Efio-Ita Nyok|11 October 2016
Yesterday, 11 October was marked by the United Nations as the International Day of the Girl Child. This year’s theme was: 'Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: A Global Girl Data Movement'. Yesterday, a social media user, namely, Akiba Ekpenyong took a swipe at Nigerians of Akwa Ibom State origin particularly referring to a noticeable trend of cultural traits that are anti women.
For instance, the woman in Akwa Ibom like in most other traditional African societies doesn't treat the girl child and by extension women, lady, female, etc in equal par with the man child. There is this practice amongst the three major tribes of Ibibio, Annang, Oron and even Eket where the woman ceases to be entitled to properties in her father's house immediately she is married out. On the contrary, the man child still enjoys the right to inheritance by reason of being a child. The implication is that the girl child isn't eminently human as the male. Again, the idea that she ceases to enjoy privileges unlike the male suggests that she is a property packaged to be sold of at the appointed time.
While this trend still persist proudly in Akwa Ibom yesterday's International Day of the Girl Child was celebrated among Akwa Ibomites. This smacks of hypocrisy such that Ekpenyong couldn't help but blare out against. Hear him out:
'Unfortunately, am seeing my friends from Akwa Ibom State saying good things about girls, celebrating the girl child and saying good things…
Ekpenyong then highlight a glaring irony:
'Buuuuuuuut so many of these men refused sharing family land and houses to their sisters. What an irony'.
Should the girl child in Akwa Ibom State been given equal rights as the boy child in all ramifications of the word. Wouldn't it have a fair deal if the girls children are still entitled to inheritance of properties from their 'maiden homes' after marriage?
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of NegroidHaven.org
It's painful because at the end women contribution to the family is still much sought after even after marriage.They should be treated same.
It's painful because at the end women contribution to the family is still much sought after even after marriage.They should be treated same.