Candidate 34 has been disqualified. The elections would have to be rescheduled.” Regina could not believe her ears. Just as she was about to be declared winner of the faculty presidential election, she was disqualified! What had she done wrong? Murmurings arose from among the voters, supporters and everyone around. Everyone was just as bewildered and perplexed as she was. The only person with a smirk on his face was Prince, her closest rival.  She followed the presiding officer out of the hall.  “Surely there has been some mistake, sir,” she said, huffing and puffing and trying so hard to catch up with his extra long strides.  “No mistake Regina. The Dean said you were not supposed to even contest.”  Regina’s eyes popped out of their sockets.  “But he was the one that gave me a recommendation letter? My grades are great. I have been an active member of this faculty and I have served in three offices which recorded successes since my second year. De...

Some weeks ago, I was invited to speak with a group a individuals on the International Day of the Girl and when I realized I wasn't going to be speaking to a group of young girls, it birthed the idea for this post. Most times, gender advocates love to speak with and inspire young girls because they are the ones who have tons finally realize who they are and what they're meant to be but my interactions lately have shown me that beyond talking to these girls, we also reach them by interacting with the people who have the biggest influence over their life. So this months, this will be our focus. Under normal circumstances, no one influences a child's life more than his or her parents. From birth till adulthood, our parents are an undeniable force and a voice of reason in our heads. Our first morals and lessons were from our parents and till date, some of us still consult them from time to time for seasoned words of advice.  I would like to use this opportunity to appeal...

This is the 3rd Edition of the event to mark International Day of the Girl Child I will be organizing. I have never been physically present for any Edition but I appreciate the support system I have in friends and those who key into this vision who ensure that everything goes on smoothly. Thanks to everyone who has been holding the forte, pulling this through over the past 3 years in my absence. The International day of the girl Child as celebrated by me in partnership with Teach Her Foundation was held this year with over 120 participants including boys and girls, in attendance. The program is aimed at telling young girls not to wallow in limitations. As the theme of this year connotes (I AM A GIRL, UNSCRIPTED ME, UNSTOPPABLE ME), girls were motivated against existing societal stereotypes to dream beyond expectations and live their biggest dreams. Different keynote speakers invited to the program including the wife of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan Dr. Eyiwumi Bolu...

Today is the International Day of the Girl Child and the theme for this year is GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable. This is a letter from my heart to every young girl born or living in a patriarchal society like ours. I know that your identity and destiny has already been foretold even before your existence. Written down with seemingly indelible ink in the hearts of unfeeling and immovable men and women who seek to suppress and fit you into a mold that has been created for you from ages past. Although you are young and still trying to find yourself, they have started projecting these narratives on you - telling you who are; what you are made for and how your life is supposed to be. But everything in you screams against it. Deep down, you know that you don’t just want to be what they say you are supposed to be. You want to be more or just something else entirely. You are at a constant war with yourself. You are fighting endless mind battles because what you want or need to be is ...

TEN DAY COUNTDOWN In present-day Nigeria, the advocacy for the education of the girl-child has gained astronomical audience and enviable attention. Why? No one wants to be labelled unsympathetic towards the girl-child in a bid to realise her dreams, with or without her voice defining who she wants to be. The sixty-four-thousand-dollar question remains: when a girl-child is offered or given education, should she be offered a role or guided to choose her own roleplay in the society? At this year's International Day of the Girl-child, the paradigm will shift from limiting the girl-child’s expectations to providing her with rubrics that will guide her into choosing herself, at all times, and not who the society wants her to become. NINE DAY COUNTDOWN The society has conditioned a good number of the girl-child to appreciate every opportunity that comes their way without reference to their own effort. This reinforces a dependent mentality that inhibits the child’s quest to grow ...

Growing up in Nigeria, I have heard many men I know often complain about how society is hard on them as regards being responsible and having enough money to cater for themselves and others also. They also complain about how many women feel entitled to their wealth and money even when they barely know them. For instance, a guy asks for a girl's number and the girl already sees him as potential lunches, dinners, credit alerts and airtime even when she's clearly seeing someone. Sometimes, even just casual friends expect their male friends to buy gifts, help them pay for stuff and so on as though they're entitled to it. I strongly believe that if you didn't give someone money to keep for you, you should not be entitled to it. Whenever I see the men I know or hear about men (even people as young as I am) going through this, I feel so empathetic. Life is hard enough as it is and so many people are saddled with enough responsibilities that may be overwhelming them and ...

Growing up in Nigeria, I have heard many men I know often complain about how society is hard on them as regards being responsible and having enough money to cater for themselves and others also. They also complain about how many women feel entitled to their wealth and money even when they barely know them. For instance, a guy asks for a girl's number and the girl already sees him as potential lunches, dinners, credit alerts and airtime even when she's clearly seeing someone. Sometimes, even just casual friends expect their male friends to buy gifts, help them pay for stuff and so on as though they're entitled to it. I strongly believe that if you didn't give someone money to keep for you, you should not be entitled to it. Whenever I see the men I know or hear about men (even people as young as I am) going through this, I feel so empathetic. Life is hard enough as it is and so many people are saddled with enough responsibilities that may be overwhelming them and so I ...