With regards to women empowerment, the women folks have a lot to do in order to lay a solid template which other women can follow. Climbing the executive ladder to become a board room guru, a top notch politician, a renowned athlete comes with great responsibility and leaves behind strings of surmounted challenges. A lot lies on the shoulders of these women in these positions as not only do other women look to them as a source of inspiration, their actions and inaction could create a gender stereotype in an already prejudiced society.
Take for example the Late Dora Akunyili who through determination and self-will transformed a Federal Government parastatal ( NAFDAC) through her fight against the proliferation of fake drugs into the Nigeria market; a feat she was globally recognized for. Now she has not only created a legacy of positive contribution, she has created a physiological awareness in the minds of female employees in the parastatal and beyond that indeed a woman can succeed were men have failed. Many girl-child have her as a role-model. The singular effort of an individual inspiring and providing a template for aspiring minds to follow.
Hillary Clinton has always been a pacesetter, challenged the norm and dared to dream. In the United States of America today had Michelle Obama decided to run for Senate eyebrows wouldn’t be raised, the society would accept it, because another individual has paid the price, another dreamer has challenged the norm, weathered the storm and left a legacy. Though Hillary lost the Presidential elections, she ‘won’ because she just prepared the battle ground for America’s First Female President.
Women in every position of leadership today all face the same challenge; the society does not expect you to succeed, at best it expects you to maintain status quo. From the Nigerian perspective, the society would judge you more harshly than it judges the male folks; take for example the case of Honorable Patricia Etteh.
Hence the need to deliver, to innovate, to impress becomes paramount as your success would not only be yours to share. A woman who delivers on her mandate and leaves a legacy of positive contribution would cause a great ripple in the seemly calm sea of societal stereotype.
