Womens Economic Rights> womeneconomicrights-conference>pressure group-a necessity

["Titus Otis-Ikeh" <forthright2k1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Let me commend the incisive presentation by MRS. NOGI IMOUKHUEDE and all 
other participants who have so far sent in their contributions.  I submit 
that the most dangerous barriers to women liberation in Nigeria could be 
traced to factors stemming from cultural and economical  leanings.  The main 
root is embedded in culture.  It is culture that disinherits women 
(economical); it is culture that relegates women to the background hence the 
saying that women should be seen and not heard (Social).  It is culture that 
denies the girl child her right to education, freedom of choice and 
association, marriage.  It is culture  that subjugates the woman and 
indoctrinates her to accept all forms of injustices and bestiality against 
her as the norm.  Hence apologists of culture will always find a common 
defence in the saying, ?Well, it is our culture?.
If culture is the way of life of a people, and from time to time this people 
continue to change, their values continue to change, their way of life 
continue to change, why then if I may ask must these repressive cultural 
tendencies not change?.  The simple answer is that men who are the main 
custodians just find it very convenient.  No, it is no longer ?Our culture?. 
 It is injustice, it is violence, it is evil, it is a sin and crime against 
humanity.  And time to act is NOW!.
To liberate the Nigerian Women from every shackle of cultural and economic 
barriers for meaningful empowerment, I profer the following viz;
1.	We must make effective contact with all concerned stakeholder for a 
focused partnership to form pressure group for the twin-pronged approach of 
demanding and  actualising the rights of the Nigerian women from the 
government; and sensitising the Nigerian woman of her rights through 
education.
2.	A seven (7) day workshop to be organised in Abuja (the seat of power) 
within the next six months inviting all relevant authorities and legislative 
bodies and the full custodians of the diverse Nigerian cultures and 
traditions, appealing to their consciences to do away with every oppressive 
and repressive law and cultural practices against the Nigerian woman.
Phase two of this campaign should be reduced to 3 days workshop at the state 
and local government levels continuously over time until appreciable result 
is achieved.
3.	Information education for every local women leader at the ward level on 
the rights of the Nigerian woman and how to demand for them.
4.	To economically and politically empower the Nigerian woman, they must 
pool resources together and MUST present a common political front under the 
aegis of such pressure group as suggested herein to make a tangible 
political break through which will enhance some economic goodwill for her.  
The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) could have been the suitable 
body to do it but has failed over the years to tackle it headlong.
5.	Aggressive advocacy and sensitisation campaign must be embarked upon 
through an appropriately packaged television network programme.  The 
Ministry of Women Affairs must as a matter of responsibility be very visible 
in the facilitation of some of these programmes to liberate and empower the 
Nigerian Woman.  No society can lay claim to civilisation when it continues 
to repress and suppress the fundamental and natural rights of her womanhood.
EXPERIENCES

1.	I have previously reported extensively the case of a hospitability 
business owner in Lagos who became furious with us, refunded our fee for 
accommodation facility just two days to our workshop and totally refused us 
the use of the facility just because the workshop was on women empowerment.  
According to him, it was against his culture and religion! Imagine.
2.	In one of my many recorded Vox Populi; most men interviewed insisted 
women should only be ?given? partial rights just to tell the men their 
(women?s) needs only.  Talk of playing gods!.
3.	There is also the case of a legal wife who has been confined to sleeping 
in the sitting room with her five children (2 girls and 3 boys), while the 
mistress who now lives with them enjoys the bedroom with the husband, and 
she has been warned that any complaint from her will earn her summary 
sacking from her matrimonial home plus other unimaginable things being 
continuously meted out to this woman.  But the hopeless thing is that this 
same woman has refused us from taking any action.  She is under some kind of 
fear.
4.	I have recorded cases of gang rape, incest, wife battery, child 
abandonment; very pathetic stories all, in some case with even dire medical 
consequences.
Let us rise up and give a human face to our society, if we can articulate on 
these suggestions and implement them successfully we shall do well.  Thank 
you.
                IKEH, TITUS OTIS (MR),
                THE FORTHRIGHT ORGANIZATION LTD,
                c/o ETBIZ CENTRE,
                SUITE 57 CORNERSHOPS COMPLEX,
                MAMBOLO STREET, WUSE ZONE 2, ABUJA
                        TEL: 09-5238540
                              E-MAIL: forthright2k1@xxxxxxxxxxx
                                       forthright@xxxxxxxxxx

I humbly request the comprehensive list of all participants, their full 
addresses including email (and website if possible).








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