PLIGHT OF A GIRLCHILD

 

PLIGHT OF A GIRLCHILD

===============

Chinwendu Peace Nneamaka

My heart sank where I stood, this time it was heavier than usual. I heard the whooshing sound of bitterness as it continues to sneak around me.

.

.

"Mama Amaka, I have told you that I don't have money to send Amaka to school. Amaka is a girl and we can't afford to spend money for nothing," Daddy roared, staring at mum with those big eyeballs I restrain my hands from plucking off, each time he looks at me. 

.

.

Pempe, as baba Bola fondly calls him is not pleasant at home like he is in business. He has this unfriendly laugh that reminds me of Vogy, one of the vampires in the horror movie I watched, which left me wondering what mummy saw in him. Before now, he had always been an activist against girl child education, he considers it a waste of time and resources. 

.

.

During Baba Bola's birthday ceremony, he tried to sway him to allow Bola learn foodstuff trading in Obanlale Market close to our neighborhood in place of her studies. According to him "A virtuous woman should be able to differentiate the smell of Okporoko and dried fish while sleeping."

.

.

I sat behind the door fencing my eyes from tears as I wondered what the future holds for me. I stood up to engage myself with something else when his words crawled into my ears again.

.

.

"I don't have money, I have a lot of projects on my hands. Look at the house in the village, I need to roof it, I need to fix my car and maintain those shops I put out for rent, you can't drag me into using that money for Amaka's WEAC."  I guess this time, mummy must have been pleading with tears on my behalf trying to convince him of my academic prowess. 

.

.

Mummy loves to cry, she can cry because the tea she made for breakfast got cold. She cries in good and bad times. Daddy must have gotten used to those crocodile tears so he won't succumb to it.

.

.

Daddy's voice came again, this time loud enough to crack a shell. "Just like you, Amaka has nothing to offer in the progress of a family except making babies and taking care of them. You need to teach her what she needs to learn before marriage. The other day, I saw her mistaking Calabar red oil for Ibibio oil which is not good for a woman. I love my daughter Amaka, but as a Businessman I am, she's not an asset. Let Obinna go to school instead he will make us proud."

.

.

He adjusted his cap that matches the green agbada he wore, and picked his briefcase from the couch then continued, "I'll be on my way to Emeka's school, his principal called me yesterday concerning his WEAC and JAMB registration, and mind you, this should be the end of this conversation."  

.

.

He walked toward the door and reverse in a giffy "Lest I forget, I want Ofe Onugbu (Bitter leave soup) and Akpu di oku (Hot fufu) for dinner," He said, with the most unfriendly tone, and slam the door. 

.

.

A hand full of us can resonate with this story. It is a common menace in our society, especially among the low-income earners. But time has changed, the world has revolved and human understanding keeps changing with time. Our ancestors placed less value on the girl child as a result of ignorance and it will be outrightly demeaning if we allow the exact ignorance to frame our reasoning.

.

.

Education is a fundamental human right that should be availed to all citizens irrespective of age, sex, and nationality. Girls have the right, same right to education as boys. Educated girls can make informed choices from a far better range of options, educating girls saves lives and builds stronger families, communities, and economies, educating the girl child will enable her to acquire knowledge and skills that would sustain the family, education will help her stand out to know her worth and role in building a sustainable society. The importance of girlchild education can never be overemphasized.

.

.

Women are not liabilities, their worth is bigger than a man's bedroom and kitchen. Today, We have vibrant and outstanding women contributing positively to the national and global economy because they were given a chance to exist. Everyone, I mean both boys and girls have different and unique purposes and a girl should be allowed to chase and actualize her dreams.

.

.

Gone are the day's women are discriminated against in most spheres of life especially politics. Right now, it a different ball game altogether, because we have women like Harris Kamala, the vice president-elect of the USA, Ngozi Okonji Iweala; a Development Economist, former minister of finance in Nigeria and a forerunner to becoming the Director general of world trade Organization. Yoo Myung hee, the current minister of trade in South Korea, Jane Naana Opoku, former minister of Education and vice-presidential candidate of NDC political party in Ghana...The list continues These are women who are educated, in turn, are educating their children, caring for their families, and making a national and global impact.

.

.

We don't discriminate against a girl child and hope the world will become a better place. A home that is properly managed, will give birth to a society adequately void of social vices, and until a woman understands her place in the society through education, the family, the society, the nation, and the world at large will be bereaved of peace and harmony.

.

.

This article is not intended to pose an arguable motion but rather to create awareness on the importance of education in the life of every individual both boys and girls.

.

.

Education is a light that shades our mind from darkness, it gives sight to the blind, open the ears of the deaf, and give strength to the legs shot by ignorance. 

.

.

Education is paramount

Education is powerful

Educate the girl child.

@Amaka