Women
Of Proper Parenting And Gender Inequality
Mothers breast-feeding their babies in Port Harcourt.
Shirley Chisholm, the
first African-American congresswoman in the United States has been a passionate campaigner against gender inequality.
She once said that: “the emotional, sexual and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says it is a girl.’’
Sociologists, therefore, note that Chisholm view point is a reflection of the current society that is characterised by historic unequal power relations between women and men.
They observe that with unequal power relations between women and men, otherwise known as patriarchy, women are systematically disadvantaged and oppressed.
They opine that it has become a common knowledge that certain domestic chores, particularly in Africa, are perceived to be the exclusive duties of the female folk.
According to a social critic, Godiya Makama, womanhood is reduced to a mere second-class position with the general belief that the best place for women is in the kitchen.
He opined that this had brought about tremendous misrepresentation of women right from the level of the family to the entire society.
“The Nigerian society is patriarchal in nature which is a major feature of a traditional society; it is a structure of a set of social relations with material base which enables men to dominate women.
“Women are therefore, discriminated upon, mistreated and perpetually kept as house-help. The average Nigerian woman is seen as an available object for forced marriage, street hawking, instrument of wide-range trafficking and a misfit in the society.
“Thus, the purported irrelevance associated with the status of women in society has merely reduced an average woman to an inferior commodity,’’ he observed.
Alluding to this sentiment, Mrs Olasunbo Odebode, a gender and development specialist in the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that women were the victims of social structures.
She, nonetheless, observed that with sensitisation and proper parenting, the stereotyped idea of giving more attention to male children was becoming unpopular.
Odebode said that parents should train their male children in handling domestic chores the same way the females would do.
She insisted that no law conferred an advantage on the male children over females in handling domestic chores and other roles in society erroneously believed to be exclusive to females.
Sharing similar sentiments, Ms Onyeka Onwenu, the Director General of the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), called on parents to emphasise the need for gender equality in parenting.
She said that although women were naturally caretakers, they should be conscious of their rights and work hard against those barriers that limit them.
In her opinion, Mrs Jummai Idonije, the Director, Training and Development, NCWD, insisted that gender inequality began from childhood, reinforced by parents, peers, teachers, the media and the society.
“In the family, men assume or are assumed to be the primary bread winners with women’s income being seen as supplementary to that of men,’’ she said.
She said that although UN Charter in 1945 and its declaration of Human rights in 1948 recognised the principle of equality of men and women, women’s positions and concerns in the development process had not been fully addressed.
Corroborating this view point, Mrs Ngozi Okorie, an official of NCWD, said that gender equality under the law should mean equality of opportunity.
According to her, gender equality includes equal rewards for work and equality in access to human capital and other productive resources.
Okorie insisted that a repetitive use of gender stereotypes such as showing women only as careers of the family or as sexual objects should be stopped.
For total eradication of gender inequality, sociologists opine that it is important for gender education to begin in the family unit, schools and the wider community.
They insist that this will create awareness in the grassroots before moving the advocacy to national level for a better understanding of gender issues and gender equality.
They also note that if communities erase cultural superstitions, they will be able to see reasons why both sexes need to have access to quality education.
In their opinions, teaching about gender inequality should not be only in the schools in urban cities but also in the villages.
“Educating a female is like educating a family and the whole society, greater literacy rate among women would definitely boost the progress of any country.
“Providing moral education and protection against sex abuse will help to reduce gender inequalities in education sector,’’ they observed.
In all, observers believe that apart from tackling issues on gender inequality from parenting, governments at all levels should take appropriate measures to raise public awareness to discourage it.
Ogunshola is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Femi Ogunshola
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.
