The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

26

description

The HerStory Project is a stirring kaleidoscope of thirty-three exemplary women from different backgrounds, temperaments, passions, and achievements. The stories of these women, drawn from Botswana, Ghana, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe, challenge and move beyond long-held traditions of gender discrimination and cultural inhibitions to reveal individuals whose determination and self-belief have had tremendous impact on their livelihoods, communities and nations. These narratives redefine and delineate the contours of women empowerment and leadership in African communities, broadening the discourse to include the transformative power of the individual and her society.

Transcript of The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

Page 1: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa
Page 2: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

The HerStory Project

Edited by

Anthonia Makwemoisa

Page 3: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

Excerpts from the published work, The HerStory Project. Volume I

Originally published in paperback by Amalion Publishing & African Cultural

Institute 2011

Amalion Publishing

BP 5637 Dakar-Fann

Dakar CP 00004

Senegal

http://www.amalion.net

Copyright © African Cultural Institute 2011

ISBN 978-2-35926-003-8 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-2-35926-004-5 (Ebook)

Cover designed by Will McCarty

This edition of excerpts is not for sale. For more information on how to buy

the complete original edition, go to www.amalion.net

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted,

or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission

in writing from Amalion Publishing, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of

binding or cover than that in which it is published.

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Contents

Contributors vii

Introduction 1

Doyin Abiola 5

Pamela Adedayo 13

Adetutu Adeleke 19

Mayen Adetiba 29

Pamela Ajayi 39

Carlene Alaja-Browne 49

Gladys Ashitey 69

Bola Atta 79

Bolanle Awe 89

Dere Awosika 101

Opral Benson 111

Olayinka Blackshear 121

Akua Sena Dansua 129

Esther Obeng Dapaah 137

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vi The HerStory Project

Oyinade Elebute 147

Christy Essien Igbokwe 157

Mosunmade Faderin 167

Kehinde Kamson 181

Abioye Kusamotu 191

Bontshetse Mazile 195

Bennedikter Molokwu 201

Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye 211

Ndidi Nwuneli 217

Olusola Obada 225

Bashirat Odunewu 229

Debbie Ogunjobi 239

Elsie Omidiji 247

Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu 257

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode 273

Tinuade Oyekunle 285

Veronica Piserchia 299

Zenebeworke Tadesse 313

Folashade Thomas-Fahm 321

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Contributors

Doyin Abiola is the chair of Integrated Micro-Finance Bank, Nigeria. She

was former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Concord Newspapers,

the fi rst female editor-in-chief of a national daily. She began her career at Daily

Sketch and Daily Times of Nigeria. She attended University of Ibadan, Nigeria,

University of Wisconsin, USA and State University of New York (SUNY), USA,

where she was awarded a doctorate. She is a recipient of numerous awards

including Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship, the Merit Award, Nigerian Union

of Journalists, Ogun State Council, and Merit Award for Outstanding Achieve-

ment by the Nigerian Association of University Women.

Pamela Adedayo is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Offi cer of

Tastee Fried Chicken, a leading fast-food chain in Nigeria. Before setting up

Tastee Fried Chicken, she worked in the Nigerian Breweries Ltd, the federal

civil service, and the American franchise, Kentucky Fried Chicken. She is a

graduate of Business Administration and Finance from Chicago State Univer-

sity, Chicago, USA.

Adetutu Adeleke, OON, is an industrialist and fi rst female executive director

and company secretary of a publicly quoted company in Nigeria, Tate & Lyle.

Chief Adetutu Adeleke has made enviable achievements and contributions to

the industrial sector. Formerly President, Association of Food Beverages and

Tobacco Employers (AFBTE); Vice-President, Manufacturers Association of

Nigeria (MAN); Vice-President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce; Vice-

Chairman, Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Nigeria and several others.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators

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viii The HerStory Project

and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors. She is a graduate of North-West

Polytechnic, London, UK.

Mayen Adetiba is the chair of the Group of African Member Associations

(GAMA) of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC)

and former President of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Nigeria

(ACEN). She studied engineering at Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. She is a

member of the Nigerian National Merit Award Committee.

Pamela Ajayi is the Managing Director of PathCare Nigeria, a leading medical

diagnostic laboratory in Nigeria. She studied medicine at the Lagos University

Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria and at St. Thomas’ Hospital, UK. Before

joining PathCare she worked at King’s College Hospital, UK, LUTH and the

United Bank for Africa.

Carlene Alaja-Browne spent over three decades in the Lagos State civil ser-

vice and retired as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology.

She started her career as an Executive Offi cer in the Ministry of Agriculture

and Natural Resources in 1974 and worked in various capacities in ministries,

departments and agencies across the State’s Civil Service. She was a former

Head of Service and Secretary to the Military Government of Lagos State and

Head of Administration to the then Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation (LTV

& Radio Lagos) and became the Head of Service in 1991.

Gladys Ashitey is a former elected parliamentarian and deputy minister in

the government of President John Kuff our in Ghana. She studied biology at

Tennessee State University, USA and medicine at the American University of

the Caribbean, Montserrat. She worked at the University of Ghana Medical

School and the Ministry of Health in Ghana.

Bola Atta is the Editor-in-Chief, Flair West Africa Magazine. She was formerly

Editor-in-Chief of True Love West Africa Magazine, a subsidiary of South Africa’s

Media24 Publications. At True Love, Atta succeeded in raising the bar of fashion

and lifestyle magazines in Nigeria, commanding millions of loyal readers across

the sub-region. She has a BSc in economics from University of Sussex, UK and

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ixContributors

an MBA in fi nance and marketing from Duquesne University, USA. She studied

French at the University of Paris, Sorbonne, France.

Bolanle Awe is one of Africa’s leading historians and academics. She is the

Pro-chancellor and Chairman of Council, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and

Professor of History at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Professor Awe at-

tended St Andrews University, Scotland, graduating with an MA in History and

the University of Oxford, UK where she obtained a DPhil. (History). Professor

Awe has taught at the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

She was awarded the Phelps-Stokes Fellow in 1973.

Dere Awosika, MFR, is a Permanent Secretary in the federal civil service of

Nigeria. She was the former National Coordinator/Chief Executive, National

Programme on Immunization (NPI) for several years. She studied pharmacy

at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and at the University of Bradford,

UK. She is one of the fi rst in the country with an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy

and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology. She is a fellow of the West African

College of Pharmacy and a lecturer in the School of Pharmacy at the University

of Lagos, Nigeria.

Opral Benson, also known as Iya Oge of Lagos, is the fi rst woman to be

awarded the title by a traditional ruler in Nigeria. She is an entrepreneur and

business impressario, establishing several companies including Chic Afrique

Enterprises, Opral Benson Beauty Training Institute, and the Outreach Foun-

dation to name a few. She studied at Morris Brown College, Atlanta, USA for

a Bachelor of Education degree and Atlanta University for a Masters in Edu-

cational Administration. She is a holder of many titles and awards including

Commander of the Star of Africa bestowed on her by the President of Liberia,

her native country, and Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) and Order

of the Niger (OON) awarded by the President of Nigeria.

Olayinka Blackshear is the chair of Kwara Commercial Micro-Finance

Bank and Managing Partner at Bridgeway Consulting Ltd. She served for

several years as a fi nancial analyst and Regional Manager with Citigroup and

has worked with several community and micro-fi nance banks to develop rural

empowerment programmes in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya and other countries.

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She founded Judah Foundation (USA), an organization that assists women to

get out of poverty, protects battered and abused women and aids at risk chil-

dren. Blackshear is a certifi ed business counsellor for the Small and Medium

Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and a mentor in the

Women Mentoring Women programme sponsored by Vital Voices, Fortune 500

and the US Department of State. She has an honours degree in Applied Chem-

istry from University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, UK and a

MBA (Human Resources & Finance) from Loyola Marymount University, USA.

Akua Sena Dansua, a journalist, gender activist and elected member of

the Ghanaian parliament, has served in various ministerial positions in the

executive arm of the Government of Ghana and is currently the Minister for

Tourism. She began her career as a journalist in Nigeria and Ghana, and holds

a Masters degree in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of

Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and a graduate diploma in

Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.

Esther Obeng Dapaah is a lawyer and prominent parliamentarian, and for-

mer Minister of Land, Forestry and Mines in Ghana. She studied law at Chelmer

Institute of Higher Education, Essex and was called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn,

UK. Hon. Obeng Dapaah is a prominent member of the New Patriotic Party

and represented the constituency of Abirem in parliament.

Oyinade Elebute is Professor of Physiology, and Vice-Chairman, Lagoon

Hospitals, Lagos. She is a co-founder of Hygeia HMO, a leading healthcare

insurance provider in Nigeria, and has taught medicine in universities in Ni-

geria, and supervised students in Ghana, Malaysia, and the UK. She has done

extensive research into kidney and hypertension health.

Mosunmade Faderin is an ophthalmologist, surgeon and medical director

of Eye Bank of Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation set up in 2005 by the

Ophthalmology Society of Nigeria and Society for the Blind to provide cornea

graft transplant for the less privileged. She studied at the Medical University of

Sofi a, Bulgaria and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

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xiContributors

Christy Essien Igbokwe, popularly known as Nigeria’s Lady of Songs, is an

award winning singer, actress, business entrepreneur and music industry leader.

In an acting and singing career that began in secondary school, she has risen

to become the biggest selling female artiste in Nigeria, with fans spread across

the west-Africa sub region. She is the fi rst female president of the Performing

Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), the body coordinating the music

industry in the country. She is the chairman and managing director of Soul

Train Entertainment Ltd.

Kehinde Kamson is the founder and Chief Executive Offi cer of Sweet Sen-

sation, a major food outlet in Nigeria. She studied accountancy at University

of Lagos, Nigeria, and worked at PriceWaterhouse Coopers before setting up

her business.

Abioye Kusamotu is a director at MoneyWise Microfi nance Bank, which

empowers micro enterprises and small sized businesses, trade associations

and others to grow their businesses by making fi nancial assistance available to

them at aff ordable terms. She is a former executive director at Afribank Plc.,

and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers UK and the Nigerian Institute

of Bankers (NIB).

Bontshetse Mazile is a lecturer at the University of Botswana, Gaborone,

Botswana. She studied history at the University of Cincinnati, USA and holds

a doctorate in educational foundations from the same university.

Anthonia Makwemoisa holds an MA and PhD in English from the Uni-

versity of Lagos, Nigeria. She is Executive Director of the African Cultural

Institute, a research and publishing organization based in Lagos, Nigeria. She

has published several scholarly papers in various books and journals in Nigeria

and abroad. She is an associate editor of the peer-reviewed Journal of Cultural

Studies, and editor of the Women of Valour series, a project that documents the

lives of successful African women.

Bennedikter China Molokwu’s experience has spanned administration,

law, public relations, planning, and corporate fi nance sectors. She holds a law

degree from University of Nigeria, Nsukka and was called to the Nigerian Bar

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xii The HerStory Project

in 1976; a Masters degree (cum laude) in International & Comparative Law

from Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium; and certifi cates in management from

Columbia University, USA and in International Banking from Manchester Busi-

ness School, UK. She is a non-Executive Director of Dangote Sugar, one of the

biggest companies in Nigeria; fellow of the Institute of Directors and a member

of the Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association, International

Federation of Women Lawyers and Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye is a prominent politician and current mayor

of the city of Louga, north-west Senegal. She was a former minister in the

government of President Abdou Diouf, holding positions in the Ministry of

Women, Children and the Family and the Ministry of Social Development and

National Solidarity. She is the head of the women’s wing of the Socialist Party

in Senegal. She began her career as a teacher and was a prominent basketballer

and represented Senegal in international sporting events in the 1970s.

Ndidi Nwuneli, MFR, Founder/Director LEAP Africa, has over fourteen

years of experience in international development. Following her early years as a

management consultant with McKinsey & Co., Nwuneli returned to Nigeria to

fulfi l her passion of promoting entrepreneurship and leadership development.

She served as the pioneer Executive Director of the FATE Foundation, and

then established LEAP Africa, which provides leadership, ethics and manage-

ment training and conducts leadership research, and NIA, which empowers

female university students to achieve their highest potential in life. Nwuneli

is a graduate of the Harvard Business School and the Wharton School of the

University of Pennsylvania, USA and serves on numerous boards.

Olusola Obada is the former Deputy Governor of Osun State in Nigeria. She

studied advertising at Watford College of Technology and law at University of

Buckingham, both in the UK. Before politics, she worked as Advertising Man-

ager at Nigeria Airways; as a partner in the law fi rm Olusola Agbeja and Co.;

and as Managing Director at Irongate Finance Trust Ltd., which she founded.

Bashirat Odunewu is a Business Development Manager at First Bank Plc.

She commenced her career at Akintola Williams & Co. (Chartered Account-

ants) where she trained and qualifi ed as an accountant and later worked with

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xiiiContributors

Continental Merchant Bank Plc., Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank

Ltd, First Atlantic Bank Plc., and First Inland Bank Plc. Odunewu attended

the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK for her

Bachelor of Science degree and the University of London Imperial College of

Science and Technology for her Master of Science degree in Advanced Tech-

nology and Development (1984). She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered

Accountants of Nigeria (1989) and several other professional bodies.

Debbie Ogunjobi is the Managing Director of EveryWoman, a fashion

business in Lagos, Nigeria. She is writer, columnist and motivational speaker.

Among her projects is Queenafrik, a beauty pageant that showcases African

concepts of beauty.

Elsie Omidiji attended Kent College, Pembury, UK and St. Godric’s Secretarial

College, Hampstead, UK. She worked in the federal civil service and later the

Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. She is the former president of the

Nigerian branch of Soroptimist International, an organisation that works for

the upliftment of women.

Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu is the Group Managing Director of Union Bank

of Nigeria Plc., and Chairman of Union Assurance Co. She was the CEO of

Vigeo Capital Ltd., Managing Director of two banks, MBC and Ecobank Nigeria

Plc, before becoming a Director in Ecobank Transnational Inc. In addition to

30 years of banking career, Osibodu has held various positions of prominence

in the business community and has served in various government appointed

committees. As well as being a member of Vision 2010, she has been a direc-

tor of ValuCard, Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), Consolidated

Discount House Ltd, First Securities Discount House Ltd, MBC Securities Ltd

and ESL Securities Ltd. Osibodu studied economics at the University of Ife,

Nigeria and is also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, USA.

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode is the CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foun-

dation and Chairman of the Asset Management Group. She is a legal practitioner

and business consultant with an LLM (Public International Law) from King’s

College, and an MBA in Finance from Imperial College, both in the University

of London, UK. She serves as a member of various boards including Murtala

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Muhammed Memorial Botanical Gardens (3MBG), the federal government

Privatization Policy and Monitoring Committee and the Editorial Board of

the Daily Times of Nigeria.

Tinuade Oyekunle is the Managing Partner & founder of Tinuade Oyekunle

& Co. She is a seasoned chartered arbitrator, handling complex international

commercial disputes under the auspices of arbitral institutions such as the

International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) and the Interna-

tional Centre for the Settlement of Disputes (ICISD). She served as Director,

Public International Law for the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as Legal Adviser

to the Council of Ministers and Heads of States of the Organisation of African

Unity (now African Union); the Asian African Legal Consultative Committee

(AALCO) & the International Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMO).

Oyekunle is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a member

of the Institute’s Board of Management and Chairman of the Education and

Membership Committee. She is a member of the Board of Governors of the

Caro Arbitration Center, a member of the Governing Council of the Lagos

International Centre for Commercial Arbitration. She was recognised as one of

the leading women in arbitration by the Global Arbitration Review, Women in

Arbitration. She is a Honorary Vice President and Council Member of the ICCA.

Veronica Piserchia is the founder and director of Veemel Hospital, Warri,

Nigeria, and President of Niger Wives, Warri branch. After studying nursing

in Scotland, UK, she worked with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital,

Nigeria before setting up Veemel. She is a titled chief in the Urhobo community

in recognition for her eff orts in the community.

Zenebeworke Tadesse is a former Deputy Executive Secretary of the

Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa. She has

worked extensively on issues of gender and social policy with various United

Nations agencies as well as with development groups and non-governmental

organizations throughout Africa. Tadesse presently serves as a member and

editor of the Management Committee of the Forum for Social Studies in Ad-

dis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is also a member of the Board of the African Gender

Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa, and a founding member of

the Association of African Women for Research and Development (AAWORD).

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xvContributors

Folashade Thomas-Fahm, fashion designer and administrator, is a proud

advocate for the restoration and pride in the beauty of African fashion. She

is one of Nigeria’s foremost fashion designers and a promoter of local fabrics

for contemporary urban designs. Thomas-Fahm started as a model, and later

moved on to business. She was the fi rst to open a fashion boutique in Nigeria

and a pioneer industrialist in other sectors of the economy.

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Doyin Abiola

A Sketchy Start, a Daily Concord with Self

Memorable as it was, the day I fi nally received my PhD was sort of anticlimactic.

I felt totally empty with a crippling anxiety of what the future held for me.

One thing however that I was sure of was the resolve to return home. Staying

abroad was never a viable option for me. I believe then, and still do, that my

best opportunities are on my home turf. So I set off for home even without

any job off er.

My choice of journalism was somewhat accidental because I thought my

career choice was somewhat limited with a fi rst degree in English and Drama.

But a chance meeting with the then Managing Director of one of Nigeria’s

regional government newspapers, Daily Sketch, led to my appointment as a

reporter for the women’s column, now known as the Life Style page. I took

to journalism like fi sh to water as I’m an advocate by nature. I loved advocacy

journalism and started off by using my reports to showcase sexism by chronicling

my personal experiences as a young, single, and educated woman in Nigeria.

Little did I know then that sexism is a prevalent and pervasive universal issue.

That realization came later during my postgraduate studies abroad. Much later,

after my doctoral studies, I was invited to an interview by the then Managing

Director, late Alhaji Babatunde Jose, of the reputable national newspaper, Daily

Times of Nigeria, DTN, for a post on the paper.

But, interestingly, I was automatically off ered the editorship of the Women’s

Page by an all male interviewing panel. Of course, I minced no words in letting

them know that I had a diff erent career path in mind which precluded another

stint on the Women’s Page. An off er without due regards for my qualifi cations

and experience seemed sexist. A compromise off er resulted in me being made

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Pamela Adedayo

Yinka the youngster

On 29 July 1950 I made my grand entry into this world through a heroine

and a hero in the persons of my beloved parents, late Madam Ibidunni Ajibola

Ogunnusi and Chief Moses Adebayo Ogunnusi respectively. Growing up with

my siblings under their love and protection was a great experience and one of

the most remarkable in my life till date. We lived as one big, happy family where

everyone was loved and given much attention. It was the right foundation to

build my adult life upon.

I also recall the society then was such a closely-knit one with a deep sense

of community, much unlike what is obtainable today. Families in those days

formed communities. Your own family was just a small part and so you were

bound to be on your best behaviour at all times. As a matter of fact, if you

erred away from home any adult had the right to punish you and usually did

so. It was such a prevalent practice that we would rather prefer to err at home

and be punished by our parents than being meted communal punishment for

our ‘external’ wrongs.

I also remember religion was not the divisive factor it has become today. I

was born and had my early schooling in Zaria, Kaduna State. I have such pleasant

memories of that time. Islam, Christianity and the indigenous African religions

coexisted peacefully without the rancour and resentment that readily pervade

the scene these days.

Going to school was also a signifi cant part of my upbringing. I always looked

forward to the opportunity it gave to mix up and socialise with other young

ones. It was always an opportunity to learn something new. Except for those

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Carlene Alaja-Browne

Jamaican born and bred

There is an island, a tourist haven, in the West Indies called Jamaica. It is

blessed with an abundance of sunlight, fauna, and beautiful, sparkling waters.

For example, in Port Antonio, a small sleepy town in Portland, eastern Jamaica,

the presence of water is everywhere – springs, streams, rivers, and the sea

with coral shades of blue. People’s homes were built close to the seaside, and

children loved to play in the waters. Fishermen bring in an array of sea foods:

prawns, crayfi sh, crabs, and fi sh, among others. The sight and sounds from the

sea provided breathtaking scenery for many a child’s creative imagination. Many

myths were also woven around sea creatures coming out of the water.

The majority of the people in this community were blacks, descendants

of slaves, who were violently snatched from Africa during the infamous slave

trade in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The after-eff ect of slavery

changed the thought pattern and behaviour of the islanders from what obtained

in Africa. I was born and bred at a period when it was the norm for a man to

have children with more than one woman who were not necessarily his wives.

In Jamaica then, many women had sole responsibility for raising their children.

Then too, it was normal to have children out of wedlock, as in ‘Common Law

Marriages’. This practice was a direct result of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade,

where men were not responsible for their children’s upbringing, as the chil-

dren belonged to the slave masters. With the abolition of the slave trade, the

introduction of Christianity, socialisation and exposure brought about by the

advent of globalisation however, many of these customs were stopped.

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Gladys Ashitey

Childhood days

I was born in the late fi fties to Mr Alfred Natetejio, a native of Teshie, a suburb

of Accra in the Ledzokuku constituency. He was the fi rst Agricultural Extension

Offi cer in Ghana. In those early days, I saw him moving from one farm to the

other, advising farmers on best practices with regard to crop yield and pest

control. He usually visited the big farms, the cocoa farms – mainly the ones

which export their produce. Because of the nature of his job the family hardly

stayed long in one place. My mother, Beatrice Kale Amma, eventually got tired

of the constant travelling, mainly because our schooling suff ered. She decided

to take my four sisters and I back home to Teshie. We visited my father during

holidays, while he also came home during his vacations.

At that time people actually tried to make an issue out of the fact that we

had no brother (the African mentality about the male child). But we always told

mother that our husbands would be her own sons, and that what a man can

do a woman can do better when given the opportunity. Actually, our mother

never regretted not having a male child. She was strong and was never really

bothered by what people said.

Growing up as the eldest child I had everything – the best education, my

parents’ love and the goodwill of all my aunts and uncles. However, as the

children increased I realised that there would be a division of the family’s

resources. But then my parents never showed any favouritism in the way they

run the family. They had limited resources but they were focused; they knew

what they wanted for us and they always found the money for fees or such like.

There was no situation then that I can say demanded too much of me. At

a certain point, because of the good times during the early stages of Ghana’s

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Opral Benson

Primary concerns

I wasn’t interested in make-up while growing up. I never saw it as an issue to

bother myself with. My major challenge was the desire to grow quickly and

become a woman to be reckoned with, one that would make a positive con-

tribution to the society. I wanted to acquire the necessary training required to

make an impact on people’s lives. I craved to be looked upon as someone peo-

ple had learnt from. That, however, did not make me overbearing or assertive

against authorities. Taking to my father’s ways, I did things as I saw them and

went along with whatever I had to do. Much was passed on to me by father in

the area of behaviour. The values of gratitude, respect for elders, contentment,

diligence, honesty and compassion for others were instilled in me early. They are

the things that have made me who I am today. In all I do, I try to be exemplary.

Memorable moments

I have never consciously gone out of my way to label the events of my life as

most memorable or most devastating. I fl ow along in whatever situation I fi nd

myself, trying to do things for myself. I cannot recall having a day that could be

tagged the darkest in my life. I treasure the memories of my childhood, being

with my parents, growing up, making friends, and going to parties. Those, for

me, were memorable moments. I do things with passion in order to get them

accomplished. I do not know anything that was or is special; everything I have

done is what I have planned to do, without giving room for regrets about the

past as this only causes heartaches. My dreams about education, marriage, fam-

ily life and career have been realised. I know there is a God who is watching

and helping me to decide, make up my mind about what to do and get things

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Esther Obeng Dapaah

Grandma’s the best

I was born on 18 January 1945 to a teenage girl. When my mother, Ellen Mansa,

realised she was pregnant, she left the city and went to a small village called

Otumi in the eastern region, where she lived with her mother until I was born.

Being a young girl, she used to leave me to go and play. Grandma said I was very

pretty and all the girls used to carry me on their backs. And while my mother

played my grandma would call her to come and look after her daughter because

she was now a mother. But she didn’t know how to be a mother – she had to be

taught! She later got married while I was still very young and left for the city.

I lived with Grandma in the village for a period of time that I still treasure

as the most memorable days of my life. Life was fun. In the mornings I would

fetch water from the stream before going to school. I enjoyed those days.

Grandma loved me a lot and made me feel confi dent. She used to tell me: ‘You

are very pretty and good. God will make you a good and great woman. Study

hard.’ She bought me a helmet, the type white men used to wear in colonial

days, and a pair of plimsolls. On Sundays I would put on my Sunday dress, wear

the plimsolls with my white baby socks and top it off with my helmet before

going to church!

I wasn’t keen on going to school because I was so much attached to Grandma

and didn’t want to leave her. But then a female teacher was sent to my village

and she had beautiful clothes on. There was something about her hat that got

me and I said, ‘Oh, this woman’s hat is diff erent from mine.’ I wanted her straw

hat so I befriended her. She became my role model. It’s a long time ago now

but she remains so vivid in my mind. She taught me diff erent diets, how to

Page 21: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

Christy Essien Igbokwe

The nightingale

Singing has always been part of my life. In 1970, when I was still in primary

school at Ladi Lak, the famous American performer, James Brown, came to

Nigeria. It was a big occasion and most schools in Lagos were invited to the

stadium to perform. I was the leader of the cultural dance troupe from my

school and we entertained the august visitor and the crowd, which included

the then Lagos State governor, Mobolaji Johnson.

James Brown performed his popular track ‘I Feel Good’, and I joined him,

singing and imitating his dance steps. The atmosphere was electrifi ed as we

did other tracks like ‘Say it loud - I’m black and I’m proud!’ and the people

applauded every move. After the show, I shook hands with both the governor

and James Brown. The musician then asked me what I’d like to do in the future

and I told him I’d like to become a singer and an actress. His reply simply was:

‘God help you.’ It was a popular story then and the press reported it.

But it isn’t easy to realise one’s dreams, especially when there’s no one to

help. After the famed performance with James Brown, I was nowhere to be

found. Frequent movements from one place to another, with an uncertain

future, nearly suff ocated my dream. The focus shifted from singing and acting

to surviving. But this was just for a while. Talent is like a spirit and those who

don’t use it will never experience true peace.

The earliest I could remember about my beginning as an artiste was some-

time in 1976, while I was still in secondary school. My adopted mother noticed

that I composed and sang songs and, to encourage me, bought me an old audio

recorder and gave me empty cassettes. Whenever I was inspired, I got the tape

recorder and just sang. I didn’t write my songs. When I had enough numbers on

Page 22: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

Bennedikter Molokwu

Baptism of fi re

‘Are you sure you are qualifi ed? Are you already a lawyer? You look so young!’

‘Yes, my Lord. If I were not qualifi ed, the Ministry of Justice would not have

sent me here to represent it as the prosecuting counsel in this case!’

The judge stormed out, unknown to us, to call the Director of Public Pros-

ecutions (DPP) to complain. By the look on his face when he returned a few

minutes later we knew that the DPP’s answer must have angered him the more!

He went on to read the judgement.

That was the fi rst day I appeared in court before Justice Abimbola. I stood

tall and proud in my wig and gown. But when the case was called and I stood

with my friend and colleague, Patricia Odumodu (now Ofi li), to announce our

appearance on behalf of the State, the judge threw the bombshell questions at

me. I refused to be cowed. I responded courageously, but soon sat down with

wobbly legs.

I was serving my National Youth Service Corps year in the Ministry of

Justice, Ogun State, Nigeria. The case fi les we handled covered two extremes

of prosecutions in the High Court – road traffi c off ences/accidents and ritual

killings – with little in between. In fact, I only recall three theft cases and a

sprinkling of Indian hemp hauls in the entire year. Writing up the legal opinions

after evaluating the evidence was quite a unique experience for me soon to be

capped by actual courtroom exposure. And now this! We were even only in

court to take judgement.

Page 23: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

213Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye

He said to him, ‘The teacher who was transferred here, is she a woman? She

wanted to break my head’. The other replied, ‘She told me she wanted to work,

she is not like the former staff . She is the fi rst to come and the last to leave.

If she is not in the fi eld, she’s here at the offi ce. You can see she’s not like the

previous teacher so be careful.’ He left him and gave me the key. You have to

challenge power if you want to affi rm your stand and it’s what I did.

Another challenge I had to tackle was the acceptance of a woman at the

departmental development committee because women were not accepted. I was

asked to give a monthly report but someone else read the reports. They could

not do it better than I who experienced the activities in the fi eld, but they can

read the report. There were those who took advantage because we were not

heads of departments. Despite everything, I said to myself, I am like a head of

department because I was in charge of some mission and I had subordinates

in the fi eld I had to supervise; therefore I felt like a head of department. I was

recommended and it was later put into eff ect.

Models and motivators

My elder sister is my model. She was the fi rst in the family to go to school.

She was very good to me. She died some few years ago. She really went up the

ladder in terms of education, and became a pharmacist. My sister showered

me with love and gifts.

Most interesting about her was her ability to combine her studies with other

vocations she had learnt in the boarding house. She was a fashion designer. She

made good clothes. She made my clothes; we always wore the same thing, espe-

cially during the festive holidays. Academically, she did very well. She attended

diff erent higher institutions in order to qualify as a pharmacist.

I also had another model, a cousin whose name was Aida Mbengue. She

introduced me to the feminist movement. I went to school because of my

sister’s example and I am involved with the welfare of women because of the

early exposure my cousin’s infl uence gave me. I owe them a big thanks to my

success story today. They had positive infl uences in my life.

Nonetheless, one of the motivations that really inspired me career wise was

my cousin’s organisation, Intermediary Training Seminar, dedicated to uplift-

ing rural women. It was an eye-opening experience for me. In fact, it was the

catalyst that made me go back to the university to study my discipline.

Page 24: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

Ndidi Nwuneli

Childhood and the heritage for change

I was extremely fortunate to have been born into the Okonkwo family. I was

born the third of fi ve children. My parents – Prof. Paul Obuekwe Okonkwo, a

pharmacologist from Awka, Anambra State, and Professor Rina Okonkwo – a

historian, originally from New York City, who is also a proud Nigerian citizen,

created a loving, close-knit and sheltered environment for me and my four

siblings – Adaora, Una, Nwando and Aneto – to thrive.

We lived on the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus for the most formative

years of my life. During this time, I attended the University Primary School

and then Federal Government College Enugu, before leaving Nigeria in 1991,

to enrol at The Clarkson School. My parents instilled very strong values within

us from very early ages. Four that were most enduring include:

A commitment to excellenceThey revealed to us the importance of always striving for and achieving the

best. Phrases such as “90% is not good enough”, “Does the person who got an

A have two heads?” were often heard in our home. They taught us the value of

education and encouraged us to read widely, write poems, journals and biog-

raphies, and to develop our talents. My mother created a learning environment

for us at home, supplementing our formal education with numerous activities,

which she developed and executed. In addition, our parents were extremely

involved in our education and professional pursuits and remained cheerleaders

and champions for us, always pushing us to apply to the best schools, the most

reputable organizations and to excel in those environments. This commitment

Page 25: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

Debbie Ogunjobi

Growing up

I remember my childhood with nostalgia. I had a lot of fun. Surulere then was

a close community of neighbours as friends. My growing up years were actu-

ally spent with my mum. Before then we used to live together as a family with

my father, my mum and my siblings in Apapa but, unfortunately, my parents

separated and we chose to live with our mum. However, I recall the household

in which I grew up with my family was a large one. We had lots of people living

with us, including house helps. In spite of that, you could hardly tell the diff er-

ence between the house helps and the children. Nice clothes were bought for

everyone, each person was treated like the others and even the chores were

equally divided. This was the foundation that shaped my disposition towards

others. I grew up to relate with people that way. I don’t believe anyone is bet-

ter or worse than me.

Everything about Surulere was nice: the houses, the people and the activi-

ties. I lived in a beautiful place called Olukola Close with about ten houses.

We even used to have neighbourhood parties together. The environment was

fantastic and the houses were built in the colonial fashion. It was a community

of people who had resettled from Lagos Island. It was a middle class area. We

kids used to walk a lot to places like Ogunlana Drive, Adeniran Ogunsanya and

Tejuosho. I attended Wesley Girls’ Secondary School (now Methodist Girls’

High School). We would walk through the railway compound and burst out

at Tejuosho before we got into the heart of Surulere. We could actually walk

around the whole of Lagos and never feel any stress because we would always

chat away. It was a lot of fun.

Page 26: The HerStory Project. Edited by Anthonia Makwemoisa

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