MY AWANI STORY

The future really is female. The ideal Nigerian society that I have been accustomed to has led me to believe that patriarchy is a traditional and generational thing that women had no place in the real world, that women and girls can’t take up real tasks unless they are slaving over the cooking fire. The belief has never sat right with me, “Moremi was a woman” I would say to challenge the sexist statement that came flying out of my classmate’s mouth, “And a female king is a thing in Yoruba land, they call her Aremo” I would add to rile them up more. As much as I believed in my equality views, I am sometimes conflicted. My religion has its views about women, My culture has another view about women, even the society has its own opinions and I would feel defeated. Men are supposed to the head, right? Powerful positions are only meant for men and nothing will ever change that, right? Wrong.

The film Awani arranged my view and made me introspective as to why I stand for gender equality and feminism as a whole. Feminism has been referred to as an Eurocentric movement, people, even today believe it was never really African. The humorous irony is Patriarchy is an Eurocentric inheritance according to Ifeoma Fafunwa a foremost playwright and activist. The pre colonial Nigeria was an advanced and diverse society where women had significant and prominent roles in their society. The advent of the colonial powers led to the dissolve of that and recreated a male dominated system.

Women had always been met with unjust treatment. From their homes to the society at large. Awani gave me an insight into the history of feminine role models and how they stood their grounds against injustice. This is also quite significant in Nigeria today. Brave women have formed protest over time; The bringbackourgirls movement, endrape, endsars and lots more. Amazing women like Aisha Yesufu and Rinu Oduala are prime examples of women using their voices over time, women fighting back and never giving up.

Awani is such a phenomenal piece that should be displayed in every secondary school and university in Nigeria. It’s really amazing how little my knowledge was on the equality movement, Feminism and great women that have gotten to the top without stroking the egos of the sexist society. The film is an impact of knowledge. It makes me optimistic that there is an inevitability

to achieving equality. We look onward to a better future, a better Nigeria, a better Africa and a better world. A future where young girls would not back down from sports because it is not lady like, where young ladies would not feel politics is not their place, where women would not keep quiet when they receive ill treatment and a future where I could walk into a position of power and I would not be instantly belittled. A future where my womanhood is not seen as a weakness and where my voice does not count as a threat. A greater future where we can be what we want without patriarchal obstacles. A future for me, a future for you and a future for us. Awani.

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