Women
Women Status And Girl-Child Education
Iriele God's shown as model
Some decades ago the status of women in the African society was quite low. That was why in those days parents felt reluctant to send their young girls to school.
They believed that parents would not benefit from such training since the girl would eventually find herself in another family after marriage. Even now some communities still believe in such naive ideas. Educational training of the girl child in such places are neglected. The girl child then becomes handicapped.
Gender discrimination in our society, especially as it concerns the education of the girl child gave rise to the education and development action plan held in New Delhi in August 1993. Nine countries were represented in the summit Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Pakistan, Brazil, China Bangladesh and India.
These countries converaged to discus ways and means of achieving education for all and adopted a uniform action plan that no child was deprived of primary education for want of teacher, learning materials or a place in the primary education programme. Nigeria being one of the countries has taken a bold step in making this laudable objective fruitful.
The Child Rights Act provides a apprehensive legal frame work for protecting the rights of children in Nigeria.
Furthermore, it is concerned with drawing up uniform agenda for the children’s education industry throughout the country.
Representatives have been drawn from the ministries, media organisations, and National Council of Women Societies etc to identify obstacles to the education of the child in the state.
In some places the birth of a boy heralds joy and it is a cause for enjoyment while the birth of a girl is often a cause for concern or affect the development of our economy adversely.
UNICEF has been trying in one way or the other to bridge the gap between boys and girls. They have sponsored so many conferences with the objective of getting a consensus on girls education as a priority for educational development in Africa.
It also recognised that Nigeria is lagging behind other regions of the world in female enrolment ratio. There is need to abolish all policies that are not conducive to the enhancement of girls education and the status of women. It is hoped that the evaluation of the progress and achievements made on this set goals would manifest soon.
One should be aware girls today hold the welfare of the next generation in their hands in addition women constitute the bulk of human resources available for development. Investigation shows that there is high level of discrimination against girls education.
Concerned efforts should be made by all to redress this error. Traditional rulers, government, parents, non governmental organisations as well as policy-makers should set up to address this issue.
This could be done by implementing programmes that can empower girls like the ones we watch on RSTV through education and advocacy, thereby improving their literacy level. In the North for instance girls are sent by the parents to beg on the street. This exposes them to immoral acts, they are consequently denied western education.
Some are seen on the streets hawking food items parents guardians take note, your children are exposed to many forms of abuse. Boy or girl are entitled to education, train them.
Iriele God'sgift, shown by our model
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.
