By Mical Imbukwa
Africa, the second largest continent in the world oozes with awesomeness. The awesomeness that is to a large extend covered by the poverty oriented stories that are told to the world. Who will then right these misconceptions if not we the people of the African soil? Let’s look at the African woman for instance.
Africa has produced and continues to produce great women who are ready to take up the continent. It is no longer about them begging for a space on the table of decision making. They have secured their position. A recent and most fresh example is Kamala Harris, the vice president elect of the United States of America. She is the first woman to make it to that position. Her roots in Africa didn’t hinder her vision. The girl of Africa is therefore inspired to dream more and be more.
The lack of resources is a limiting factor in many instances but with zeal and focus, the daughter of Africa will continue thriving. Africa must produce more Wangari Maathais. Girls and women with a lioness spirit ready to beat all odds and thrive in everything they put their minds on. Girls and women who will leave a mark that not even the hurricanes of history will erase.
Wangari in her fight for democracy faced a million challenges but she remained on course. She was labelled names, got arrested severally, but that didn’t dampen her spirit. Intimidation didn’t make her lower her guard on environment conservation. Thanks to her, forests like Karura still have a name. Thanks to her Uhuru park still exists and citizens have the privilege of exercising their freedom at the Freedom Corner. Thanks to her, many activists, men to women alike, have a voice.
Marriage is most important to African women and the society at large and sadly or unfortunately, most women have had to let go their dreams to save their marriages and while at it, save face in society. Wangari lost her marriage because according to her husband, she was so strong minded and therefore not easy to control. There are so many strong minded African women like Wangari who still face the same challenge. Some are deemed unapproachable and untamable because of their opinions on prominent subjects. Who says a woman has to be tamed for them to submit?
Africa has come a long way in the championing for gender equality and though the desired standards haven’t been met yet, things are not as they were in the past. With the fronting of equal opportunities for both men and women, the great continent of Africa will thrive sooner. Should other African countries borrow a leaf from Rwanda where more than half of the parliamentary seats are occupied by women?
Lastly, in the words of Wangari Maathai, “When you know who you are you are free”. It is therefore a call to every daughter of Africa who is still lost in doubt, that daughter who has been made to believe that they can’t achieve anything in this world, to rise and go for what they believe in. Freedom indeed exists in knowing who you are.
