ARTICLE; African mentality to career women

In the African community of old and in some few cultures and households till date, women were to be seen, not to be heard. They are often relegated to the backyard of their matrimony not just to cook, but be made love to. They are also saddled with the responsibilities of raising kids and be in charge of the general well being of the household.

And at the end of their lives however, most of them looks older than their husbands. They sometimes die miserably as a result of being unable to fully utilize the qualities in them.

 Men in those days practice polygamy, majorly because they need as many hands as possible to help out on the farm, women do not always own any. This means she doesn’t have to be a financial contributor. She only assists and lives her existence on the dictates of a male. So whether the right decision is being dished or not, her opinion never counts.

But right now things have changed. Civilization has birth a lot of improvement and mentality to the African race. Some are good, maybe others so badly. And for the negatively heightened economies of most Countries hence down-turned, a certain percentage of the family expenses are shared with the woman of the house. Peradventure she is not even the breadwinner. For the mounting bills however, there are lots of life ventures to want to become for the African girl-child, since she needs to evolve with what life presently dictates.

The archaic and Patriarchal African mentality, which seems enmeshed in the minds of those who have sincerely refused to remain modern does ‘nauseates’. Not wanting to sound like your regular feminist which you all labeled ‘bitter’(a reasonable and realistic one I am actually), but being able to reason constructively in ways that aligns with the present day demands of the girl-child, remains the real definition of feminism which everyone should be.

The anciently psyched Africans, that finds it difficult to come to terms with the fact that as we have successful career men, then there should be career women that should be successful too, are the main problems that we have. Success is not meant to be gender-attached, or is it?

 Who says I cannot be all I want to be despite being a woman and African? Many people gets unduly awed when a woman, most especially unmarried, aims to succeed so much that she has huge dreams and visions sometimes bigger than her male counterparts especially. Then goes such tags as being strange, unduly and unnecessarily hyper; some more people even slut-shame.

No wonder a jobless woman but of marriage-able age would spend hours praying for a husband, instead of looking for a good source of livelihood. Is that not the same as looking for an automated teller machine robbed as a spouse? The African mentality to career women has made such a move more acceptable and dignifying; else she is chastised and constantly booed. Which is why she seems to dance to the preferential tunes of the society.

However, dear patriarchal Africans; the fact that she is successful or aims to be, is not an indication of anything awkward, so please evolve. But to men who are timid, hence suffer sheer inferiority complex at the sight of an ambitious career woman, you remain a bad energy that should stay farther away. Nobody cares what you feel anymore. And to our dear African parents, please teach your female kids to tow the path of success regardless of what the society has to say.

Thank you.