Gender Agenda: Woman as a vanguard of change in society, by Prof MK Othman
Deep Thought with Othman
Is a man more powerful than a woman? A woman with a sound anatomic physique, high physiological provocative, and sensitive intellectual inertia can be a conqueror and vanguard of societal change. God has made the world to be that of a woman for her to pick, use, and abuse. This is a woman’s world to the envy of a man. What is the reasonable request of a woman that a man can deny? More than two decades ago, the government-ASUU crisis was stalemated. A female catalyst was added to the “chemical” formula. The problem was resolved in no time – ASUU, the government, and the nation were all happy as several milestones were attained for good. ETF, now TETFUND, is one of the products of that crisis resolution that still benefits society. My 13-year-old daughter peeped through my window and requested my audience in the early hours of the day, which I reluctantly granted. She entered my room profusely weeping and speaking out an incomprehensive message; firmed as a father, I had to calm her to understand her. Still, I was ready to grant her reasonable request without understanding what she wanted. That is the power of a woman. If it were my son, he would have been stoic with manly feelings, and his request might not have scaled through. A woman is a mother, the first personality in the eyes of a man, a sister, daughter, grandmother, girlfriend, and side chick, which gives her wide latitude and an enormous advantage over man and, thus, the ability to control the world.
Historically, women have played a central role as vanguards of change across various social, political, and cultural movements. Their leadership, resilience, and advocacy have driven transformations in different endeavors.
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1. Political Movements: Women have often been at the forefront of political revolutions and social justice movements. Figures like Sojourner Truth and Susan B. Anthony championed the abolitionist movement and women’s suffrage. At the same time, leaders like Angela Davis and Malala Yousafzai represent ongoing struggles for racial and gender equality, education, and human rights.
2. Economic empowerment: Women have spearheaded movements to change the economic landscape. Figures like Eleanor Roosevelt, who was instrumental in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first female president, highlight the role of women in governance and economic reforms.
3. Social Reforms: Women have also led critical health, family planning, and welfare reforms. Pioneers like Margaret Sanger advocated for birth control and reproductive rights, fundamentally altering societal views on women’s health and independence.
4. Environmental Leadership: More recently, women like Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, have become synonymous with environmental and ecological movements. Maathai’s work through the Green Belt Movement addressed environmental conservation and empowered women in rural Kenya.
5. Agriculture and Entrepreneurship: In Nigeria, another name that rings the loudest bell in women’s emancipation from poverty and hunger through farming and agribusiness is Hajia Salamatu Garba. Hajia Salamatu founded the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN). WOFAN has conservatively impacted the lives of over ten million Nigerians through capacity building and entrepreneurship along the agricultural value chains across many states in Nigeria to live in more just and equitable societies.
Through these roles and others, women have continued to challenge the status quo as vanguards of change, paving the way for future generations. While every woman has an inbuilt potential to replicate what these Amazons do to change society, only some achieve this feat. How can a woman exploit her potential to realize her natural power, dominate, and make it a true woman’s world? This can be done through building emotional intelligence.
Building emotional intelligence involves developing skills in recognising, understanding, and managing emotions in yourself and others. Emotion is a conscious mental reaction subjectively experienced as strong feelings such as anger, fear, laughter, and so on. Lack of emotional control combined with feelings of anxiety and inadequacy can lead to the abusive use of power. Avoid negative criticism, as harsh denigration without suggestions for improvement breaks down relationships and creates fear and anxiety. This inhibits innovation and risk-taking.
Due to hormonal differences, women are often more emotional than men. Estrogen and progesterone fluctuate, influencing mood and emotional expression. Women may use more emotive language and engage in more empathetic communication, making them appear more emotional. That said, a woman can develop her emotional intelligence to conquer the world. How can a woman develop her emotional intelligence?
A woman must build herself intellectually and emotionally beyond her looks, as sometimes her physical appearance makes her vulnerable and prey to undesirable elements and circumstances. So, a woman must understand her needs and feelings with those of others and how to manage and respond to others appropriately.
A woman should develop skills in emotional awareness, accurate self-assessment, self-confidence, self-control, and trustworthiness to develop her controlling capacity of internal states, impulses, and adeptness at inducing desirable responses in others. These traits will make her influence others, make her skillful in conflict management, build bonds, and become a change catalyst.
It is essential to recognise that emotional expression varies significantly among individuals, regardless of gender. Both men and women can experience a wide range of emotions, and a combination of biological, social, and personal factors influences the ability to express them.
In conclusion, a woman can explore and exploit her power potential by being confident, positive, persistent, and specific with self-dignity while respecting a mutual and beneficial relationship without giving room for negotiation in a non-threatening way. However, she must first develop herself intellectually and emotionally with due consideration of a modest appearance. Overdressing is suggestive and counterproductive to a woman’s full power exploitation. This is just my random thought as a writer.
Professor Mk Othman was a two term Executive Director of the National Agricultural Extension Liaison and Research Services, NAERLS, and is currently a Senior lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria.
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