A century of Nigerian women's support

Yinka Ojo

Nike Oshinowo is leading the search for a queen who would promote the history, diverse beauty, customs, unity and celebrate the rich cultural heritage Nigeria possesses.

The role of a woman in the society can never be overemphasised. In Nigeria, the heroics of Queen Fatima, who built the great wall of Zaria; Moremi Ajansoro and the liberation of the people of Ile Ife; the Abiola wives and their contribution to the democracy we now enjoy, serve as apt examples of the role women play, and can play, as a uniting factor in any society.

There is simply no culture in the world, present or past, where the role of a woman can be undervalued. It may appear like they are under represented in some or second-rated in others but like the backbone that is hardly praised for the beauty of the body, flourishing societies owe their success to the universal gift that is a woman.

Great warlords may erect statues in remembrance of themselves or name territories after their exploits but the place of a woman is in the things of the heart; the best of songs and most beautiful of arts. Their beauty has spurred nations to war and men to battle. In the 100 years of Nigeria's existence; a woman named it, and in just 15 years of its existence, her women staged the riot that stamped their position as a force to reckon with. Women sustain the family, train and support the leaders that have stared the ship of the nation at every point. HID Awolowo still remains the symbol of a political dynasty that shaped leadership in Africa as a whole.

As the nation marks her centenary, the search for a queen to serve as a symbol of everything a woman stands for has become a task close in prominence to the call for independence, the task of evolving a flag or an anthem. It is the search for an enduring queen to symbolise Nigerian womanhood. Let us all support the making of another dream to see us through the next century as we search for a queen that will rule for the next 100 years.

No trophy for suffering

Ade bent to press the spot just below his ankle for the umpteenth time and the resulting pain surged through him as usual. He is trying to grow stoic with each torturous step. He balanced his frame tenderly on the strong right foot and support it with a precarious stand on the painful right foot, he limped on.

“Don't you think you should consult a doctor on this leg, I think it's taking too long to heal and it seems to get bad sef” Jade, her sister, watched as Ade limped and groaned at intervals.

He popped two caplets of Ibuprofen and gulped it with a cup of water for the third time in the day and it was just midday.

Ahem! Clears throat. “It'll go. It will heal, I just need to endure a little more” he said.

“A little more till it's ripe for amputation abi?” his mother cut in.

“Ah ! God forbid o, what kind of wish is that?” He said frowning as he hanged the left leg resting on the right and leaning on the door frame. He was becoming increasingly pained and irritated with the sore which has refused to heal and spreading towards his knee.

“Iwo lo mon. I won't watch while you kill yourself in silence. I've told Daddy Ogunronbi about it and he promised to check on you after work today. If you like do like limpopo away and be absent when he comes around. Thank God you know everyone in my family, we don't have a 'gurugu' and you can see me too (she stretches her limbs to display health and fitness).

Ade has been enduring the pain for a year now but he has kept it to himself. It started as a little bump just below his ankle with a strange tingling sensation spreading to his knee and he could feel it up his to hips. Now the tenderness has spread all through his left leg. His family had thought it was an injury sustained from his pursuit of stardom through football. The extent of the pain became known about a week ago when he couldn't hide it any longer, the grotesque figure he cut while walking or standing gave him up.

Despite the nagging pain Ade has refused to visit any hospital, today will be different, he really wished to know what it was that was devouring his leg.

…................................

After careful examination, Ogunronbi, a senior nurse, removed his glove and looked straight into Ade's eyes with a hint of hopelessness.

“Ade, (he sighs) why have you kept mute over something as serious as this”?

Ade gave him the can-it-be-worse look.

“Okay, it has spread wide and you'll need to see a doctor. I hope it's not as bad as I think, but I can tell you this is very bad”

….................................

Only God knew what the old nurse told Ade's mum, but she was gloomy for the rest of the night looking at him like a living-dead. He would get to know as the doctor finished analysing the test results.

“You said you are 22 years old?” the doctor asked.

“Yes sir, by next week I'll be” Ade answered as calm as he could but anyone listening could tell anxiety in his voice.

“You are a very strong man...(taps his pen on the big x-ray result envelope) to have withstand such pain this long”

Ade looked down on himself with a little sense of justification and piety.

“But, it's a pity there is no compensation for suffering in silence. You'll have to celebrate your birthday without your left leg” the doctor paused a little for effect and continued speaking before Ade could say a word.

“We must ampuatate the leg immediately. So call me your mum”

Ade looked at his leg and muffled the scream roaring through his lungs as he limped out of the doctor's office.

“Oko mi, what did he say” the mum rushed to meet him.

“Ah! Maami aye mi ti baje o, they said they'll cut my leg” as he lounged to hold her he hit his leg against a gurney.

He fainted!

Dada, the devil wrestler, is dead!

Kenny felt she had escaped the troubles and crisis for the day as she helped her mum to dinner and looked forward to bed as her throbbing muscles craved rest and she strategised for the coming days in her head. But she knew it was the beginning of the rest of the day for her immediately she heard a rude knock on the front door, it must be a parent of one of the boys she dealt with, she thought to herself. It was a bigger surprise, Mr Dada was at the door!

Stepping into the living room she sighted 'the beast' with koboko and canes as if going for a masquerade show. Dressed in just her fluffy night wear, Kenny knew she had murdered sleep that night.

“Iwo, you think you can run away from my grip? Before you turn bad I will basterdise all your buttocks”

“Emi Charles O-o o layinka”, he stammered beating his chest. “Emi onamoloju iya e"

I just want to show you that evil has no hiding place with me. Egberun Saamu e ko le sa mo Olorun lowo. I will give you 25 strokes here on this centre table in the presence of your parents”

He quickly rearranged the centre table for the task and ordered the girl to lay flat on it as her parents watched in amazement.

Whip! Whap Whip! Whap!! whap!! the cane sang as each stroke made contact with her almost naked skin. Kenny tried to muffle the scream but Mr Dada was too adept in beating to miss the mark. After about 8 lashes she screamed in agony. Yeeeeeee! Mummmiiiii, yee, e gbami o! Aaaaaaaahhhh! Aye mi ti baje o!

“Don't worry, your life has not spoilt yet, but I'll spoil it for you if you dare come late to lesson tomorrow”

“Daddy, thank you. I must go now, I still have 4 other places to visit tonight. They are a group (stressing his last word) and I will show them that I Charles Olayinka will never condole any nonsense, over my dead body” he sauntered out the door as he barked order at his boys “Lanre, Tunde da? Oya let's go”

The news of the treatment melted on Kenny and her friends preceded them to school the next day, although no one was there, sighting the girls confirmed the story. Much as they try to fake the effect of the lashing they got the night before, their stepping betrayed them. None of them could sit comfortably in class. That was Mr. Dada for you, he wrestled the demon in every one of his students personally. He would never overlook the least act of deviance or rebellion.

Rumour had it that he was a black-belt karate fighter. I never get to ask him but seeing him fought the “Baba Cocoa boys” when his continuing education centre was at a primary school in Jabata, Oyo left me in no doubt. Alongside his friend, Broda Tunde, Mr. Tunde Owonikoko, they would fight and chase the boys out of the school premises. Mr Dada was fearless, bold and an excellent teacher. He literally opened our heads and poured integrated science into it.

Although a good teacher I would not have prayed to attend Mr. Dada's school if he had had one back then, for the fear of cane. He ran the Dynamic Continuing Education Centre, Oyo (DCECO0 with his friend. Theirs was a union made in heaven. Tunde Suulola was the one with business acumen, running the business aspect of the investment while Mr. Dada handled the pedagogy and discipline aspects, both were top-notch.

Mr. Dada taught Integrated Science at the junior secondary classes while Tunde Suulola taught Biology at the senior classes. The transition was smooth and it would be hard to attend DCECO from JSS to SSS3 and not pass Biology. They both made me love the sciences, especially Biology. Mr. Dada, as the pedagogical watch-dog could patrol the length and breadth of the school 50 times in a day, all between 3 and 6pm. Although with a squinted right eye, he was eagle-eyed.

Judging by his sight you could avoid or afford wrath. Those that knew his sight weakness always exploited it. While pointing at a defaulter or offender, be sure it wasn't you, if you judge by his sight you could think he was pointing at you rather than your classmate.

Woe betides you if Dada was around when a subject teacher pick a grouse with the class.

“Mr. Alao, they are making noise abi? Don't worry, you'll meet me as hard as a bullet, continue making the noise” In a space of 7 minutes he'ld be through with a class of about 30 students, two strokes of cane each.

No one would ever forget the bashing he gave Dare Akande and "Rocky". He caned them like he would kill them, we never knew he was wrestling the beast in them.

Mr Dada would beat you and ask your parents if you told them. "Se omo yin jise pe mo fi egba ba idi oun je?"

Exam period at the 'lesson' was much more fun and pressure than in school. If you could pass examination in DCECO you'll come out in flying colours in your school.

Mr. Dada shaped our lives greatly and seeing him after school was fun. As predicted or envisaged, his union with Tunde Sulola ended in catastrophe with the coming of women into their lives. Tunde went on to succeed as an educational businessman with fortune in external examinations and later a school. With the dwindling social value went the prospects of Mr.Dada as a strict disciplinarian and astute teacher.

If the liver ailment that killed him had come in person, I am very sure Broda Yinka would have wrestled it down. As death silenced his baritone voice of science teaching and quenched his thirst for quality education embroiled in discipline I wail in my soul, silently praying that his impact on our lives will be felt by those after us as we hope to keep his memories alive.

Rest on, my indefatigable teacher. If on your pilgrimage to yonder anyone raised doubt to your probity don't hesitate to come back to welcoming hands of loved ones.