Feminity is an exquisite breed. There is beauty in the feminine gender. Being a woman is a calling because a lot is expected from her as such, she is embedded with so much strength that is yet unknown but one of the greatest ribaldry to the feminine gender is in some AFRICAN TRADITIONAL PRACTISES I term THE OPPRESSIVE TRADITION.
Do not get me wrong. I believe in culture and tradition. The tradition of a people gives them an aesthetic value. Undoubtedly, the place of Tradition and Culture of a people can not be ruled out in the existence of the african society. It is their symbolic identity. It is what they Represent. It influences a people's way of life and gives them confidence and the right footing to their heritage and subsequent transitions. I am one who strongly promote the Culture of a people especially when it's relational to their values. The tradition of a people tends to map out layed out rules that influence their lives, judgements, behaviours, and belief .
In other words, it poses as a coordinating cord that governs their lifestyle be it an organization, village,State, city, country or globe. People are governed by certain rules, ordinances and instructions that coordinates their existence and these rules stretch out to their symbol, pride and Identity.
Bear in mind, I am proudly an african Igbo woman, wife and mother. I am one who loves to promote africanism and the black heritage. I am proud to come from the black race where so much beauty is fined and nurtured into an embodiment of great Values. Also, I am a proud specie of the feminine gender with a double edged personality. I am PROUD to be a WOMAN who was created to be submissive to the leadership and directives of a Man as HIS WIFE.
Now here is the Twist 👉 As much as I take pride in the african identity, I scowl at some of its believes and practices. Those practices that promote FEMININE DEGRADATION! Get this Clear, I am not a FEMINIST. NO! I do not believe in tussling power and superiority with the masculine gender even though I believe in HUMAN EQUALITY. Whether male or female, Treat all human with love, kindness and respect.
Everywoman woman has a place in the life of a Man. She is a support system, a helpmeet, an Assistant, a Co-manager as well as a Worker. A woman was not created to COMPETE with a man but to SUPPORT and as Supporters, we esteemed as well because it is not good for A MAN TO BE ALONE..
I have come across women from different tribes and traditions and one factor is common amongst our traditions and that is FEMININE DEGRADATION. Haven placed issues on a palate of evaluation, I have come to observe that some african practices have made women nothing but OBJECTS who cannot survive without Men. The world has made it seem like men do more favour to the women and as such Women are not volatile . As arguable as that is, do not buy into it neither can I keep quiet about the disparagement of the Feminine Gender.
I detest and frown at Some Traditional believes and practices that regard WOMEN AS SLAVES! It is so apalling and abusive.
*I do not believe in a tradition that describes a woman as incomplete because she has not birthed a Child nor has a MALE CHILD.
*I do not believe in a tradition that silences the VOICE OF A WOMAN even when Oppressive rulings are meted against her.
*I frown at any tradition where a woman is expected to live in fear and timidity or where she is expected to tremble at d voice and sight of her husband and is not permitted to air out opinions or ideas freely.
*I do not believe in a tradition where widows are made to swear and go through heartbreaking rituals but widowers just move on with their lives.
*I hate a belief system that blames a woman when she is being beaten, cheated on or domestically violated. They tell her "It's your fault".
*I do not believe in a tradition that confines a woman to a domestic worker just to prove she is hardworking.
*I spit at any tradition where the husband's family of a woman insult, abuse and maltreat her yet she is not permitted to complain.
*I do not believe in a tradition that terms a woman a "Witch" just because she protects the interests of her immediate family and children.
*I frown at any tradition where Women are made to swallow their words, live in pretense and eye service so she is not termed A BAD WIFE.
*I do not buy into any belief that blames the misfortunes of a man on his wife.
*I do not believe in a traditional belief where it is accepted for a man to be promiscuous , flirtatious and unfaithful but a woman is forbidden to even think of it.
*I do not believe in a tradition where a woman is not suppose to enjoy the comforts of life or the wealth of her husband until every member of her "in-laws" are comfortable and settled.
*I do not believe in a tradition where fathers in-law, mothers in-law, brothers in-law, sisters in-law and other extended family members think they have the rights to issue the rulings of a nuclear family dictating to them how to run their home. They believe they have the rights to call the shots in a woman’s home and she is expected to keep quiet and die in silence. It Sucks!
*I do not buy into the practise in a family where everyone gather to judge and condemn a woman without giving her a fair hearing and she is expected to swallow her words.
*I do not believe in a tradition that describes a Learned woman as proud , non submissive and promiscuous.
*I do not believe in a tradition that subjects a woman into a baby making machine yet she doesn't enjoy Sexual pleasure.
*I do not believe in a tradition that tells a woman "Who are you to talk, Are you not Afraid"???
*I frown at a tradition that permits a family to connive and send a woman out of her matrimonial home against her husband's wish.
*I do not believe in a tradition where male children are given more favorable treatments than the female children because women are seen as commodities to be sold out.
*I hate and detest any belief system that NORMALIZES THE OPPRESSION AND MALTREATMENT OF A WOMAN and when she cries out, you hear statements like ; YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST TO GO THROUGH IT. IT IS NORMAL.
FOR HOW LONG would women continue to be treated badly all in d name of TRADITION?
For how long are we expected to keep quiet when things ain't done right?
For How long are we suppose to wallow in silence and pretense?
For how long would the feminine gender be seen as non-essential and inconsequential?
For how long would women keep quiet and watch themselves being treated as SLAVES?
For how long would women keep accepting these traditions as NORMAL?
Listen, IT IS NOT NORMAL for a woman to live in fear and constant Pain.
IT IS NOT NORMAL to keep apologizing when she is being victimized.
IT IS NOT NORMAL for a woman to satisfy everyone's needs yet no one cares about her needs or feelings.
IT IS NOT NORMAL to shut up when she is being Oppressed.
WOMEN are HUMANS! We are not OBJECTS!
We go through Pains too. We have feelings. We have a VOICE. We have SOMETHING TO SAY! We have the free will to Say NO when things ain't done properly.
Dear WOMEN, Please stop living in fear. Stop suffering and smiling. That Our mothers went through it doesn't mean IT IS OK. Stop being afraid. SPEAK OUT! THERE IS A VOICE IN YOU!
What are you afraid of?
The name callings, The insults, The attacks, The Hatred? The Isolation? The Curses??? What are you afraid of?
All those doesn't and shouldn’t define your personality.
VOICE OUT when you Cannot take any maltreatment.
Refuse to be Silenced into timidity. Stop pretending while you die in Slience!
We are not asking for too much.
The times have changed. Things are alot more different than the primitive days of our forefathers. They were humans. They set up those stale traditions that degraded the Feminine gender. We are much more learned and wiser now. We are more knowledgeable.
Marriage should be between a MAN AND A WOMAN not a WOMAN and A FAMILY like we are being made to believe.
Remember, For this reason shall a man LEAVE his Father and mother and CLEAVE to his wife and they TWO shall become ONE!
Dear MEN, Please learn to Protect your wives. LOVE her and shield her from those babaric tradition of yours. Stop joining hands with your family to maltreat your Wives. Stop taking sides with the world to Oppress her. YOU should be her HERO!
I am not promoting power tussle. This is not about the Feminist goals. We know our place. We know our role but some traditions do not treat us right SO we are saying NO TO FEMININE DEGRADATION!!
There is so much Beauty in FEMININITY but Some Traditional practices are sucking out our BEAUTY AND OUR FEMININE STRENGTH!!!
WE ARE WOMEN!
WE ARE HUMANS!
WE ARE NOT OBJECTS!!
#Voice4TheVoiceless...
#EssentialMovement..
#SayNoToFeminineDegradation..
#SayNoToOppressiveTraditions..
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