Women
South South Women Brainstorm In PH …Set Agenda For NCOWA Meeting
A four-day pre-council zonal workshop by the Ministry of Women Affairs of the South- South region has ended in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
The workshop with the theme:”Gender Equality:A Panacea For Enduring Security And Sustainable Economic Recovery In The Post Covid-19 Era”, attended by Directors of the six states that make up South-South ge-opolitical zone of Nigeria took place at the auditorium of Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, Eastern By-pass,Port Harcourt.
This is the first time the pre-council zonal meeting is taking place in Port Harcourt.
Declaring the workshop open,the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs,Amb. Anthonia Akpabio Ekpa said the workshop focused on the medium term national development plan and the preparation of council memoranda towards the upcoming 21st National Council on Women Affairs meeting holding later in the year.
The Permanent Secretary, who was represented at the occasion by Lady Ngozi Roseline Obinna commended delegates for the passion,dedication, unity and energy exhibited prior and during the workshop to achieve collective goals.
She enumerated the thematic areas for the memoranda for the 21st National Council of Women Affairs meeting to be “Gender mainstreaming, Empowerment of Women and Protection and Promotion of reproductive health and sexual rights of women.
Other thematic areas are protection and promotion of child participation, survival and welfare, social protection of the vunerable, poverty alleviation and social inclusion amongst others.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, Barr. (Mrs) Uchechukwu Uriri commended delegates for attending the workshop and thanked the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for his benevolence for ensuring that the workshop took place under a conductive environment.
She noted that it was the hallmark of the administration in providing good leadership and unprecedented display of support to women in the political, economic and social fronts in the state.
She encouraged delegates to rub minds together, put in their best and come up with appropriate decisions that are best for the zone.
Delivering the paper on the Conceptual Analysis of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs (FMWA’s) Mandate in Relation to the Medium Term National Development Plan 2025,Mr Tommy of FMWA, Abuja,said,the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs by its mandate is charged with the responsibility of formulating policies, implementing projects and programmes aimedat improving the lives and livelihood of women, children and other vunerable groups in Nigeria.
Consequently, the Ministry collaborates with relevant stakeholders, MDA’s at the national levels and at the 36 states of the federation as well as development partners to achieve these onerous tasks.
He enumerated the strategic policy mandates of the ministry towards the Medium Term National Development Plan 2021-2025 to include most aspects of social development, putting people first and leaving no one behind, removing all barriers towards attaining self sufficiency in an inclusive manner with shared responsibility for poverty reduction, prevention and containment.Mainstreaming gender across all sectors for improved accountability, social system and protection for the vunerable amongst others.
Furthermore,he highlighted the role of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the federal government, which includes the Economic Sustainability Plan as Covid-19 pandemic stimuli which aims at mitigating effects of a deep recession, while ensuring social stability and addressing long standing economic vulnerabilities occasioned by the Covid-19 lockdown.
The federal ministry, he noted is involved in job creation scheme by providing equipment for voational skill training in the six geopolitical zones and being involved in post Covid-19 innovation and empowerment series for women amongst others.
He also disclosed the ministry ‘s deliverables in the implementation of federal government’s nine priority areas aimed at improving health,education and productivity of Nigerians.
The deliverables include collaboration with the Ministry of Education to increase girl-child enrolment, retention and completion of basic education, collaboration with the Ministry of Health to eradicate harmful traditional practices on women and girls including female mutilation and active collaboration with the private sector to create a large number of well paying jobs.
Other deliverables in the federal government nine priority areas which aims at enhancing social inclusion by scaling up social investments include activation of an action plan to promote political, social and economic participation of girls and women in Nigeria, advocate for the domestication of the Child Rights Acts by all states of the federation.
Others include to conduct a review and propose amendments to legislation to ensure gender equality and end all forms of discrimination against girls and women,collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop and implement economic empowerment programmes for women amongst others deliverables.
Participating states submitted memoranda for dicussion and for onward presentation at the 21st National Council on Women Affairs meeting holding later in the year.
In separate interviews at the end of the workshop, participants expressed optimism that the knowledge gained at the workshop was immeasurable. They promised to utilize the knowledge in enhancing the operations in the various states.
For Mrs Faith Okpohmorho, Diector, Women Affairs in the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs,Community and Social Development said that “the workshop has enlightened us further to develop our memos in line with what the federal government is doing towards the empowerment of women in Delta State.
Also, Mrs Irenonsen Joy Ikensekhien, Director, Gender Issues in the Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues said that the workshop has helped provide tecnical support for her state to ensure that memos are presented in line with the four thematic areas of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Abuja.
In her own view, Mrs Mary Atan,Director, Child Development in the Akwa Ibom Ministry of Women Affairs said the workshop has afforded her the benefit of interacting with other delegates to compare notes on what they are doing concerning women development and empowerment.
By: Ibinabo Ogolo
Women
Nigeria Deserves Stylish, Sophisticated Designs-Igiebor Daddy Lucky
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
Women
Women Can Curb Indecent Dressing
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.