“…remember the ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors…” – Abigail Adams.
This Sunday, March 8th, the world will, once again, celebrate the International Day for the woman – it is a day set aside to celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality.
Here are a few books to help you commemorate the event.
Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta
Buchi Emecheta rose to fame writing stories about the Nigerian woman’s everyday struggles. In her own way, she was a fierce advocate for women’s liberation.
Second Class Citizen is a semi-autobiographical account of Buchi’s emigration from Nigeria to London. It candidly depicts the challenges of living with a difficult and unfaithful spouse, of being a young mother with little money, and of the added challenge of racism. Read more.
Daughters who walk this path by Yejide Kilanko
Spirited, intelligent Morayo grows up surrounded by school friends and a busy family in modern-day Ibadan, Nigeria. An adoring little sister, her traditional parents, and a host of aunties and cousins make Morayo’s home their own. So there’s nothing unusual about Morayo’s charming but troubled cousin, Bros T, moving in with the family. At first, Morayo and her sister are delighted, but in her innocence, nothing prepares Morayo for the shameful secret Bros T forces upon her.
This incredibly absorbing story by Yejide recently got selected as the book choice in the 2020 National Book Review Essay Competition for Senior Secondary School students.
Click HERE to get the book.
Click HERE for more info about the contest.
Women will change the world by Taiwo Odukoya
Once in history, women were not allowed to pursue higher education because of the social prescriptions of the day. Today, most of the factors that previously confined women have given way to societal adaptation. However, the statistics still leave a lot to be desired. There remains a remarkable gap to be bridged. Women are still grossly underrepresented in the corporate world and Government. Majority, especially in rural Africa and the Middle East, have been relegated to culturally prescribed expectations. Even religion, where it has been misconstrued, lends itself to the social stereotyping of women. Yet, the truth simply is, women are endowed with enormous potential. And with the right incentives and enabling environment, they can, in fact, contribute strategically in shaping the future. Read on to know exactly how this is going to happen.
