The campaign to empower women is gradually being enfeebled by people who are supposed push for it to actualize.
Over the years, women who have been able to climb to the apex of the political, social, economic and health status in a seemingly male dominated society amidst the backslides have vehemently and tirelessly championed the fights against abuses meted out to women by their male counterpart, the law, various norms as well as customs. They have fought against all forms of dehumanization and gender inequality which subdues women and succumb them only to the kitchen as perceived in typical African societies.
The collaboration of both men and women is incumbent for the development of the nation therefore, their well-being and opinions must be considered and optimized.
Education is one of the most important medium to empower women with skills, confidence and knowledge needed to fully partake in the building of a nation.
However, it seems the efforts injected to ensure its success is gradually drowning in futility. Tertiary female students are one way or the other being impeded to reach their educational goal. Moreover, some of them have eventually misplaced their priorities to things that are not relevant to their empowerment and well-being. Female tertiary students are supposed to be encouraged and assisted in the field of education but it seems the sailors have lost their bearing hence they are wrongly navigated and hurled to wherever the consequences of this misleaders may take them.
Narrowing my argument, harassment of female tertiary students by their male superiors or male colleagues on many tertiary campuses has become rampant and alarming. Their vulnerability is being ride upon. It has become a norm for female tertiary students to be harassed by their male superiors especially, these male superiors have grown sultry towards them. Cases of such immoral incidence are recorded and forwarded to appropriate authorities within the institution but the institutions have failed to find a resolution to such recurring incidence. They further stifle and prevent the truths from reaching the public because they believe it can tarnish the image of the institution. It is normal for a man to develop and express sexual desire for a woman but it is unacceptable when these male superiors uses the academic success of female students as a yard stick to pluck their pride. They go to the extent of threating them to accept their proposed sexual affair if not their academic growth can be in absolute detriment. However, if they accept, then their academic success is guaranteed regardless their effortless attitude towards their academic growth.
Empathizing with vulnerable and innocent female tertiary students, others are deliberately seeking to enjoy academic favors from their male superiors. They manipulate (seduce) them in order to enter into a strong sexual affair with them which will fetch and guarantee them their academic success because they are not willing to put in efforts (study) to attain it by themselves.
In the quest to attain easy made wealth, live a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle, some female students have made their ultimate purpose for which they are being educated to fall on rocky grounds. All they wish is to possess everything that can better their lives at such a tender level in life without taking into consideration the implications. Their desires for materialism is very strong as they trade their pride and studies for expensive foods, dresses, shoes, make up and accessories like phones (iPhone).
With this, the campaign to empower women has greatly retrogressed and failed to achieve its objectives. Harassments, irresponsible behaviours among tertiary students, financial hardship and failure of the tertiary institutions to address issues pertaining to the progress of female students has being the factors obscuring the success of the woman empowerment movement in our various tertiary institution campuses.
Going forward, tertiary female students must place at fore and prioritize their ultimate purpose for which they are being educated. They must come to the realization that they are opportune and capable to secure their future and attain their educational goals without falling prey to things that can endanger their livelihood.
Again, male superiors particularly lecturers should purge from engaging their female students in sexual affairs because it makes them slip off their focus and ambitions and further antagonize the global campaign on woman empowerment. They must in rather facts be of positive influence to their female students, they should understand that the students are the institution’s clients hence they should be treated as equally as business owners treat their clients or customers.
Tertiary institution authorities must do well to thoroughly address and amicably solve any reported incidence destabilizing the peace and well-being of female students. Disregarding reports of such incidence will not make the institution produce good products (female graduates) but rather frustrated and unproductive ones. Doesn’t it tarnish the image of the institution more than sweeping reports under the carpets?
Students Representative Council, student unions and religious denominations on various tertiary institution campuses should give helping hands to their female students. Organizing impactful and educative programmes, inviting female role models and being of positive influence to their female members should be something consistent they should embark on.
Let’s all help empower our women for nation building.
Thank you
