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Mar. 19, 2007 As the world celebrated International Women's Day 2007 recently a popular international musician here by name Aicha Kone sang a song on the national television which provoked this article. (Let me digress a bit to say that I draw inspiration for my writings first and foremost from God, my experience and environment and current happenings around me in the global village we all inhabit.) In one of her songs in a released current album the melody diva Kone was singing that God was a woman! That song set me thinking after watching her and her beautiful dancers perform: What if really God were a woman? I had asked myself! What made this musical amazon to declare in her song that God is a woman? Since no man or woman has seen God since creation of the earth and first man and woman mankind had only witnessed His begotten Son messiah Emmanuel at work while coming on a spiritual errand (born of Virgin Mary and Joseph the carpenter) and conquering sin and it's mortal consequencies. If not for Him I wonder the fate that would have befallen sons and daughters of Adam. In today's world women have been doing virtually everything men do. Olympe de Gouges, the renowned French writer, affirmed in one of his books that "woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights. The social distinctions can only be based on mutual usefulness". From politics to sports to business to entertainment to evangelism and every other thing that keeps the hands, brain and body busy for one's livelihood. I will try to break the sectors down. But before then let me add that the late Godfather of Soul music legendary James Brown had declared in one of his famous songs; "It's a man's world, but it'll be nothing without a woman!" Behind every successful man they say you find a woman. Even behind the late Anini the criminal there was a woman, right? Politics: The most powerful woman in the world today is probably the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. The woman has been successful so far in her leadership of the Nazi country where a Hitler once questioned the existence of Jews unleashing the second world war which he said was intended to provide the "lasting solution to the Jewish question". And before her we had the Iron Lady herself Margareth Thatcher of Britain where a great woman is still the Queen, Elizabeth, overseeing not only England but even Australia as head of state even in ceremonial style. We've had Indira Ghandi of India, Corazon Aquino of Philippines, and presently another woman Gloria Arroyo is presiding over affairs in that deeply Christian country. In the US the current President of the Senate is one Democrat Nansi Pelosi while the foreign affairs department has Ms Condoleeza Rice as Secretary. America may in the near future produce a woman in the White House as Mrs Hilary Clinton gets set to pick the Democrats presidential ticket for 2008 presidential polls. Barring any unforeseen circumstances coupled with the Barack Obama challenge Hilary, with the crucial assistance of her politically experienced husband William Jefferson, is destined to succeed Bush come next year. In Africa women are becoming more and more politically conscious with the election to the office of president of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia. Dame Virgy Etiaba has already made history as the first woman governor in (Anambra State) Nigeria even if for three months. Late Funso William's wife Hilda was cheated of victory in PDP Lagos State gubernatorial primaries; Senator Obanikoro I was made to understand was imposed or anointed by the PDP establishment in her stead. Other former or current deputy governors in Nigeria like Mrs Olujimi of Ekiti State who served under a certain political scoundrel of a Governor Ayo Fayose, Mrs Bucknor-Akerele of Lagos State under Senator Bola Tinubu, one in Ogun State under Gbenga Daniel were or are still creating waves. Senators of the Federal Republic like Florence Ita-Giwa and a host of others in the Senate and House of Representatives and various states houses of assembly are not doing badly. President Obasanjo's daughter in Ogun state is poised to become a Senator more or less through her father's influence; I think currently she is a commissioner in the Gateway state. I think she's intelligent having read one of her articles in a Nigerian daily on women empowerment and her resolve to be counted among those who championed the cause. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Ministers Oby Ezekwesili, Nenadi Usman and a host of other political mothers deserve mention here. NAFDAC iron-lady Mrs Dora Akinyuli deserves some praise and recognition here. Sports: Mohammed Ali's daughter is taking after her great father in pugilism, American tennis queen sisters: Williams, Cynthia Uwak of women soccer in Nigeria etc. You need to watch the women world cup tournament to see how ladies play soccer even better than some men; sometimes one is forced to question the gender of these women running around a round leather object in a field. In business circles one sees women dominating their various environments in insurance, marketing, banking, importation, oil companies and even prostitution etc. Mrs Ndi Okereke-Onyuike of the Nigerian Stock Exchange is a good example here. And Dr. (Mrs.) Catherine Okpareke, the ICAN boss is another shining example. And in Italy and many other places the pimping ingenuity of our girls and ladies can win award for bad reasons any day! Entertainment: Great musicians like Cyline Dion, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cynthia Rothrock of Hollywood, Christy Essien Igbokwe, Onyeka Onwenu, Spice Girls, Beyonce, Angeline Kidjo of Benin Republic and smallish Rebecca of South Africa who remains my favourite artist apart from American Gospel songs legend Phil Driscoll whose song 'messiah' remains the best song for me for over a decade now right from my tertiary institution years etc. The greatest arena where the Nigerian women have dazzled the world is Nollywood, the African magic. Nollywood is of course a source of wealth, fame and shame! Shame in the sense that Nollywood often unwittingly conveys messages of evil forces and sordid deeds to the outside world about Nigeria and Nigerians. Here a non-Nigerian friend had once asked me if it was true that we eat human beings or sell human parts in an open market as our films say. Films about money rituals, 419, witchcraft, decaying morality, bigamy and cannibalism tend to bring shame and odium to us as Nigerians. Evangelism: Pastor Eunice Enujuba of SureWord Outreach in Port Harcourt, Pastor Mrs Idahosa of Church of God Mission in Benin City who took over where her husband left the evangelical race and wives of men of God playing supportive roles to their husbands' ministries in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world. Special mention to Pastor Mrs Oyakhilome who has written many faith-inspired books. I think and believe that God is a man since He made this clear before creating Adam or nursing the idea to that effect that He created the first man in His own image; so it's deducible that God is man and not woman! No one has power or glory enough to question the gender of our Creator and it is not the intention of this writer here to do so please. I have just deliberately paid a glowing tribute to women, virtuous matriarchs who through dint of hardwork and intelligence have one way or the other contributed or still contribute to the advancement of humanity. ------------ About the author: Sunny Chris Okenwa is a U-K contributor based in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire. Email: soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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