SHE CAN

Time and again, societies have neglected and undermined girls, believing they are not capable of taking on societal roles, leading others, doing what men do and also denying them the right to education. Why is that so? Yes we do perfectly understand that there are some things that men can do that women cannot do but even with that, there is a limitation to it and this does not give the right to society to stop girls from pursuing education.

Moreover, society makes it seem as if girls cannot succeed through education. For them, a girl's place is in the kitchen, doing all household chores while men go to school. But the honest truth is, education is for all genders and not one particular gender. Education is now one of the surest and most promising ways to make it in this life. Girls are not only meant to be in the kitchen, they also deserve to be educated. Many girls have proven that being a female does not limit one’s right to education. The fact that you are a girl does not mean you cannot be educated, lead people, take up leadership roles or even succeed in life. You are fully capable of succeeding in any path you choose, as long as it is a good one and you approach it with focus, determination and courage, you can do it and make it.

However, the backlash from society did not stop women from pursuing education. Wangari Maathai, who had the dream to be educated, grew up in a rural area in Kenya where girls were rarely educated but this didn’t stop her from pursuing her dreams, she fought for and earned scholarships to study in the US and Kenya itself. She became the first African woman to win the noble peace prize. How inspiring and encouraging that is. Even after winning the noble peace prize, she didn’t stop there but used the recognition as a stronger platform to advocate for women’s rights. She partnered with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on a global tree planting campaign with the goal of planting one billion trees worldwide. By 2011, over twelve billion trees had been planted globally.

Another remarkable woman who set the bar high for women in Nigeria is Chief Charlotte Olajumoke Obasa who became the First Lady to receive Western education in Nigeria and she is part of the women known as the trailblazer of women’s education.

We can also talk of our very own Oprah Winfrey who rose from childhood poverty and abuse, to becoming the world’s first black woman billionaire after making it onto Forbes’ billionaire list. She has also been listed numerous times among Time magazine’s most influential people. On her talk show, the Oprah Winfrey Show, she tackles real life issues such as mental health, poverty, abuse, addiction and many more making her show one of the most influential and watched shows in TV history. She keeps on making greater impacts in the lives of both men and women. Her story is one of the most inspiring examples of overcoming adversity through education, determination, and vision.

Furthermore, there are many other women in history who have proven that women have the right to education. The story and determination of these prestigious women despite the effort of society to stop them from achieving their goal makes it known that women have the capability to achieve their goals and also have the right to education.

In addition to this, in this contemporary world where everybody lives unlike in the past, men usually aim at getting educated and hardworking wives who will support them in whatever they do, as they will spend many years together as a couple.

As we draw the curtains down, we must remember that women who fought for education even through the hard times have been able to change the world completely. So girls, let us not give up on our education and dreams, let us not allow people bully or abuse us but rather we should strive harder in education and whatever our hands find to do, let us do it well in order to make the world a better place for ourselves and everyone. Just as the great and mighty women have left an indelible mark on the world, now it is our turn to carry on their legacy and let us do that with courage, determination and purpose.