“When a woman rises up in glory, her energy is magnetic and her sense of possibility contagious” ~ Marianne Williamson

Women! Women!! Women!!!

What is the world without them? They come in different shapes, sizes; with different peculiarities, different idiosyncrasy. We have them, as sisters, girlfriends, daughters, aunts, cousins, grandmothers.

 Often times, I try but fail to understand them, many times I call them complex. One minute they are the darling and beautiful, the other they are wild and unforgiving.

I write mindful of these two sides: knowing they can be mean, sometimes heartless, often times wicked. I’ve experienced these. The other side stands tall in my heart, their peculiar heart, the magnanimous kindness of every woman. My dazzling angel  comes to mind – my mother, Olufunke Christianah; without whom, today, I will be either a destitute, a thug, probably a rapist; a hardened criminal.

I remember those 7 months we lived half the day on fruits, the other on constant Eba.  Then it was all cries, today I smile. I remember coming home from school and our properties thrown out before my eyes – within 5 years we lived in 7 houses. I remember you standing by us, despite the hardship, telling us; “we will make it through”. How we made it through remains a mystery!

You got us Osei Yaw Ababio and P.N Okeke, using your certificate as guaranty. You stood when we could not stand, you’re the reason we stand today. You built in us character and deepened our values; when others could have compromised, you told us “your father is the only man I know, he will be the only man I ever know”. I remember those men, flaunting their cash; we needed money, poor and worse than a church rat. You refused. In retrospect, our struggles were plenty and you, with your ravishing beauty, could have given in. You did not!

I remember your struggles, I remember your pain, I remember how you hurt but you kept smiling. We knew you cried though you hid it from us. Because of your resilient strength ‘Lufunke, I can raise my head tall. You saw us

3 troublesome boys (any woman will be proud of) and 2 girls (any man could die for). I got my confidence from your unwavering belief in God; through those unforgettable years, you stood as a rock, Olufunke my Gibraltar. I love you Christianah, my seeds will forever be grateful to you my sweet 16.

Women! Women!! Women!!!

How much strength we draw from their enduring abilities! How much wealth we tap from their resilient capabilities! How much wisdom we derive from their rich experience!!! What would the society be without the enduring strength of women? The single mothers, the broken hearted, the destitute with those innocent but struggling children, the hustling mothers trying to make ends meet, the smiling women despite their hurting sides. It’s sad to see that they are still the victims of war and many demeaning African culture. Put men in the place of women and what they go through, the society would possibly crash!

Wherever you are, if you are a woman, I celebrate you. Hold your head high, regardless of your pain, of those hurts, of those shames; I salute you. You are why I am standing today. You are why many boys become men.

You are why many men come back home: the warmth of the beds, your soothing words, your enduring strength, your glistening freshness! You are our towering strength!

 

About the author: Seun Fakuade is the executive director of Beacons Development Foundation Nigeria (BDF), a Non-governmental organization using interactive methods dedicated to investing human capacity/leadership core values in young people using Mentorship and Community service as key tools.

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.