Women
Women Are Scared To Access The Law – Oyaghiri
Barrister (Mrs) Ukel Oyaghiri
The first step to
wards achieving a positive result particularly in governance is to ensure that round pegs are put in round holes. That was exactly what Governor Nyesom Wike did by appointing Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri, a renowned lawyer, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Rivers State.
The 52-year old Barrister, a mother and a devout Christian, is surely well experienced as far as the issues on women and children are concerned, having been into private legal practice for over 11 years where she made gender problems her top priority.
To prove the stuff she is made of, and her quest to better the lots of women in the state, barely few weeks into her appointment in December 2015, she organised a programme on “Women Empowerment and Sustainable Development” which attracted participants from all walks of life and provided a platform for people to learn more about gender related issues and how to tackle them.
In this interview with our Deputy Editor (Features), Calista Ezeaku, Barr Mrs Oyaghiri, an active member of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), reveals her plans towards ensuring, a better life for Rivers women during her tenure as a commissioner and other issues concerning women.
What are your plans for rivers women?
My plans are in tandem with that of the Rivers State Government and His Excellency, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike, (CON) and has promised a lot for women and I trust that he will carry the women along. He will empower them as much as he can. He has promised never to leave any women behind and that is also my vision as the Commissioner for the Women Affairs, to make sure that no woman is left behind.
What is your take on rape and other violence against women?
I will say straight away that there are laws that have been enacted concerning violence against women and those laws have not been accessed by women because they are always afraid of where to go back to after going to court with somebody from the same community. They are always scared that the community they will go back to is the same community that they want to go against or that after reporting a man for abusing them, they will still go back to the same man.
There are laws on violence against women already enacted even the ones on rape but women are afraid to access them, because of stigma. But these laws are there to protect them. My advice to women is that they should take up their rights and access these laws.
Harmful widowhood practices and how to curb them?
There are laws against harmful widowhood practices but again women are afraid to access them. Women are the ones who inflict pains on widows like shaving their hair, telling them to cross the corpse of their deceased husbands making them sit on the floor for one week, two weeks. These are harmful widowhood practices that already have laws against them which women refuse to access because of fear of what will happen to them if they do so.
Women in politics?
They should not treat politics as women. They should know that going to the political arena, you have to be a man in your thinking, in your heart. In everything you do, you have to be a man. And so when you get in there don’t think you will be given anything on a platter of gold. Go take it as the men go take it. That’s what you will do. But the handicapped women have most of the time in money. They don’t really have the kind of money many men have.
Women, politics and family affairs?
You have to look at your own terrain and know what works go on there. What goes for one woman does not necessarily go for another. It depends on your terrain.
Are women in politics loose, how true?
That is not true. Women in politics are not way ward women. But in order to keep them away, something has to be told about them to make sure that they don’t come out. Any woman who is called wayward will say, “No I don’t want to be called wayward”, and she will stay back. But when they push further, and behave themselves they will suceed because there is a way you should carry yourself, it’s about carriage. You need to carry yourself well to be seen as not being wayward. That’s my own attitude. Carry yourself well. Don’t carry yourself as if you are just available. You don’t need to be available to be a woman politician.
What to be remembered for by the end of your tenure?
At the end of my tenure as Woman Commissioner, I want to be remembered for making women come out in their numbers, love one another and encourage other women to grow because that is always the problem. When people get up there, they don’t always want to take other people along. When I finish my tenure, I will be remembered for creating a platform where women carefor their the fellow women and carry them along.
That means you intend carrying out a lot of programmes?
Yes. It’s all in line with the vision of the Rivers State government and that vision is to empower women, enlighten them, educate them, carry them along as much as possible. We need to empower them because empowerment brings about confidence and that’s what the Rivers State Government wants to do for women, to empower them and give them the confidence they need.
Final words?
Rivers women should come out and love one another. Love conquers all. We should stop giving excuses and be fulfilled. They say the sky is big enough for everybody that the sky is the limit. But I want to say that for women in Rivers State, the sky is their stepping stone.
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.
