Women
Precious, The 2023 UTME Champion
Miss Precious Nkechinyere Kamsiyochukwu Umeh, was a student of Deeper Life High School, Mowe campus in Ogun State. She hails from Anambra State.
Precious became a champion when she sat the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2023, and took 1st position nationwide.
She scored nearly 100% in all the four UTME subjects registered for. She scored 66 in English, 98% in Mathematics, 97% in Physics and 99% in Chemistry. Her aggregate score was 360.
As if that was not enough, in the just-concluded West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) result released showed that Precious again cleared all papers. She cleared all her papers in the just concluded WASSCE indicating that she is really a champion. She scored 8As and a B in the nine subjects she registered in the examination.
Recall that the 16 year old Precious has applied to the University of Lagos to study Chemical Engineering. She recieved nationwide recognition for achieving the feat. She has already got several awards in scholarship from her state government. She received a cash prize of N2.5m from the Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods Limited, just to mention but a few.
This is an indication that she was determined to showcase the genius she is. Not just that, she also proved the good work her teachers have done. She has told others that malpractice is not the answer to academic challenge. She proved to her parents and the world at large that hard work pays.
One interesting thing about Precious’ performance in the two external examinations is that, they are of the same grades. A situation where anybody would have suspected that she engaged in examination malpractice in the WASCE. UTME is a Computer-Based Test (CBT). That has proved that she merited all.
This brings to mind that the female child when given an opportunity, favourable and conducive environment can fly even above the sky. Time has passed when one would say that women education should end in the kitchen. Should the person of Precious and her brilliance end in kitchen? God forbid! With Precious’ performance in the two examinations this year, all who have been relegating the girl-child to the background will have a rethink. It is now known that this kind of performance is not only for the opposite sex.
Although I am not here to promote or advertise the kind of high school she attended, there was a lot of commitment both from the teachers/school and the girl. That’s one of the schools where huge sums of money are paid for effective teaching and learning. But one interesting thing is that she ensured that her parents’ efforts were not wasted. That’s the kind of gesture every girl-child should emulate.
Precious can go into any field of study especially in sciences and technology with such results not just in Nigeria but overseas. She has become the pride of her family, nation and the globe. Such performance of Precious should be rewarded with MORE scholarship awards running into millions of naira and other currencies in case of overseas studies. We should not only reward things that are not academic.
Definitely she will build the nation. Remember, you train a woman and you train a nation.
As Precious moves in furtherance of her academic pursuit in Nigeria and abroad, government at every level, spirited individuals and organisations should assist the parents who made it possible for her to achieve the feat.
Precious has set a pace for other female children to emulate. This is the era where girls should showcase their God-given talents to let the world know that their education does not end in kitchen. They must compete favourably with the opposite sex. The impression that women are the weaker sex should not ring in their hearts any more. The era where science and technology are the order of the day, in this computer age, girl-child/young women should utilise the opportunities provided them.
The likes of our own Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is what Precious may be aiming at. Women want more of that with Precious’ performance this year. I have no doubt in my mind that she will go to any length.
Miss Umeh’s performance in the last UTME, is a wake-up call to parents and guardians that the girl-child who was seen as nobody, who could be given for marriage at underage for money-making, can be empowered. The girl-child who was taken to be inferior to the male child should be given equal opportunity.
This is not an era when a girl-child should be pushed into marriage without going to school. Educating the female children should be the priority of parents.
Mothers should allow their girl-children discover their talents before giving them out for marriage. When they are given out at premature age, some end up as full-time housewives.
Girls should not be given out for marriage just to produce children they cannot cater for. When they are fully equipped with the right instruments, they will be able to cater for their children in future.
By: Eunice Choko-Kayode
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.
