Women
Women’s Health: Another Panacea For Sustainable Development
It is an unusual imagi
nation to associate the woman’s health with development even of a country’s economy. Father from thinking as it seems, it is a fact that outside the good health of the woman, there is the threat of an unbalanced progression with development of a unit/family or nation moreso, with the sustained male dominance in the Nigerian system.
The Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Rivers State Branch, at her just concluded 2014 Week/Pink walk, October with the theme The Role of Medical Women In Women’s Health for Sustainable Developemnt held at the Atlantic Hall, Hotel Presidential, last Monday, made it a point of discourse in creating the awareness and realization in the minds of all and sundry for a rethink and subsequent achievements of a sustainable health of the woman.
Speaking shortly after the opening ceremony, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board and Keynote speaker, Dame Dr Claribel Abam told The Tide’s Women’s Desk that the good health of the woman cannot be disassociated with the nation, maintaining that the failure of the former adversely affects the success of the latter.
Abam who was a pioneer member of the MWAN in the state said “it is obvious that the woman is the key that holds the family and the family units hold the nation’s economic development. It is the effect from the units that sustains the overall economy and so, if the woman in general is sick then there is a problem at the centre and this will affect the health of the nation in terms of growth and development.”
Revealing the motto of the association as ‘To heal with the love of a mother, Abam stated that the woman has as nature the ability to treat her children so dearly. Especially when they are sick, she strive to ensure that health is restored no matter what it takes, revealing that that was the exact function of the MWAN particularly as it affects the woman.
“Knowing the place of the woman in the home, community and nation at large, female medical doctors and particularly members of the MWAN are encouraged to treat their patients especially the women as a mother would treat her children. This will go a long way to helping us achieve what we clamour for.”
Abam who disclosed the roles of the MWAN to include working to promote the health of women, influencing government to implement policies that would positively affect the health of women among others recommended that the medical women/women doctors get involved in politics in order for their voices to be heard.
She said, “as a female medical doctor, you don’t just have to sit down there and talk and expect that it will be heard. Join politics. Get into policy making and influence policies that will affect the lives of women positively.
The secretary of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, further stated that the MWAN in the state had been involved in various contributions to women’s health development, adding that it’s activities had been characterised by cancer awareness, Health promotion exercises and Medical School Health talks, revealing that this had earned the association a grant from Ford Foundation to implement Adolescent Friendly Health Services in Andoni Local Governemtn Area of the State with effect from this month.
Also, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker while declaring the occasion opened noted that the health of the woman is important for the smooth running of the home and society at large.
Represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary and another pioneer member of the MWAN, Dr Nnesochi Offor, Parker said ‘from statistics, more females enrolling into the medical school is a sign to show that the health of women and people of Nigeria will be greatly increased.I also commend MWAN for offering themselves as volunteers in the Isolation Centre in the fight against Ebola.”Earlier in her speech, the President-Elect of the Rivers State Branch of MWAN, Dr Rosemary Ogu outlined aims and objectives of the association to include providing opportunity for medical women to confer at regular intervals, discuss the health problems of the communities they serve and take collective action to alleviate and promote the well-being of the various communities as well as providng the forum for discusions and interchange of ideas with government, the public and international organizations on social and political problems that directly or indirectly affect the health of women and children in the country.
Ogu further called on other female medical doctors to join the MWAN in promoting the health of their fellow women in order for the economy to thrive.
As echoed by the MWAN in this weeklong celebration, it should be noted that the woman is the lifewire of the family and nation at large. It has therefore become imperative that the health of the woman become the priority of not only the female medical doctors, but husbands, children and the family at large, having in mind that this has a direct bearing on the health of the nation’s economy.
Lady Godknows Ogbulu
Group photograph of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) and Nigeria Assocaition of Women Journalists
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.
