by crossriverwatch admin
Growing up in Ogoja northern Cross River state is an experience, to say the least.
It’s weird to say that I am neither pleased nor displeased with the way our diverse politics is heading, because the meaning of the word “weird” is hard to nail down.
I am obviously female; I haven’t been around as long as many people, but I have had experiences in this male-dominated political world that I still am not sure why women will be good to be mother and rule the home and manage everyone and not able to be trusted with leadership roles.
Maybe it is not easy to rid ourselves of the stereotypes that consume our being; it’s hard to do that when it’s all we know.
Even into the year 2014 in Cross River, some still see a woman’s job as being inside the home, bearing and raring children and not much more.
She is the keeper of the house, she runs the errands, and is seemingly happy with her role in life.
A man’s job is outside of the home as we see it played out in everyday life in our society.
Men are not required by our society to take care of their children in any physical or emotional way because that’s what the mother is for.
She fixes the children when they cry or are hurt, not the father. I do not believe that is true at all and I will argue with anyone who tries to tell me otherwise.
Here is what I do know for certain: mothers and fathers should be equal. Men and women are equal. They both should have the ability to be successful in anything they try because they should not be defined by the stereotypes which are embedded in our cultures.
Here is what I believe and I hate to break it to all of you out there who still follow stereotypes like they are the absolute story of the fact of how life should play out, they aren’t.
Women do not belong in the kitchen. Men do not belong in the business world making all of the money. Women are quite capable of being just as successful as men when given the chance outside of the house.
I know this is shocking to some, but it’s true. Women: you are capable of doing more than you think. Men: your wife or girlfriend could be more successful than even you will be.
Then again, maybe that’s the reason people don’t want women out in the real world, because they’re afraid that women can and will be more successful than the men in their lives and that the man’s ego will be so hurt that he’ll never survive it.
His ego will be bruised for a while, maybe, but it’s not a justifiable reason to hinder his wife or girlfriend’s abilities.
As a woman, it’s hard to stand back and just watch women not strive for greatness. I have family members who let the man work while they stay at home and keep the house spotless. Do I agree with how they live? Nope.
I don’t have a problem with anyone who wants to live their life by the stereotype African culture. If that works for you and your family, then fine, keep it that way, but know that there is much more out there in the world if a woman is given the chance to be more than just a stay at home wife and mother.
I know there are women out there who love being at home moms and wives, but they also know that they can do anything they want.
Men are not the only people who keep this country running smoothly. It’s obvious that if it’s just men keeping our country running, they’re not doing a great job I’ll leave you with some James Brown song lyrics that sum up my argument: “This is a man’s world, but it would be nothing, nothing without a woman.”
Paulina Morphy Fogg writes from Manchester, United Kingdom.
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