the same message.

Now, like all movements that undergo change, feminism has been dynamic and susceptible to change. There has been a drastic change in the feminist movement. While we continue to have conservative and liberal feminists, women have come to realize that our femininity is in fact our greatest strength and that nature never intended or meant for us to be men. For feminists like me, who absolutely refuse to be boxed into one narrow definition of feminism, the move from militant feminism is a welcome idea. Even then, there are men who will scoff at the idea that you can be absolutely feminine and still believe in the emancipation of women from archaic philosophies. Some even take the pains of lecturing you on what they believe feminism preaches with the occasional skeptic glance at your plum red lipstick or nice tailoured suit. When I am in a good mood I point to history as evidence that Africa has had its share of feminists. From female warriors, queens, seers, griots, to amazons, the African woman was never a second citizen. The concept of the weaker sex is a borrowed philosophy that came from the adoption of foreign Abrahamaic religions. In fact, most African countries had matrilineal cultures. I tell them that the average African feminist is only pushing for what her female forbears enjoyed - A place among men that did not compel them to act like men, except of course for the warrior like amazons.

I believe that most African men who scoff at the idea of feminism do not even know their own history. They have bought into foreign ideologies, and that is the root cause of the problems in Africa. The continent is torn between its own identity and foreign identities that demand more subdued females or where they preach liberation, choose to twist natural laws to suit their own purpose. Feminism has come a long way, and while modern feminists owe much to the feminists of old, we are not bound to continue with rules that deviate from nature's own rule. A feminist can be a beautiful, self assured, ambitious woman juggling motherhood with boardroom duties. The feminist does not have to shed her femininity to demand a right to a voice. The feminist has every right to be a woman, just as nature intends it. The scoffers may continue to look back on the 60s to understand feminism. Modern feminists are not bound to wait for their nostalgia to come to an end.

Umari Ayim

Breast Cancer And The Young Nigerian

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:00:00 +0000

To say cancer is a killer disease will be stating the obvious. Until recently, most Nigerians have viewed this disease as exclusive to the West or in another case to the wealthy of the society. It is this misconception that has made people to adopt a carefree attitude in relation to the dangers of this disease. The fact that Nigeria is still a developing country with inadequate healthcare facilities and doctors that misdiagnose more than they cure contributes to this problem. Cancer is not a new disease and neither is it a rich man's disease. There have been sufferers who come from poor backgrounds but due to ignorance, missed an early diagnosis of the disease and in some cases attributed it to the handiwork of vengeful supernatural entities. While there are many forms of cancer, I shall be focusing on breast cancer for the purpose of this article.

Now a little about breast cancer. There are two types of breast cancer. The non invasive and the invasive cancer.

Non-Invasive

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - the most common type of non-invasive breast cancer, DCIS begins in the lining of the milk ducts, is composed of cells that have malignant features, but has not yet spread to other parts of the body. However, DCIS is considered a precursor to invasive breast cancer, and can develop into breast cancer if not treated. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) - the second most common non-invasive condition, LCIS develops in the milk lobules (milk-producing glands) and can be a risk marker for future breast cancer, but is not a direct pre-cursor.

Invasive Breast Cancer

Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) - the most common type of breast cancer affecting women today, IDC originates in the lining of milk ducts and then penetrates the duct walls into surrounding breast tissue. This invasive characteristic identifies cancer cells that may spread to other parts of the body.
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) - ILC is the second most frequent type of invasive breast cancer, accounts for about 10 to 15% of all invasive breast cancers. ILC originates in the milk-producing glands, or lobules, of the breasts, and similar to IDC, has the capacity to spread to other parts of the body.

Now many people with early breast cancer do not show any symptoms, but breast awareness and self exam helps in early detection. As for self exam, it has been taught that women should lie down on their backs during this exercise.This because when a woman is on her back, the breast tissue spreads evenly over the chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue. After lying down, the woman should then proceed to place her right arm behind her head and then use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers on her left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast in overlapping dime-sized circular motions as she feels the breast tissue.

Why have I expanded so much energy treating breast cancer? A young beautiful woman called Debbie.

The Young Nigerian called Debbie

The Nigerian twittersphere has been agog these days with appeals for funds to save people with varying types of disease and with the aid of prominent online twitter personalities like Japheth Omojuwa, there have been recorded successes, which in turn has encouraged more people to resort to using the online networking site to bring cases of more sick people to the foreground.

One of the recent cases is that of Debbie. Debbie Osarere Odiagbonya is a young Nigerian lady who used to work as a medical technician. Now Debbie has been diagnosed with 4th grade invasive Ductal Carcinoma - cancer of the breast and has been given one month to live by her doctor unless six million Naira is raised for a surgery. Now from studies on the disease, it is clear that Debbie's cancer is at a very advanced stage. Her left breast has been completely ravaged by the disease and it has spread to her second breast and her neck. While ordinary Nigerians rally around this young woman, trying to raise whatever they can in the hope that it is enough to save her, one cannot help but realize how hopeless the healthcare system in Nigeria is. If Debbie were to be in a developed country, apart from early diagnosis, proper treatment would have been given to her. Now even with double mastectomy and chemotherapy, there is only a slim chance that she will survive, except of course by divine healing, (yes, I believe in the supernatural). Even more disheartening is the knowledge that people are susceptible to these diseases and only have access to half baked medical practitioners in a society ran by obese money grabbers posing as politicians. As we watch and pray for Debbie and donate whatever we can while cursing the ineptitude of a government that allows its citizens to live by poor standards, I advocate that people should put more efforts in checking their health. Regular medical check up is necessary. Go for the swabs, and tests that keep you updated about your help. Develop a health conscious lifestyle and don't forget the self exam.

For those interested in donating funds to save Debbie -

Bank: Access bank
Account no: 0000216933
Account name: Idiagbonya Osarere Deborah.

May God bless and enrich your lives as you do so.

Umari Ayim

Of Fundamentalists, Control, Alooma Mukhtar And The Future

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:54:00 +0000

So much has been said about where a woman's place is. For some religions, it is in a separate pew. For some others, it is just simply in the background. Yet all of mankind is in agreement about one thing. The woman is a fragile creature that must depend on the man for her very existence.

Now, this isn't one of my usual rants about the injustice meted out to women all over the world at the moment. You have the dailies, twenty four hour news stations and the internet to tell you about the fate of Serata in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan who was beheaded by her aggrieved husband alongside their two children a few days ago in what is presumed to be an incidence of honour killing. I also do not have to tell you about Blessing Friday who died after a fight that lasted all night in the hands of her boyfriend in Shasha, a suburb of Lagos a few days ago as well. Like I said earlier, let that be the job of news agencies because today, I am in a dilemma of my own.

Let me take my story back to some weeks ago when I stumbled on an ensuing argument between members of an online forum over what the Christian scriptures thought about women preachers. The debate started intelligently until it turned spiritual and some members of the forum (men of course) started quoting reasons why it was sinful for women to take leadership positions in a Church. As usual, yours truly went off on a tirade against outdated rules that had no place in the modern society. Yet, no matter what was said against that thinking, those men stuck to their guns and advocated a return to archaic beliefs and traditions that were obviously created to serve sensitive male egos several centuries ago.

After that incidence, I realized that the fight for women liberation was far from finished. I have always hoped that somehow my generation was getting the hang of it and more men were becoming to see the importance of doing away with cultures that oppressed women, be it religious in nature or just a social phenomenon. Apparently, I was wrong. The men who advocated a return to traditions steeped in outdated Middle Eastern cultures on excuse of religion were young, internet savvy and relatively modern. So what happened? Why did they think it was okay to belong to this advanced age and then give priority to an ancient rule that made no sense? In these times where a floundering economy has made it pertinent for men to marry women with careers, I don't see why such an oppressive rule should even be a topic of discourse. Many of those men who argued in favour of silencing women in the Churches probably belonged to the category of men seeking women with good careers. Their contradictory morals and it left me in a dilemma. After that day, I began to look at the men around me. I wondered if they thought it was okay to be educated, outspoken but decidedly docile, and robotic with malleable qualities (don't ask me how that works) just like the men in that forum.

It wasn't long before I had my answer. It came in form of a thinly veiled reproach and one word hung in the air...'control'. I can't tell you how much of a history I have with that word. It was one of the many reasons I grew to become a feminist. I heard that word so many times as a young child and a teenager. It became synonymous with philandering, late night keeping, womanizing and mental torture. Best of all, it was the perfect excuse to do what the accuser wanted. Yes, that is my problem. At what extent is it okay for an educated woman to be outspoken without being hit back with the 'control' line. Should women shy from being themselves for fear of being labeled control freaks? I wonder if the late Selata would have been spared her fate if she was less in control and stayed on in an abusive marriage, instead of the seeking divorce that ultimately led to her death. How much control should a woman give up for society to accept her as the perfect citizen. Is the word a constant reminder that a woman should know her place? This is my dilemma.

On another note - the appointment of Justice Mariam Alooma Mukhtar, first female justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the Chief Justice of Nigeria is one step forward for the Nigerian female. Hopefully, my daughters will live in a world where female justices of Supreme courts around the world equal their male counterparts and having female attorney generals or chief justices will be as normal as taking a walk to the park.

Umari Ayim

Kola Boof - A Sensuous Feminist Or A Fearless Womanist?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:57:00 +0000

I remember reading an old article on Kola Boof in 2011. It was an intriguing one about an equally intriguing woman who claimed to have been the lover of the now late Osama Bin Laden. Whether it was deliberate or not, the article painted her as fearless and brash at the same time. After that article, I decided to read more more on Kola. Thanks to Google, there were countless sources to draw impressions about the Sudanese-Egyptian poet and novelist from. I learned she was controversial, intelligent and very opinionated. It was long before those claims were verified. I came across her views on the social networking site - Twitter, albeit in very uncensored language. This is one of them -

"Men should be proud to sleep with LOTS of women....endless women. But a Woman can't enjoy her rackings?"

"What these women are really saying is: "Kola, how dare you buck the status quo...how dare you challenge the social convention."

June 13 2012 in response to people questioning her lack of decorum.

(I apologize to those followers of this blog who are not used to profane language.)

I am not very judgemental about people's lifestyles, but still I struggled to get used to the fact that this was the same award winning novelist and poet I read about a few days before......

......."In 2007, Kola Boof won her first major writing award from of all places, Stockholm, Sweden, the 2007 Woman to Woman Swedish Writer's Pen for Boof's Non-fiction article "I Am My Own Daughter" in OTTAR MAGAGINE, and headlined a triumphant reading at the prestigious Schomburg Center in N.Y. Noted PRINCETON critic Kam Williams chose Ms. Boof's autobiographyDiary of a Lost Girl as the 2006 BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR, and in 2008, officials of the South Sudanese government appointed Kola Boof National Chairwoman of the United States Branch of the SSPP Peace Organization, serving under President Francis Bok and Commanders in Sudan--BF Bankie and Deng Ajak..........

After reading her all about her accomplishments and praises, it was hard to keep up with her. I saw the Kola Boof on Twitter as a different person from the one described by renowned N.Y. University Professor and writer Derrick Bell as "a brilliantly gifted writer". Maybe it was my just my assumption or maybe I was finding it hard to understand how a writer would live her life outside society's prescribed code and not care. Almost every writer I have been inspired by or have met were regarded as role models and were image conscious. I am image conscious. I sat looking at this woman on Twitter and thinking, "wow!"

For Kola, there is no religion or culture strong enough to hold her opinions back. She has no problem standing out from the average black woman. She sees herself as a "womanist, (Alice Walker's now famous term that signifies a sensuous kind of black feminism)" and is not shy to be open about her her life. In her own words....."I am the LIVING WOMAN...not a strong black woman."

Not everyone will agree with her methods, but one thing you can't take from Kola is her boldness and ability to speak her mind. Currently embroiled in a bitter twitter war, with Oscar winning actor from Benin, West Africa and his wife, former model, and fashion entrepreneur Kimora Lee, Kola Boof is not mincing words about an alleged affair with the actor, and her Twitter timeline is not for the faint hearted.

For all those of you who have had the opportunity to read about Kola Boof, I would like to know what your opinions are from this very intriguing and controversial figure. Is this award winning author with seven books published in eight countries, a sensuous feminist as seen in her writings and heard from her interviews, or is she a fearless womanist simply rebelling against the typical patriarchal society? Help me here somebody.

Love,

Umari

FEMINIST IN THE MIDDLE .

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Mon, 28 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

"So you are a feminist?"

"Yes I am."

"You don't look like a feminist."

"What does a feminist look like?"

"I don't know." A shake of the head. "A little formidable maybe."

"Oh, you must mean like the amazons, eh?"

"Not really." Some chin tapping and head angling. "You just don't sound like a feminist."

I am intrigued now. "How do feminists sound?"

"Mean."

"Hmmm.."

"Aggressive.."

"Hmmm.."

"Men haters."

Okay, the above is a typical conversation I have with six out of ten males I have come across in my life or befriended. Feminism to these friends of mine can only mean one thing - You are against every man walking the surface of the earth. Sometimes I take pains to explain to them that feminism is not a movement aimed at forcing the male of the species into extinction, but rather one that seeks to liberate women from the shackles of outdated customs and enforce their rights just like everyone else. I share my thoughts on gender equality. I highlight the problems of the woman and point out that a woman is always at the mercy of the man. If I am met with a snort or two, I delve into my repertoire of instances -

a) female victims in a murder case were done in by husbands or lovers.

b) women are victims of domestic violence, especially in culturally backward societies

c) in war situations, they are always subjected to the worst form of inhumanity - Rape

d) in work environments, they are subject to sexual harassment and sometimes they have to work harder than their male counterparts to prove their worth.

After all the argument and instance giving, the other person (male of course) still doesn't get it. He sees feminists as anti-men. He thinks there are no gray areas and the picture is just black and white. I tell him about the different types of feminism -

Conservative feminism - which believes in the family as the ultimate unit of the society and rejects equality as it means death to the family.

Liberal feminism - which sees all people as equal and sexism as dysfunctional as it deprives society of one half of its creative force.

Radical feminism - which sees oppression of women as fundamental and the most basic form of oppression. Adherents believe that the purpose of this oppression is to obtain psychological ego satisfaction, strength and self esteem for the men.

Socialist feminism - which links women oppression to the class structure and sees sexism as a way of rewarding the working class male, giving them control over women.

"So which one are you?" he asks, looking as if I have been speaking a strange language all along. I tell him I am a liberal feminist and see all people as equal.

"I don't think it makes any sense." He tells me with a frown. "I see all feminists as the same." A pause. "I think they are aggressive towards men."

By now, it is clear that we are going nowhere with the argument. The stereotype of feminism is winning again. I am sure that even if I were to put a tattoo on my forehead that said Peace to the menfolk, I am just a liberal feminist, the famous question - "Are you a man hater?" will still come up.

I have come to the conclusion that identifying feminism as anti-male and anti-family is society's own way of dealing with the uncomfortable subject of gender oppression, especially where such society is founded on patriarchal values. In my humble opinion, feminism, whatever the form is a woman's way of taking her rightful position in the world as nature intends. There are those who think feminism is a alien to our African culture and should never be embraced. For those ones, I point out that before the advent of Abrahamaic religions on the African continent, women commanded armies, ruled kingdoms, were custodians and priestesses of temples, and wielded enormous influence in their respective societies. In some countries like Ghana, we have matrilineal cultures. I think my progenitors understood that the society worked better where women are given a level playing field. So I tell my friend -

"Feminism seeks to unleash the hidden power of women." I get an eyebrow raise for that one. "I strongly believe that women can change the world if reawakened."

There is some silence. I hope my friend is considering my words. Some minutes pass and just when I allow myself to hope that my message has finally sunk in, he turns to me and says -

"No gray areas. There is nothing like liberal feminism. You are just a feminist in the middle."

At this point, I have no interest in pursuing the topic further. Since I have no idea what it takes to be a feminist in the middle, I call time on the argument. You certainly can't win all the time.

Umari Ayim

I DON'T! - IS MARRIAGE GOING OUT OF FASHION?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:24:00 +0000

When socialist party leader and presidential candidate, Francois Hollande was announced winner of the French presidential election on May 6, he had the full attention of the world. No longer was he merely a contender of the race to occupy Palace de l'Elysee for a term of five years, he was officially recognized as successor to Nicolas Sarkozy, the outgoing president and loser of the election. From his physical appearance which saw a mayor in Southern France (Maryse Joissaines-Masini of Aux-en-Provence) questioning his ability to lead to his private life where his unmarried status draws attention, Hollande is certainly in the spotlight at the moment. What even makes him more unique is the fact that he leads a rather unconventional life. The new French president has never been married. Yes, he has not. He has managed to enjoy a union with fellow socialist Segolene Royal which produced four children and a current one with twice divorced journalist and mother of three Valerie Trierweiler all outside the boundary of marriage, making him the first unmarried president in the history of France.

Even though, Hollande's disposition to marriage makes him the first of his kind to inhabit the French presidential palace, it seems as though the traditional institution of marriage is on the decline everywhere. While divorces continue to rise, the average age at which people marry has also risen. Gone are the teenage brides of yesterday. In their place are more mature brides missing the starry eyed look. Even in this part of the world where I live, marriage which used to be regarded as a means of ensuring financial security and escaping social stigma for women as well as the bedrock on which society is built has become a fashion to be adopted or disregarded. Whether traditionalists chose to blame this on the invasion of western culture and values, one thing is sure, the economy has played a role in this as well. It has become more acceptable to marry a woman who will contribute to the upkeep of the home than one who will be dependant on her husband, thus pushing the age of potential newly weds up. So while couples from western countries will cite reasons such as personal convictions for preferring to enjoy partnerships outside marriage, modern day Africans have to grapple with unstable economies before finding time to settle into marital bliss with their prince/princess charming. Sometimes, we just see others who are content to live their lives by themselves.

Another angle to this will be to suggest that marriage is enjoying less popularity because of the growing disillusion with religion and the advancement of science. Religion has always backed marriage as a means to discourage wayward behaviour but as science continues to contribute to the advancement of the human race, more people have come to view marriage as another of religion's legacies. The traditional outlook to man and woman relationships have gone through several upheavals and one can say, our beliefs in marriage as a God ordained institution has been challenged on several fronts.

However, this is not to say that there are no advantages of being married. Research has shown that married couples stay together longer than those who cohabit. Some studies even show that the stability of marriage produces emotionally stable individuals. Still, there are those who will argue and rightly so that a marriage licence is not a prerequisite for a happy home or for raising children with loving care and that private morality should not be a concern of the society. Whichever way we chose to look at it, the world has moved on. Those people who chose to say "I do" to their partners have drastically reduced in numbers compared to what was obtained in history. In Africa, the stigma attached to spinsterhood or bachelorhood might take sometime to go away but globalization and economic repression seems to be enough to challenge former beliefs. On a final note, I hope that the rest of the world is as understanding as France. Hopefully, Hollande's unmarried status will not present any difficulty for him in places like the Vatican, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia when he chooses to pay them state visits at some point in time.

Umari Ayim

THE ECONOMIC USEFULNESS OF CORPORATE PROSTITUTION?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Prostitution has been around for as long as anyone can remember. Often regarded as the world's oldest profession, prostitution is far closer to economics than anyone dares to think. It is usually a situation where one decides or is forced to sell his/her body for food, basic necessities, material gain or other advantages. The presence of cost-value principle in this profession makes it a socio-economic phenomenon. Since we live in an age where sex is glorified and people are constantly bombarded with nude images on their television screens, the demand for sex as a commodity has become difficult to tame. In spite of the danger associated with prostitution (H.I.V, killings e.t.c), many people continue to be active in this profession as a result of poverty, especially in developing countries.

However, the focus here is on corporate prostitution which is used in reference to situations where female employees are compelled as part of a corporate policy to sell their bodies to meet the ridiculous as well as ludicrous deposit targets of the companies or firms they work for. It is a norm these days to find women in most corporate houses dressed in skimpy attires as they go about their businesses in the name of looking smart according to customer friendly policies. These women are used to pull in the big fishes or plainly put, very wealthy customers. They flatter and bat their eyelids at these clients in the hope of getting huge deposits that secure their jobs and even earn them bonuses. They are not to eager to return back to the labour market, manilla file in hand, scouring the hot streets of Lagos for a new job. The companies know this and they exploit the women to the fullest, in order to keep their businesses afloat. The worst culprits in this sense are the banks.

In the banking halls, prostitution appears to have come to stay. The difference between the women in the air conditioned cooled halls and the ones on the streets braving cold nights and flashing headlights for potential customers is that they are more sophisticated, engage more sophisticated clients, and go about their business in a more sophisticated manner, but still in the end, it is the world's oldest profession in operation and economics plays an important role in keeping it afloat.

In 2010, when Femi Gbajabiamila, a minority whip in the Nigerian House of Representatives sponsored the Corporate Prostitution Bill, the Central Bank and many commercial banks were beside themselves with despair. With wringing hands, they protested what they saw as an attempt to sabotage the growth of the economy. For purpose of highlighting the contents of the bill, allow me to share a provision of the bill below:

- "Any person, organisation or corporate institution who engages the services of an employee on the condition that the employee meets unrealistic monetary targets, commits an offence under the Act."

The bill goes ahead to state the limit of 25 million Naira as the limit allowed for the monetary target given to employees of corporate institutions and set to criminalize anything above it to the consternation and absolute horror of Nigerian banks. Some bank officials were quoted as saying the amount was too small to enforce as the target limit for their bottomless vaults. An official of the apex bank at that time, Simon Onekutu, said in opposition to the bill. "If we enact a law that seeks to inhibit the sector, we will kill the economy," (Really?)

It has been two years since 2010, but we are yet to see the end of corporate prostitution. female employees with well known corporations continue to be active in the stimulation of the economy on their backs while their superiors look the other way. For some of these women, it is means of survival. Living in a third world country with eighty percent living below poverty line, this women see prostitution (corporate or not) as a far better option to being jobless, and with expert bankers giving excuses why unreasonable targets should be sustained, there is very little hope for them. I don't know how long we will continue to live with this menace and neither do I know when this problem will end. I hope that women right groups can take action against exploitative policies that render women objects to be used for sexual gratification in corporate environments. I hope that the finance minister, a woman herself will do look into this matter. Until then, we will continue to see short Gray miniskirts topped with see through chiffon blouses in our banking halls.

Umari Ayim

THE STORY OF A MALE FEMINIST. - By Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:33:00 +0000

Mr. Nzume Mathias is an exception among men. In a place where patriarchy rules, he is an advocate for gender equality and women’s rights. Mr. Nzume is a Cameroonian, married and a father of five; three girls and two boys. Driven by his personal experiences and agony, alongside his mothers; Mr. Nzume knows first-hand the abuses of human rights that take place in Cameroon, and most especially his village in Bakossi – an ethic group in the South West Region of Cameroon.

“My life had a depression somewhere” said Mr. Nzume, a former secondary school teacher, now Chief of Service for the Family Wellbeing at the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family (MINWEF), South West Regional Delegation - Buea, Cameroon.

“I grew up as an orphan, yet my parents were alive” Nzume says. As an orphan , he says – his biological father never recognized him as his child - He would always refer to me as the son of his late brother. A man who was not my biological dad” he said.Mr. Nzume’s situation made him to become an advocate so as to bring change – a means that would end all injustice especially against women, widows and orphans. A situation he says is not the victims making but of fate.

“It was a cruel experience and emotionally distressful”. He said. The struggles for an identity led him to discover 2 foreign radio stations; BBC and Voice of America - a transformative experience. He remains a keen listener of the two radio stations till date. This, he said, were one of the reasons to why he is an ardent women human rights defender.

“It all started sometimes in the early 80s”. He recollects. “I came across the radio stations: BBC and Voice of America. They had this gender hour program which drew my attention. Though, I was ignorant about the classical gender concepts; its legal instruments, principles and practices - listening to BBC/VoA enlightened me. So much such that during my under graduate degree, I chose to study a double major BSc: Law and Gender studies in the University of Buea”.
His interest in Gender studies was to have a good insight on women issues particularly traditional norms and women’s position in culture. And the Law aspect was to articulate gender concerns from a legal perspective and also using this platform to intervene in to women’s plight.

After completion of his Bachelor around mid-90s, he returned to his usual classroom teaching and in 2008, he was offered the position to head the Service for Family Wellbeing as Chief of Service in Ministry of Women’s Empowerment, South West Regional Delegation (MINWEF), a newly created department in MINWEF. As head (chief) of service for the Family Wellbeing MINWEF, his main responsibility is to resolve family conflicts, improve family wellbeing and give assistance to voluntary persons interested in making family wellbeing a social concern. Mr. Ediage, a professional architect once shared his personal encounters with Mr. Nzume: “For almost 5 years, after my dad passed away I never said a word to my mother. My mother and I were never in good terms. We never crisscross path. My life was traumatized. I was depressed. And today, thanks to Mr. Nzume’s one-on-one counseling and dialogue sessions, my mom and I are able to exchange words”.

Ms. Melanie, a professional hairstylist also said, “Mr. Nzume inspires me a lot. He took his time to look at my problem. He never rushed me. At anytime, anywhere, he is always ready to give advice and help bring peace between me and my parents”. Throughout the period of 2008 – 2011, before the newly 25000 young government recruit, Mr. Nzume was the only male worker in the entire MINWEF- Buea, as well as the first man to hold the position as Chief of Service for Family well being.Since granted this opportunity, he has managed over 600 cases of violence against women (ranging from rape [marital], domestic violence, sexual abuse), resolving of family dispute. Under his leadership, he has organized an annual mass [grouped] marriages which is celebrated [takes place] every May 15 at the delegation center in Buea. The first mass wedding occurred in 2009 with 51 couples jointly married, in 2010, it was 49 and last year it was 51.Mr. Nzume believes that change is happening and women human rights are gradually been respected. However, he said – there is need for more comprehensive laws to fully advance women status in Cameroon; especially in the light of marriage, widowhood and sexual and reproductive health.

In addition he says – “both men and women must become partners to the attainment of women’s human rights’.

And to conclude, soon to hit the bookshelves across Cameroon is Mr. Nzume’s book titled “The Tears of the Female One” where he shares his personal and professional experience; an in-depth insight on how society views women; the way forward for a better society for all.

Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo is the coordinator of W30 (Women Under 30) group

W30 is made up of young African women across the continent who are passionate about change.

She blogs at zofem.blogspot.com and www.zoneziwohshow.com

FIRST FEMALE WORLD BANK CHIEF?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:22:00 +0000

On Friday 23rd of March, Angola, Nigeria and South Africa endorsed Nigeria's finance minister for the position of the World Bank president as it became open following the plan by the current president, Robert Zoellick to step down in June. Taking advantage of the open contest for the post, unlike what was obtained in the past where the U.S under an informal agreement with its allies lay claim to the post, the African countries cited Mrs. Iweala's brilliant performance as an economist as reasons for her nomination. She joined former Colombian finance minister Jose Antonio Ocampo, who was nominated by Brazil as a top contender for the top position of the Bretton Woods Institution. Okonjo Iweala's performance and credentials as well Ocampos' is said to have put pressure on the American government which resulted to the nomination of Jim Yong Kim, a health professional and president of Dartsmouth College for the World Bank job.

As the competition heats up with Jim Yong Kim embarking on a world tour and campaign for the position and Brazil throws its full weight behind Ocampo, let me imagine that by some sheer luck, Mrs. Iweala, the only woman in the race for this job is the right candidate and large voting block or not, she will prevail against the U.S choice Yong Kim. As a feminist, a part of me actually would love to see a woman sit at the top of the helm of affairs at world bank, harsh realities and political intrigues aside. This article will attempt to highlight the achievements of this erudite economist and find out what makes her special or stand out from her fellow competitors.

A HISTORY OF TURNING ECONOMIES AROUND

Born in Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State, Nigeria, she was educated at Harvard University where she graduated in 1977, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she obtained her PhD in Urban and Regional Planning. She joined the World Bank in 1982 through the through the prestigious Young Professionals Program and made a career of over 20 years there working on various operational regions from the Middle East and North Africa, to East Asia and Africa. She rose through the ranks from an Economist to Vice President and Corporate Secretary. During her time at the World Bank, she has held positions of Development Economist, Vice-president, Operations, 1989 – 91; Director of Institutional Change and Strategy, 1995 – 97; Country Director, Malaysia, Mongolia, Laos and Cambodia, 1997 – 2000; Deputy Vice-president, Middle East Region, 2000 – 2003. In June, 2006, she was Managing Director, World Bank till July 2011. Mrs. Iweala has had a proven record in turning economies around. She was also instrumental in launching an emergency fund to for poor countries hit by a record jump in global food prices in 2008, and was pivotal in creating an infrastructure facility for roads, railways and power grids in developing and helped them tap financial markets and fund development.

In Nigeria where she was wooed by the then president Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 to serve as finance minister and head of the presidential economic team, she led the team that negotiated the cancellation of US $18 billion or 60 percent of Nigeria’s external debt with the Paris Club in October 2005. The debt deal also included an innovative buy-back mechanism that wiped out Nigeria’s Paris club debt and reduced the country’s external indebtedness from US$35 to US$5 billion. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala oversaw Nigeria’s first ever Sovereign credit rating of BB- from Fitch and Standard and Poor’s—a rating that grouped Nigeria with other emerging market countries such as Brazil, Vietnam, Venezuela, and Philippines.She attacked corruption and accelerated privatisation and liberalisation. She signed Nigeria up to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a voluntary standard for petroleum and mining industries. On her watch, Nigeria’s inflation more than halved.

A REFORMIST

A passionate reformist, she tried to bring transparency into the Nigerian system that had been damaged by years of corruption and mismanagement. She introduced the practice of publishing each state's monthly financial allocation from the federal government in the newspapers which helped Nigeria obtain its first ever sovereign credit rating of BB minus from Fitch and Standard and Poor’s. Passionate about the public's participation in affairs of the Nigerian nation, she partnered with the GALL UP organization to introduce an NOI poll, an opinion poll conducted by her N.G.O NOI consulting targeting Nigerians. The NOI gall up poll strives to strengthen democracy and promote accountability. In 2011, Okonjo-Iweala was behind a World Bank plan to create so-called diaspora bonds to raise money from the estimated 23 million Africans living abroad, who hold more than $30 billion in savings. The money would be used to help African countries fund essential services and fight poverty.

CONTRIBUTION TO WOMEN DEVELOPMENT AND AWARDS

As a woman who understands the limitations suffered by women in developing countries, She co-founded the Makeda Fund, a US$50 million private equity fund designed to invest in women-owned and women-influenced small and medium enterprises in Africa. In recognition to her contribution to the World Bank, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is the recipient of several national and international awards. Her awards include Time Europe Hero 2004, This Day Nigeria Minister of the Year 2004, Euromoney Magazine Global Finance Minister of the year 2005, Financial Times/The Banker African, Finance Minister 2005, Nigerian of the Year 2006, among several others. She is a member or chair of numerous boards and advisory groups, including DATA, the World Resources Institute, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Nelson Mandela Institution, Friends of the Global Fund Africa, and the African Institute of Science and Technology. She has served as adviser to several international investment groups working in emerging markets and lectured on Africa and development all over the world.

ENDORSEMENT

Apart from the African Union which endorsed Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, she has enjoyed the support of Lant Pritchett, a professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, who also worked at the World Bank for 17 years. Lant Pritchett has spoken out about the US World Bank presidency nomination, Jim Yong Kim. Pritchett describes the nomination as "a terrible idea" and "an embarrassment" and tipped Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as more suited to assumed the head of World Bank. In his own words, "There is no way you can say with a straight face that this man is more qualified to head the World Bank than Ngozi. At best, Kim has worked with ministers of health, but they are in one of many, many government agencies. A minister of finance has to make hard choices across sectors. Having the experience of a minister of finance is the optimal experience for being president of the World Bank". He also said that the nomination of Kim was "like picking the short stop for the New York Yankees out of the scrub leagues", and went on to describe his work as "charity work". He concludes that "development is about countries becoming prosperous, democratic and capable, like being able to deliver the mail, having police forces that work and kids who get educated. Charity work is helping people cope with the fact that they live in places where they don’t have those things."

MY CONCLUSION

I am understandably excited about the emergence of Dr. Iweala as a contender for the World Bank job, even though it might mean a loss for Nigeria, a nation caught in the quicksands of corruption and a lot of financial and social ills. I think that it is a big leap for women and as the only female contender in the race for the top seat at the Bretton Woods institution, it will be a victory for women should she emerge the winner of the hotly contested seat. However, I am not blind to the hurdles before her. Since 1944, the position of the World Bank president has been exclusive to Americans and it will amount to political suicide for U.S president, Barrack Obama to lose the World Bank to a non American. IMF, like the World Bank has always been exclusive to Europe. Lagarde's emergence as IMF chief in spite of coming against equally qualified candidates from non European countries is testimony to the unrelenting stance by the West to hold on to these financial institutions created by them in the aftermath of the world war and should America lose it for the first time, all blame will go to Obama and we know what that means to his re-election ambition. As the top funder of the World Bank, U.S will definitely enjoy an upper hand over the less influential members of the World Bank and if precedence is anything to go by, I see Jim Yong Kim winning the title to president of the World Bank, but then again, it won't hurt to keep hope alive. I wish Dr. Iweala all the best!!!

Umari Ayim

ALL CHEST BARE!!! FACING THE VILLAINS WITH NAKED BREASTS.

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:01:00 +0000

The picture of a mother clutching her naked breasts and raining curses on her child is bound to give chills to the average African who believes there is power in such an action. While there are no records to prove the effectiveness of the curse of the naked breasts, it is without question one of the most potent threat any mother can issue her child. Again, we know that a woman's breasts is not only associated with curses or fear. It is beyond every reasonable doubt an object of fixation for the male of the species from a very tender age till they attain adulthood. It is amazing how these seemingly harmless organs can evoke several emotions at the same time. From fear to lust, the breast of a woman can be a willing tool for those who will use them.

Sure, the breast can be an effective tool. It turns out that women do not shy away from using them to state their grievances against authorities. In recent times, I have been bombarded by pictures of very attractive women of the Ukraine based FEMEN group who have been involved in nude protests against the lack of women in the Ukrainian government, the alleged mass fraud in the Russian December 4 parliamentary polls, Opposition parties, Euro 2012, legalization of prostitution, the lack of hot water, the ban on female driving in Saudi Arabia, the death penalty given to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani by the Iranian government and so many others. If FEMEN's objective is to get noticed, then they have certainly achieved it.

Baring of the breasts during protests was relatively strange and new to me until I was thirteen and stumbled upon a newspaper article of women protesting. I was a little surprised by the display of over hundred mammaries by some old and middle aged women clutching leaves. My mum told me it was a norm in most African cultures. The curse of nakedness. It turns out that women in Africa have long employed this method protesting in history. In the 1930s, members and supporters of the Abeokuta Women’s Union in Abeokuta, Nigeria, walked naked in protest of the Alake of Abeokuta’s political actions and forced him into exile. In 2002, about 600 Itsekiri and Ijaw women protested nude against Chevron, a major oil company in Nigeria. In Zambia women have protested nude over the government's decision to ban miniskirts and tight pant trousers, and in 2001 Kenyan women numbering about 300 prevented a group of scientists from extending a nature reserve to tribal land.

The power of nude protesting can never be over stated. From feminist groups to animal rights groups like PETA, we have seen more than our fair share of very indignant naked people. While I do not fall into the category of controversial feminists, I actually prefer effective protests. If going naked will bring notice to the problems women face all over the world, then I advocate naked/nude protests. Although, I just might not be getting naked. :)

Umari Ayim

KILLLED BY A BLADE! - THE SHAME OF F.G.M IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES.

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:42:00 +0000

In December 2011, two sisters, Joy and Patience Youmgbo came back from Lagos, a bustling commercial city in South West Nigeria to visit their grandmother in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, a state in the core of the area of the Niger Delta. A state which incidentally happens to be where the president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is from. Pressured by family members to undergo a crude female circumcision operation which would see them lose the clitoral hood or the clitoris itself, along with the inner labia of the vagina under the expert hand of an old midwife, Joy was the first to go. After the operation, fifteen year old Joy would bleed to death as a result of injuries gotten from the circumcision. Alarmed by the death of her sister and afraid for her own life, seventeen year old Patience would flee the family home in Amassoma on February 14. Till this day, Patience remains missing.

Sadly, the story of Joy is just one of the many in the country. Millions of women have across the country have been scarred or killed by this practice. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies four types of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Type I: removal of the clitoral hood, the skin around the clitoris, with or without partial or complete removal of the clitoris;

Type II: removal of the clitoris with partial or complete removal of the labia minora;

Type III: removal of all or part of the labia minora and labia majora, and the stitching of a seal across the vagina, leaving a small opening for the passage of urine and menstrual blood (infibulation);

Type IV: other miscellaneous acts, including cauterization of the clitoris, cutting of the vagina, and introducing corrosive substances into the vagina to tighten it.

In Nigeria, Type I-III is in practice with Type IV practiced to a lesser extent. Type III, the most severe form, is in practice in the Northern part of the country, while Type I-II is predominant in the Southern part of the country with the Yoruba as the main group behind it. The Ijaws (the tribe which the Youmgbo sisters belong to) and the Ibos (a group in South Eastern Nigeria) practice any of the three, depending on the local community. According to a 1997 WHO study, an estimated 30,625 million women and girls, or about 60 percent of the nation’s total female population, have undergone one of these forms. These procedure is most times carried out by illiterate old women who use crude looking razors and knives on their victims in very unhygienic environments.

The practice of FGM stems from a cultural bias against women and crass ignorance. Some cultures give promiscuity, uncleanness, marriageability and desirability as excuses for this unwholesome practice. Even more idiotic is the claim by some communities in the country that a male child dies during child birth when his head comes in contact with the clitoris. There is no doubt that a patriarchal mental leaning is behind cultures that insist on mutilating the female genitalia. Nigeria is not the only country in the world where such a dangerous outdated practice takes place. In Africa, where twenty eight countries participate in this heinous tradition, it is estimated that 92 million girls 10 years old and above have undergone FGM (WHO). Parts of the Middle East also practice FGM. Immigrant communities in Europe, North America and Australasia are not left out of this practice, making the sum total of victims worldwide to reach 100-140 million.

I find it deplorable that in this age of technological advancement, the third world continues to be held back by religious and cultural practices that places man at the lowest rung of civilization while the rest of the world moves forward. More needs to be done in order to put an end to this evil practice. In Nigeria for instance, there are no sufficient laws to criminalize such acts. People who oppose this practice rely on Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that states, "no person shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment," as a basis for their argument that the practice be banned. To catch up with the rest of the world in terms of development or even meeting the U.N MDGs, third world countries caught up in the throes of backward religious and cultural inclinations, need to criminalize FGM. If this had been the case, the Youmgbo family would have been cooling their heels in detention centers and clitoral abattoirs will cease to exist.

Umari Ayim

OH DANG! IT'S A GIRL!

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:23:00 +0000

I idolized Indira Ghandi as a young girl and thought that her country must be such a wonderful place to allow women at the helm of affairs. My youth took place at that time in the country where Indian women danced and batted their eyelashes prettily at their adoring men on our television screens. My senses were assailed by pictures of incredible beauties with waist plunging raven dark hair and eloquent Amazons in white saris that delivered awe inspiring speeches. "These lucky Indian women!" I mused to my skinny eleven year old self. "Oh, that I were in India!"

Several years later, several books after, several documentaries and articles after, some of the magic has worn off and I am shocked by the reality women in India have to face everyday. Like every developing nation steeped in archaic traditions and cultures that have no place in the modern world, India is grappling with issues like gender based discrimination, sex selective abortions and gendercide (female infanticide). It turns out that in spite of its inclination to female leaders and reverence for female goddesses, the birth of a girl child in India only means one thing for the poor Indian family - BURDEN!

Like China, male children are more likely to be celebrated than female children but Indian female children have to pay the dowry, making it worse for them. The tragedy of this culture is seen in the countless killings of innocent baby girls. The shocking anti female bias which pervades patriarchal societies is at its worst in India. At least with male children, families are assured hefty dowries and accorded respect in the society. So thanks to rigid and nonsensical beliefs, there is a drop in the female population. More than 40 million women are estimated to be missing in India as a result of female feticide. John Thor Dahlburg pointed out in his article "where killing baby girls is no big sin" published in the Toronto Star February 28, 1994 that the culture of killing baby girls is a century old practice that can be perceived as a wise action. "According to census statistics, "From 972 females for every 1,000 males in 1901 ... the gender imbalance has tilted to 929 females per 1,000 males. ... In the nearly 300 poor hamlets of the Usilampatti area of Tamil Nadu [state], as many as 196 girls died under suspicious circumstances [in 1993] ... Some were fed dry, unhulled rice that punctured their windpipes, or were made to swallow poisonous powdered fertilizer. Others were smothered with a wet towel, strangled or allowed to starve to death."

As the gender ratio falls from 962 in 1901 to 933 in 2001 in India and some women are forced to sleep with more than one man in a practice called "wife sharing" in some Indian communities and the issue of rape and trafficking continues to be on the rise, it is pertinent that the Indian government does more than dangle the carrot before the donkey as is seen in some programmes where families are promised aid and other inducements to keep their female children. The culture of dowry which in my opinion is the root cause for this bias, needs to be completely stamped out. Poverty eradication and education of the masses of the grave danger of gender infanticide through every medium should also be the top agenda of the government. Only then can women in India be truly free and maybe I can continue my daydream of being a woman in that wonderful place called India.

Umari Ayim

THE ECONOMICS OF FEMINISM AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

It was almost midnight but sleep was yet to descend on me. The conversation started as mere chit chat and my brain was on snooze mode. Then he said, "You are a keen debater, aren't you?" I shouldn't have replied in the affirmative because the next thing he said was ".....so I say, if you want to make impact on gender issues...come up with a business idea that addresses the issues." I bit my fingers for a few seconds and said the first thing that came to mind.

"...I believe that since the labour market tends to favour men over women with the restriction of age and marital status, thereby forcing prospective salary earners to become housewives or worse become destitute. Reforms should be introduced that will make the labour market more accessible to women. Now, companies who place an age restriction on women and seek younger women who they intend to use as baits for prospective clients should be forced to do away with such discriminatory conditions."

Now my friend is not your typical male. An entrepreneur, he controls Nigeria's biggest online forum and prides himself as being more of an economist than a politician. So, I was in for a rather interesting night. To be fair to him, my friend sees himself as a feminist *wink*, so I went into the debate with an open mind, knowing he was one of us. He warned me "...social issues, but I tend to approach them from a different angle. I like free markets, choice, economics, all that good stuff. I feel being angry about injustice isn't enough." I squinted hard at my screen till new thoughts began to form. I could see he wanted me to think of feminism in a new way. He made sense. It wasn't enough to be just angry about injustice, opportunities had to be created. He added again "...I like to propose business solutions to social problems. I tend to feel they are more sustainable because they pay for themselves." And I couldn't have agreed more. Proposing business solutions to social problems was more effective than just complaining about them.

So back to my reply to his question. He shared his thoughts with me with the next statement "..I think the labor market often favors men because they don't go on maternity leave and don't drop out of work for extended periods to focus on their kids...." I felt like he was agreeing with me until he added "...But it won't be fair to pay more for less work." So I was in a fix again. I had to prove how making concessions to women will bring more gain than loss to a profit driven company. I suggested telecommuting. He hit back with several answers that left me breathless. Then I had a light bulb moment.

"Companies need to establish day care centers for the children of female employees!" I told him. I was sure I had nailed this one. "Most countries in the West have facilities like these. Why should Nigeria be any different?" I surmised that a nursing mother or a mother with young children is less likely to be distracted knowing that she is close to her children. He reminded me that we were in an economy where labour could be gotten cheap, so what company would go to the extent of investing in day care centers if ".....there are people willing to do the hard work without daycares." I asked about those rare female specialists with kids in tow and he went "..they can get a nanny at home." Boy, was this hard or what? I wasn't much of an economist and was fast realizing that the labour market was more complex than I thought. At least, the Nigerian labour market. Now I couldn't accuse my friend of being a chauvinist. He told me he was a feminist, right? So why was this hard?

Not done yet, he sends me a link to his website where a debate was raging as to whether the decision by the Central Bank Of Nigeria to reserve management and board seats for women was inimical to national development or was a good move. Opinion was divided but it was clear that many frowned at the CBN's actions and thought affirmative action encouraged women to be lazy. My friend was of the opinion that positions should be given on merit rather than through affirmative action. As usual, the focus was productivity.

Our conversation lasted over two hours. We would eventually retire for the night with pleasant wishes to each other for a good night's rest but I stayed awake, long after I shut down my computer. I had been forced to take a look at the struggle for equality through the lens of business and economics and I was realizing that the walk to freedom was a long one.

Umari.

A PRICE FOR LOVE?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:33:00 +0000

Violence against women has always been with us. While civilized nations do their best to institute laws that protect women and ensure that violators of such laws are made to feel the full wrath of the Law, most developing nations with patriarchal cultures tend to be less aggressive about women's rights. In Nigeria, even though Chapter 2 of the 1999 constitution provides for the adequate protection of women, most crimes against women are usually treated with kid gloves. Starting from rape, the complicity of the male influenced legal system which demands for the victim to provide two witness, has impeded on the rights of victims to access justice. Domestic violence has on another hand been left to assume different dimensions of its own with husbands hacking down wives with kitchen knives and men pouring acid on women who spurn their advances.

In as much as I think the government and security agencies need to do a lot more to reform the Laws governing Women and Minority rights in Nigeria, I think much has to be done in the re-orientation of women across the country. I have watched with dismay how young women have been brainwashed to accept violent behaviour from men. There are times I hear friends and close acquaintances make excuses for men who unleash their rage on hapless women and in those times, I just shake my head. In such cases we have potential victims who have swallowed the lie that a real man is a man who uses his fist to drive home his point. Even more horrifying is the habitual masochist who boldly tells me that she gets bored when a man does not display any form of aggression towards her. "It is almost as if he is not a real man. I like it when my boyfriend slaps me." I asked the lady in question if she realizes that encouraging her boyfriend to slap or hit her might lead to other dangerous misadventures. Her reply? "Oh, I don't think of that. Things like that add spice to the relationship." Really?!!!

Cases such as these are the very reason why I advocate for grass roots projects by local and international NGOs that seek to educate women on the evils of domestic or sexual violence. As long as women continue to think that it is cool to be slapped around by their boyfriends of husbands, there will be no shortage of victims of domestic violence. So while the country has to introduce measures that address this issue, women themselves need to understand that it is not okay for men to hit them. If you are a woman reading this and have suffered the occasional slap or push, let me assure you that it will get worse. So every time you examine the swollen puffs your eyes have become and wince with pain when you touch a mouth that now contains broken and chipped teeth, ask yourself "IS THIS THE PRICE I PAY FOR LOVE?".

Love,
Umari

NIGERIAN LEADERSHIP? - SORRY, BOYS ONLY.

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:08:00 +0000

In July 2009 when my article “Whipping skirts and the fraternity of the boys” was published, I was in Law School. My two buddies, Bahoreh, a soft spoken Gambian army officer and Austin, a passionate crusader of everything law, were having trouble wrapping their minds around my knack for heated debates. Even though, some compliments were grudgingly given for the contents of my mind, I still found myself repeating “see me as a human being before anything else.” Not to say my friends didn’t respect me, I was just one of those women who continued to ask “why on earth do these lecturers keep saying gentlemen of the bar when women make up a good proportion of this class” much to their consternation and distraction. That was me. Assertive, argumentative, fiercely independent and a feminist through and through. The article was a chance to vent and vent I did.

My first port of call was the legislative arm of the Nigerian government. I criticized what I thought was an endless display of machismo and the underrepresentation of women in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. I argued that women were not taken as seriously as they should be and that some of the female law makers had decided it was fine to play second fiddle to their male counterparts with a barely felt presence and ridiculous bills. I bemoaned the fact the last female speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh had been muscled out of her seat by some chauvinistic males in the house. I surmised that the allegations of corruption was only a ruse to get her out of the leadership position as none of the members of the upper and lower houses of legislature could boast of stainless reputations. My condemnation was loud and clear. GIVE THE WOMEN A CHANCE TO LEAD FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE.

As a student of history, I have always known that African males were not always so unreceptive of female leadership. From Amina of Zazzau, Cleopatra, Queen Idia, Queen Nerfetari, Anne Nzinga and Yaa Asantewaa women led wars, ruled kingdoms and played prominent roles in the society. Apparently all that changed with the introduction of Christianity and Islam, two Abrahamic religions that are paternalistic in view and support the ideology of male supremacy. Despite the glorious past of the African female, I believe that most women in Africa have been so relegated to the background that when they make an attempt to step out of the shadows of men, they always meet a brick wall.

Very little has changed since the inglorious exit of Patricia Etteh from the House of Representatives in 2007 over the 626 million N aira (About US$5 million). Despite the reported rise in the participation of women in politics since the country’s return to democracy in 1999, women are still at the backstage in Nigerian politics and still grossly underrepresented in the nearly all tiers of government. The memory of Sarah Jubril, the only female presidential candidate in the January 2011 PDP presidential primaries standing on the podium with flailing hands and a very comical speech still hurts to think about.

In a country with about 50% of women in its population, less than 10% are represented in government. It will not be farfetched to assume that the deeply rooted patriarchal culture introduced by foreign religion has affected the prospects of Nigerian women in general. Female leaders are yet to leave an indelible mark on the Nigerian political terrain and when they try, they are dogged down by rumours of corruption, conspiracy theories and claims of ineptitude. In this article, I will be taking a look at two powerful women in President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet. They both hold portfolios of very important ministries and have subjected to all manner of criticisms and intrigue.

Doctor Okonjo Iweala
Minister of Finance

Former World Bank executive and current Minister of Finance. A much respected economist Okonjo Iweala has a stellar record with the World Bank. She led Nigeria out of debt with a US$30 billion deal and a further cancellation of US$18 billion with the Paris club of creditors in 2005 under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. In 2006, she returned back to her World Bank job and it was whispered that she resigned as a result of a clash of egos with the president. However, in 2011 The president Goodluck administration decided to woo her again. However, this time, Okonjo Iweala has more than fragile male egos to deal with. For some reason, the notion that she is an unpatriotic agent of the World Bank and IMF has been promoted around the country. During the subsidy protests which Nigerians dubbed as the “Nigerian Harmattan”, despite her many attempts on television and the internet to explain what the subsidy removal meant for the economy of the country, many still found it hard to shake off the conspiracy theories that had been perpetuated against her. Now the question is – Is Doctor Okonjo Iweala a reformer or a tyrant sent by the powerful west to destroy the economy of her own country or is she just another woman set up to fail by some disgruntled elements who have a problem with taking orders from women? The jury is still out on that one.

Diezani Madueke
The Minister of Petroleum Resources

A former employee of Shell, Diezani Madueke rose to the position of leadership in the much coveted oil ministry in 2010. A trained architect with an air of assurance who has had the record of being the first woman to be appointed to the board of Shell Development Company Nigeria, the first woman to hold the position of Minister of Petroleum Resources, first woman to lead a country delegation at the annual OPEC conference, and the first female minister of transportation, Diezani ranked among my best female leaders. Allison Madueke has been at the forefront of pushing for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which is supposed to bring development and reduce corruption in the petroleum industry. Her opponents pointed out her lack luster performance at her former positions in the ministries of transportation and mines and steel as reason for her inability to bring the much needed change in the petroleum industry but it was hard to disagree with Diezani when she implied during her screening on the floor of the senate in 2011 that the clamour against her return as Minister of Petroleum resources was tied to the fact that she stepped on some toes during her first tenure as head of the ministry.

Diezani’s credibility is being called to question with every step she takes in the fight against corruption in the industry. Apart from the oil oligarchs that Diezani has to contend with, the rumours of a multimillion dollar house in Australia and lavish lifestyles of her family continue to make rounds daily. Diezani’s credibility is being called to question with every step she takes against corruption in the petroleum industry. I don’t know how true the allegations against Diezani is but one thing I wonder about is – if Diezani had been a man, will the “toes” that pull the dirty strings behind the scene been more forgiving of her trespasses?

In conclusion, it is obvious that while Patricia Etteh, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Allison Madueke might have their short comings, their biggest sin is that they are women. If you think I am just another feminist ranting, pray tell me, what happened to the Dimeji Bankole, the former speaker of the House of Representatives who took over from Etteh? What happened to the $1 billion he stole? I’ll tell you. He was given a slap on the wrists by his co-travelers. He is one of the boys after all.

LOOKING AT THE FUEL SUBSIDY PROTESTS

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:49:00 +0000

In the first day of 2012, Nigerians were still reeling from the unexpected murder of Christians at Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, a market town in Niger State only 30 kilometers from Nigeria's capital city Abuja when President Goodluck Jonathan announced the removal of subsidies on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol. As expected, the reaction was swift and a people noted for complacency sprang into action. There were calls for Jonathan's head as the reality of the removal of subsidies hit home. In a manner that impressed me, Nigerians closed ranks against the government and asked for an explanation. No wait...., they demanded an immediate reversal of the government's decision to further enslave them with economic policies that favoured only the rich. The atmosphere was tense. Nigerians had had enough and not even Jonathan's gentle mien and the tireless explanations of his henchmen was going to cool tempers. What made it worse was the rumour of foreign economic invasion. Nigerians could not and did not trust IMF and World Bank who they have come to regard as the evil sisters and an extension of neo-colonialism. Christine Lagarde had asked African countries to remove subsidies to stem corruption and allow for economic growth, and Nigeria followed that directive joining countries like Cameroun, Chad, Guinea and Ghana.

The Jonathan led government cited reasons like smuggling, corruption, debt and development of basic infrastructure for removing subsidies, but many Nigerians already living below $2 a day, saw him as a sell out, especially after Lagarde's visit to the country in December 2011. Apparently the government had been paying N79.70 on per litre since the pricing template of the PPPRRA shows that the landing cost of a litre of petrol is N129.21, also showing the margin for transporters and marketers at N115.49, bringing the pump price of petrol to N144.70. Since the people paid N65 per litre for petrol, it meant government took the burden to pay the difference of N79.70. In spite of these calculations, with some claiming that subsidies did not exist in the first place. Nigerians do not believe that the government's decision to remove subsidies are in their interest, and who can blame them? The memory of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), an IMF-World Bank initiative which saw the practical collapse of the Nigerian economy is still fresh in memory. From the Nigerian point of view, nothing good can come from IMF's plans for Africa.

So the Nigerian masses take to the streets in almost every city of the country, demonstrating their unwillingness to let a government whose astronomical spending is oddly out of place with the economic realities on ground, take them for a ride. On a good day, this should excite me. I am tired of ineptitude. I am tired of the vicious circle of poverty that forces the average Nigerian to seek greener pastures in foreign lands that takes issue with their Nigerianness. I am tired of trigger happy cops and a country riddled with ethnic and religious crises. So how come two days into the protests, I have lost faith in the people?

The first day of the protests, cities like Lagos and Kano witnessed a huge turn out of protesters. Lawyers, traders, and students stood shoulder to shoulder and sang anti government slogans. For a moment, it did not matter that your tribal marks or prayer mat in your hand differed from the rosary on my neck, we were united against a common foe. It was a moment to stretch hands across the wide gulf brought by ethno-religious crisis as never before in the history of the country has the dichotomy between the Northern and Southern regions of the country grown so wide. It wasn't long before we were recording casualties as Ademola Aderintobi became our first martyr in the struggle against the government. The death of Ademola added more fuel to the fire and the will of the people to continue the protests was strengthened. However, something strange began to happen. Suddenly, the protests were turning to a carnival of all sorts. In some parts of the country, hoodlums merged with the crowd and caused mayhem. In other parts, musicians entertained the protesters with music and fanfare and failed politicians and former political jobbers took the podium to spew anti-government rhetoric. Boy, did this protest lose focus or what?

Now, I take issues with those Nigerians who are easily impassioned and misled. I found it laughable and even ridiculous as it became clear that the protests had become an avenue to settle cheap political scores that Nigerians were willing to buy into the melodrama. I am not a fan of the present administration and I do not like IMF or the World Bank simply for the fact that their policies have failed Africa BUT having seen how the protests are slowly beginning to derail, I do not care to be part of the jamboree. It is no secret that we are at a point where tempers are running high, rumours have become the order of the day and religious and tribal organizations freely issue ultimatums to citizens of the country.

At this point, I thought that the people would demand an end to the killings that bedevil the country daily. I would have thought that there would have been a clear demand for peace and a Sovereign National Conference to settle the differences of the over 250 nationalities that make up Nigeria. Instead what we have is a cosmetic attempt to cover the deep wound that threatens our corporate existence as a country. An attempt to hijack a genuine fight for freedom by tainted individuals. We have seen how the protest degenerated to the killing of innocent Nigerians in Benin as old wounds are tested. In my humble opinion, Nigerians need to have a clear idea what and who they are fighting for. It is a disgrace that Nigerians allow politicians to use them. I seethe when my television screen is lit with the images of former ministers and members of the cabinets of past governments, who were also guilty of corruption during their stint in public office, offering "brilliant" solutions and proffering ideas on how the president could have managed the subsidy issue. I am like "really? You had a chance before dear ex-minister and you failed, so sit down and shut up."

As the occupy fever sweeps Nigeria and people debate with loud voices, frayed tempers and cryptic facebook messages, my people must remember not to lose focus. I have been disappointed by the majority of intellectuals who have offered feeble excuses for the selective amnesia and cosmetic approach to the lingering crisis that have become an everyday reality for Nigerians. I expect more from people who have been exposed to education and so far, I have been let down. I have never been one to conform and do not see myself as one having a crowd mentality. I have aired my views and do not care whose ox is gored. As we bay for Jonathan's blood and rain curses on him and argue that Nigeria as an oil country has no business comparing oil prices with the USA since other OPEC countries sell cheaper petrol to its citizens, we must not forget what drew us out of our homes in the first place. We must hold ALL leaders, past and present, responsible for our economic woes. We must demand that they tell us why they continue to poke sticks into the wounds of our servitude. We cannot afford to be screwed all over again. We must not allow ourselves to be divided.

Umari Ayim

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:35:00 +0000

THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN POST GADDAFI LIBYA

When news broke that Colonel Gaddafi had been captured, the mood ranged from relief to quiet disappointment, and to clear jubilation. However, the drama that was to follow has kept everyone riveted on the Libya story. First was the confusion about the way he met his death. The NTC had released contradictory statements on Thursday last week following Gaddafi's capture in Sirte. Owing to NTC's unclear statements on the happenings in Sirte, conspiracy theorists had a field day painting Gaddafi has the 21st century Houdini who had once again pulled his disappearing act on the tribe behind NATO's bombing campaign and the rebels they supported. Several news reports after, the dust had settled. The proof of Gaddafi's capture and subsequent death was in the proof of the gruesome photos and videos that people all over the world were treated to. And no matter how some would go ahead to live in denial by calling the released photos "a hoax" and "fake", as hours passed, one thing was certain, the eccentric Libyan leader with his love for over the top military uniforms, Bedouin tents, aviator sunglasses and female bodyguards wasn't coming back from whatever dark place the NTC had dispatched him to. The pictures of the former Libyan's leader's bloodied clothes and the disjointed stories that accompanied them convinced the world at some point that Gaddafi had been captured alive but died of wounds sustained during his capture. Four days later, new facts have emerged and NATO's bedfellows have admitted that Gaddaf's death was more of a summary execution than anything else.

But I digress. Now as we watch with bated breaths or clinical detachment the events unfolding in Libya, it is obvious that things will never be the same again. As much as I am tempted to veer off course and tackle the hypocritical war that toppled Colonel Gaddafi, I have decided to dedicate this write up to the women of Libya. The ones I saw with gleeful expressions in the crowds that turned out in Benghazi and Misrata to celebrate the death of Gaddafi. As I remember these jubilant women against the backdrop of the recent statement credited to Mahmoud Jibril, Libya's new prime minister that Libya's new legal system will have "an Islamic tint and existing laws that contradict the teachings of Islam will be nullified", I wonder just how many of them are still smiling and pumping their fists in the air. While I am harshly critical of the messianic syndrome and sit tight fever that most African leaders suffer from, I am wary of the intervention of greedy western powers that most times bring more grief than relief to the countries they invade, and Libya has slowly started evolving from the near perfect developed African country we all loved to brag about to a country run by extremists in business with imperialists. Now I beg to indulge in the repeating of commonly known facts. During Gaddafi's reign, there was very little poverty in Libya. The country had the best living standards in Africa. Libya had free healthcare, free education, free farmland, a house and seeds, free energy bills, $50,000 housing money for just married couples, and interest free loans. Libya was a debt free country (unlike most African states befriended by the West), had near free gasoline prices, plus the government paid half the price for your car, among other benefits. Oh, and the women? Libyan women enjoyed more freedom than their counterparts in the Arab world. In fact, Libyan women enjoyed the same freedom with their Western counterparts. They enjoyed free education, and enjoyed rights that saw them driving cars when the women in the Arab world were jailed for daring to get behind a car wheel. Gaddafi with his revolutionary idea that a woman should be trained in the art of war walked his talk by employing female bodyguards. There was no doubt that Gaddafi did not see women as mere accessories to be used for decoration and banished into the background where a mumble of acquiescence is all that is necessary for speech.

Women under Gaddafi were liberated and enjoyed vast human rights, but apparently that will no longer be the case. The US and its allies, in a display of psychotic behaviour and shameless double speak have decided that for the West to survive, it has to work with rebels who clearly share the same ideals with the terrorists they claim to wage wars against. NATO as a military arm of the imperialist West has decided that it is willing to sacrifice those very tenets on which Western democracy and ideals are built on for oil. America, France and Britain have decided that the loss of women rights in Libya is a small price to pay for the gain of Libyan oil. So, while I mull over the new prime minister's words especially the part that lifts the restriction on the number of wives Libyan men can take, I shake my head at the loss of innocence. As the scramble for Libya's oil begins, as the West trips over itself to demand answers over Gaddafi's cold blooded murder, as "friends" of the new Libyan government promise to "redistribute" Gaddafi's wealth among Libyans, as aid becomes a new reality for Libyans, as the new government trades the rights of Libyans for the lure of having multiple wives, I hope that the women of Libya will always remember life as it was before the hawks descended.

NAIJA SISTAS: DOING MORE THAN BOOKS.

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:01:00 +0000

I remember my first telephone conversation with the author of "Diary of a desperate Naija woman" Bola Essein-Nelson. It was the warmest voice that greeted me over the phone. Friendly and eager to help with my inquiries, Bola was a delight at first call. A welcome relief from the usual brusqueness of the few highbrow bookstores on the Island, she immediately began my induction into the Naijasistas group. The rules were simple. You had to be woman. You had to have a published book. Then, that was it! No complex procedures or unnecessarily high commissions. This was a bookstore that was ready to stock your book at almost no cost. So began my journey with the most amazing group of women I ever met.

Naijasistas became a new family for me. Women writers were not only given a platform to sell their books, they were given an opportunity to connect with each other. I have been lucky to know authors like Jennifer Ehidiamen, Pamela Evbota, and Myne Whitman through this group. I have been blessed to connect with women who are not afraid to break boundaries and make an impact on the society with their writing. I am amazed by the sheer determination of these women who juggle careers and other responsibilities and still manage to pull us into well crafted stories. And even more, I am intrigued by the resilience of the "Naija" spirit which refuses to die in the face of so much adversity. I can't stop thanking God for leading me to that fateful call.

Now the group is expanding and Naija sistas is doing more than books. The group is becoming a refuge for women who need a voice. The show "Titi and the Naija sistas" on Lagos radio station, inspiration FM, has helped in bringing more women closer to discuss issues like domestic violence among others which affect them. Authors of the Naijasisters bookstore (NSBS family if you please) partake in these radio shows by using their gifts of creativity to tell the stories of women who are voiceless. Women are coming together in the spirit of sisterhood to speak with one voice, and all it took was the steely determination of one soft spoken woman to make it happen. As for those beautiful, amazing, and fantastic women writers of the family like Seye Oke, Jennifer Nkem Ezeanya, Dupe Olorunjo, Lara Adejumo, Dolapo Babalola, Ekene Onu, and Folake Taylor, I look forward to connecting with you all. As for the new members of the family who are not writers, you are welcome, after all we all have stories to tell. Loads of love,

Your Naijasista

Umari

RAPE : AN OUTCOME OF DEPRAVITY OR A REFLECTION OF A CHAUVINISTIC CULTURE?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 10:31:00 +0000

Rape has been defined as "the unlawful compelling of a person through physical force or duress to have sexual intercourse." One of the most appalling crimes done by man, rape has been used as a weapon to humiliate and degrade would be victims. Victims of rape can either be male or female. However, I will be looking at rape where women are victims of male attackers.

In Africa, rape has become more prevalent than ever. In Congo where there is endless conflict between militias, about 1,100 women are being raped daily (American journal of public health) with more than 400,000 women aged 15-49 raped during a 12 month period between 2006 - 2007 (AFP). While rape tends to be a norm during wars like the Congo situation, it is also a reality in peaceful societies. While western countries have stringent laws to checkmate this crime, African societies have had a hard time finding any tangible solution to this menace and operates absurd laws as a panacea for the issue. In Nigeria, the criminal code provides a life sentence for a rapist once a rape has been established that it took place, however the conditions on which such a claim is to be established puts a burden of proof on the victim and in the end frustrates justice. Many of such conditions such as the requirement of one or two witnesses for corroborative evidence, proof of penetration, proof that penetration is linked to the attacker or accused, and proof that penetration was without consent of the girl (section 357: criminal code) are just many of the roadblocks successfully erected by the Nigerian legal system with the help of a culture that appears more sympathetic to the perpetrator of the crime than the victim. The 2001 case of Sunday Jegede v. the state where the judgement held that the injury on the victim's vagina was not conclusive evidence as the requirement for corroborative evidence was not met, and the recent Abia state University gang rape case that had a sitting governor, Vice Chancellor and commissioner of police denying the rape took place without proper investigation.

Now the question is, is rape an outcome of depravity or a mere reflection of a chauvinistic culture? If the judges in Sunday Jegede v. the state were women, would the victim have found justice? If the Abia state governor, the Vice Chancellor of Abia state university and the commissioner of police were all women would they have swung to action and immediately brought the rapists to book? The answer is obvious. It is clear that a culture of male chauvinism affects laws relating to women and countries like Nigeria where lawmakers slap their female colleagues will never provide the necessary legal framework to provide true justice for female victims of rape and other crimes. The complicity of security agencies make it difficult to get a clear picture of the exact number of rape cases as a result of under reporting because police themselves have been implicated in the rape of female detainees. The culture of male dominance which has been accepted as normal makes it possible for rape to continue. Aside this problems, the society which is more patriarchal in its outlook will blame the victim who will have to live with the stigma of being raped.

Nigeria must do away with cultural practices that hold no value. As a signatory to the U.N charter on human rights, Nigeria must go back to the drawing board and enact laws that provide adequate punishment for male attackers as well as adequate compensation for their female victims. It is indeed disturbing that rape as a trend continues unabated. The recent rape of a 16 year old virgin in Lagos by three men and the now common gang rape of old women by youths aged between 17-25 Enugu show the danger of bad laws and a dysfunctional culture. Article 1(3) of the U.N charter on human rights calls for the respect of human rights for all without distinction on account of sex. Nigeria however is still undecided on the superiority of its male driven culture over laws that provide for gender equality.

ACID, HONOUR KILLINGS, HAPLESS WOMEN AND UN MDGs

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:48:00 +0000

When the news broke that Ameneh Bahrami had pardoned the man that disfigured her face in an acid attack that left her with physical and emotional scars that may never fade, the reactions ranged from incredulous to admiring. There were those who believed that despite the general consensus that barbaric laws have no place in modern society, the acid punishment on Ameneh's attacker was justified. Others lauded her forgiving spirit and spoke highly of her. Yet the underlying fact remained that Ameneh was just one of the millions of women in the Arab world and South East Asia constantly subject to emotional, psychological and physical abuse in the hands of men. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA, it is estimated that perhaps as many as 5,000 women and girls a year are killed by members of their own families. Not too far back this year, a Saudi man was reported to have bathed his wife and mother to his three children in acid as their children watched helplessly. Ameneh's country Iran may be behind Pakistan in acid throwing, but it also records a high number of victims who were disfigured by jealous lovers, family members, scorned suitors and even strangers they have no connection with. The Arab world has a long way to go in terms of women rights. Women are often regarded as properties of their husbands, remain largely voiceless and are sometimes treated like chattels to be bought, used and abused. No doubt there are liberal Arab States like the U.A.E where women enjoy relative freedom, but these states are far outnumbered by those that with oppressive environments for women.

Honour killings, the killing of a women of a family due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community which belong to the stone ages is still a reality in most Arab states and has been reported in Europe where Arab immigrants live. Women have been killed for the most flimsiest excuse. In 2008, a woman was killed in Saudi Arabia for "chatting" with a man on the social networking site Facebook. In 2010 a 16-year-old girl was buried alive by relatives for befriending boys in Southeast Turkey; her corpse was found 40 days after she went missing. Even recently, a Pakistani father killed six of his daughters over the allegation that two of them befriended local college boys, and four of them took sides with the two accused of the crime.

In order for the United Nations to realize the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it must intensify its fight against gender oppression as the helpless women in the Arab world and South East Asia suffer the worst crimes against women. The ire drawn by Iran's bid to join the the board of a powerful new United Nations agency promoting equality for women is perfectly understandable. It is galling that Iran with its history of human rights abuse against women is vying for a seat in a body that promotes the liberation of women in oppressive climes. The U.N however need to do more than just report these abuses or prevent countries with reported abuses against women from joining strategic agencies. The UN should adopt a more severe approach of dealing with erring nations. To fully exploit human capital as underlined by the MDGs, women need to be completely free from discrimination. Pro active measure must be taken to prevent more abuses against women in countries all over the world. Justice should be served for perpetrators of such hideous crimes like acid pouring or honour killings in the Middle East and South East Asia. And unless this is done, it is highly improbable that the MDGs will be a reality any time soon.

THE "TWILIGHT AT TERRACOTTA INDIGO" EXPERIENCE, BOOKSTORES AND THOSE OTHER CHARACTERS!

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:32:00 +0000

At last, the journey has come to an end, and "Twilight at Terracotta Indigo" has gone on sales. For me, it was a journey that had its ups and downs. From the moment I put the first lines down on a scanty forty leaves notebook I had stumbled across in my hostel room in 2008, I fell in love with Marlene and drooled over Femi's cucumber cool character. The story rolled past my pen ink and by I started hitting the keyboard of my Acer laptop, my fingers flew effortlessly and of their own accord. Apparently, I had known Femi and Marlene in another life and befriended them.

"Twilight at Terracotta Indigo" for me was more than a story, it was part of a healing process. I had just come out of a relationship, and I need an outlet for my emotions. Coupled with my endless musing about life and the social practices I saw as unfair, I poured my heart out into the story. There were those terror filled nail biting moments when I sorted through my lines, checking to see if the suspense had been maintained and the potential reading audience had enough to keep them turning page after page till they found answers to the questions that seemed to trail the lives of my characters.

I had big plans for "Twilight at Terracotta indigo" and I wanted a well packaged novel that stood out in every way. As an unrelenting critic of several reading materials, I was conscious of grammatical errors and cover blemishes. To their credit, the guys at "Magic Wand" who published my novel did their best to deliver "Twilight at Terracotta Indigo" in the form that it is today. Although, I must confess that this was not without a few episodes of tantrums throwing, but thank God for his mercies, They still managed to pull it through.

Publicity for the book started with the first ever reading at "Waterfalls" restaurant off Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island. Trust your truly to get the best to read lines off the novel. The beautiful and sultry Nollywood actress Monalisa

Chinda delivered a reading that made "Twilight at Terracotta Indigo" something of a movie. Even I watched in captivating silence as the rise and fall of her voice transported me and the audience into another world that oddly bore the same name with the one we were physically in. It was purrfect!!! Cordelia Okpei of the FRCN

connection gave a performance that was also beautiful and no less powerful than Mona Lisa's rendering of my story. Next was Frank Edoho

of the "Who wants be a millionaire?" fame. Frank's voice, already famous for its booming quality on the family show easily held us spell bound. I am sure the women in the room did more than listen to him if you know what I mean. ;-). The venue of the reading was upscale and the intimate setting helped to bring those people who had honoured me with their presence close to the visiting stars. Yes it was a setting befitting of "Twilight at Terracotta Indigo" as well as Femi, Tolu, and Mrs Adesoga who no doubt are too classy to be subjected to anything less. I am sure Mrs Adesoga would have liked me even though my parents do not belong to her rich circle of friends. ( It's all in the book!)

Anyway, now the journey has come to an end, and the other pressing voices of my characters in my next book are screaming indignantly for my attention. I must attend to them. They too have met me in another life, and they insist that their story too must be told. I love them no less than I love Femi and Marlene. Only, I will have to trade the comfort of "Twilight at Terracotta Indigo" for less posh settings....*sigh* Still, I must attend to them. And oh, don't forget to look out for my collection of poems "Inside my head". A must have for those wise souls who gaze upon the universe with questions in their hearts.

Who else?

BOOKSTORES TO GRAB COPIES OF "TWILIGHT AT TERRACOTTA INDIGO"

1) Debonairs Bookstores 294 Herbert Macaulay Street, Sabo, Yaba (opposite Hoares Memorial Methodist Church).

2) Naija Sistas Book stop, 26 Festival road, off Adetokunboh Ademola Street. (Same premises with Nelson Consulting)

COMING SOON TO

Hub Media stores, Shoprite Lekki, Lagos

Lifestyle stores, Silverbird Galleria, Abuja

WOMEN : BEYOND THROWING SHOES, WATER BOTTLES AND MAKING LIGHTWEIGHT POLITICAL SPEECHES....

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:47:00 +0000

As the world continues to be fixated by the wonders of social media, and thousands of videos of ordinary and not so ordinary people become accessible daily on the internet, it is no small wonder that the video of female Afghan parliamentarians engaged in fisticuffs after a round of shoe and bottle throwing between two of its MPs has gone viral on the internet. The two actors in the drama, General Nazifa Zaki and Ms. Hamida Ahmadzai apparently were contending over the possibility that their neighbour Pakistan was responsible for firing rockets into their country before they decided that the best way to reach a consensus was through physical combat.

While the picture of female politicians brawling during a parliamentary session is funny, it is no doubt an unflattering one, especially in a country where women were denied such rights as they currently enjoy in the days when the Taliban held sway. The incident between the Afghan MPs has a negative impact on female politics generally,not because this is the first time in the history of the world that we are seeing senators/parliamentarians metamorphose into karate loving Jet Lis and Jackie Chans while debating issues, but because in a patriarchal world that enjoys its double standards, women will always receive the most lashing for mimicking "the boys."

The recent election of 26 women into the Nigerian National Assembly was applauded by most Nigerians as a sign of commitment to give women a stronger voice in politics, yet with the Afghan video and the lesson of our own "fall girls" (remember Patricia Etteh?), one cannot help but pray that these women show exemplary leadership and resist the urge to just sit pretty and heavy decked with assorted jewelries, and playing to perfection the act of glorified accessories in the National Assembly. Women in developing countries like our own where cultural influences still hold us chained to the past, need to put extra effort in everything they do. They must never forget that their male colleagues will get away with a lot more than they will ever get away with, (Dimeji Bankole is yet to be hung with the same political noose that snuffed the life out of Etteh's career after making away with more money than she was accused of embezzling. You catch my drift?)

It is time for women in this part of the world to rise to the challenge of being good politicians. After all before the advent of the white man, African women did more than cook and take care of their families. They went to war, sat in councils and worked hand in hand with their men folk to ensure a smooth running of their societies. So it is expedient that women take their roles seriously before they are accorded the respect they demand. Women must go beyond the court jester roles they play in politics. Our own Sarah Jibril whose run for the presidency seems to be based on the need of her male dominated and controlled party for a comic relief, is one of those women who reinforce the belief that women should be merely tolerated in politics and not taken seriously. Her speech at the last presidential primaries where she contested with the current President Goodluck and former Vice President Atiku was not only light weight and dramatic, it was downright cringe worthy. The patronizing smiles on the faces of the delegates at the venue of the primaries while she spoke was painful to watch. While her bold attempts to vie for the office of the president is commendable, I hope that the new crop of female politicians fare better than her.

In conclusion, women need to move beyond docility in politics and I am not talking about descending to the level of motor park touts or professional wrestlers. I believe that the only way women can be a force to be reckoned with in politics is by breaking free from society's constrictions and aggressively push for a stronger voice without losing sight of the goal to bring change and progress side by side the men.

MARTYRS- WHO NEEDS THEM?

noreply@blogger.com (Umari Ayim) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 23:29:00 +0000

The bomb blast on the eve of the parliamentary elections at the INEC office at Suleja might have come and gone, leaving victims in mortuaries or bleeding in hospital beds, but the families of the five NYSC corps members killed by the blast will always live to remember that day and their loss forever.
It is regrettable that the country has sunk to the level of anarchy and senseless bloodletting, and innocent people are being sent to their early graves. It even hurts more that the youths who have been at the receiving end of the Nigeria’s retrogression have now become sacrificial lambs for those who have vowed to turn Nigeria into a wasteland should their ambitions suffer defeat. The five NYSC corps members who died in last Friday blast like most Nigerian youths went through an epileptic educational system in the hope of a better future for them and their families, but the country once failed them.

The deaths of these five corps members bring to memory all the other deaths of promising young Nigerians who were killed or were victims of some harm during their mandatory one year service. It is hard to forget the three young men who were massacred during the Jos crisis in 2008 or the female corps member who was raped and killed in 2009 while serving in Bornu as she went looking for dinner. It is confusing that the government is prepared to continue dancing around the safety of the youth corps members without making any concrete plan to provide a solution to these crimes perpetrated against them. It is even more galling that they are made to serve their father land for free, only to be killed for nothing. Let us not forget that the government which asks so much from these youths did not contribute in any way to their education. In a country where there is hardly any educational grant, I find it highly irresponsible for the proponents of NYSC scheme to argue for its continued existence without taking into consideration the plight of families that have struggled to send their children to school despite the harsh times, only to lose them in gruesome circumstances. The anguish of a father or mother who labours under the unforgiving sun to provide education for their children cannot be imagined in the event of their untimely death. Why should the ordinary citizen be made to sacrifice his child while many Nigerian leaders with bloated stomachs send their children to posh schools outside the country, and away from the possibility of being blown apart by bombs?

While several communities profit from the presence of these corps members, the same cannot be said for the corps members themselves. Many have to endure the lack of basic amenities when they are sent to some remote areas to render service to their father land. They risk hostile communities to impart whatever knowledge they gained in the university to their hosts. And at the end of the day, there is no guarantee that their efforts will be rewarded. If they are lucky, they finish their service year alive.

The government has to go back to the drawing board as regards the NYSC scheme. The scheme was meant to be a vehicle for national unity upon its inception in May 1973 by the then military regime of General Yakubu Gowon. It was meant to broaden our understanding of the different cultures abound this country. However, the decline of the country’s socio-economic strength has seen a drastic change in the quality of the scheme. In those days, NYSC corps members represented the future of the nation and were treated with respect by their host communities. They were given comfortable quarters and paid allowances that mostly met their needs. At the end of their service year, they were sure of job offers. They could even afford to choose where what companies to work for. Presently, the story is not the same. Now NYSC corps members have assumed a new status in the country. They have become martyrs.

The president may have meant well in his condolence speech following the bomb blast in Suleja, but I don’t understand why these young corps members had to be the ones to sacrifice their lives for Nigeria. Was it not bad enough that most of them came from families that live below one dollar a day while our politicians award themselves ridiculous salaries and allowances? Why can’t our leaders themselves give their own children to be martyrs? The government has not been responsible enough to its citizens to demand such a heavy task from them. Most parents who do not bear such titles as “honourable” and “senator” or even “president” hope to see their children grow up to become success stories. They put in time, effort and money into the education of their children to ensure that those children achieve the education that might have eluded some of them. Since the government cannot live up to its task of moving the economy forward or raising the standard of living in the country, then the government should at least allow these parents enjoy their children who mean everything to them. If the NYSC has become a vehicle of death and sorrow, then something must be done about the scheme. The government must either provide adequate security to corps members or scrap the scheme altogether.

Nigerian parents do not train their children to become martyrs. If it were so, they certainly didn’t need to work themselves like animals so their children can have better lives. As for the unfortunate corps members, I doubt that they had any plan to offer their lives for Nigeria. An unwilling martyr is no martyr. He or she is merely a victim. So to correct the president, the youth corps members who were killed were victims and not martyrs. They were victims of a corrupt leadership that has no vision for its youths. President Goodluck Jonathan may want to really look again at the faces of those parents who have lost their children. Those are not people who deserved to lose their children just so they can be called martyrs. These are hard working Nigerians who do not have the luxury of luck. They will rather have their children alive than sacrifice them to a country that has never done anything for them. They will rather have children than martyrs. If the president doubts this, he should ask himself what he wants for his own children.