All through the weekend and today, I wanted to send out a newsletter. I initially wanted to talk about the skill set needed in the workforce of today, but the emotional state I have been in, has mostly taken away any sort of motivation or informative knowledge I had like to share. Even took the taste of food from my mouth. Emotional state caused by the recent rape incidents.
Now, rape didn't just start today sadly enough. Same as catcalling, molesting, harrassment, rights trampling, patriarchy, and several other vices. But that doesn't take away the deathlike sting that comes from hearing that a lady somewhere has been raped.
From time immemorial, the female gender has been looked at as lower than the male gender. The female gender has not been given the same opportunities as the male gender. This stupid mentality is ingrained in religion, in tribes, in different culture and traditions, in everything that we have known as a moral compass right from the moment we knew to read, speak and understand. This mentality is why our forefathers didn't want the girl child having education because "her place was in the kitchen and as a home maker." This mentality trickled down to today still, even after the girl child has been celebrated for her strength, her intelligence, her prowess. Even after the girl child became known for her mathematics ability , or when she became known for her engineering ability or for fighting her way to the top in politics, business world and even the world of crime, the girl child is still being looked at as a tool or an object.
Over the years, the girl child has been molested and raped, yet little or nothing has been done, regarding legislation and its enactment in various countries, especially our very own Nigeria. It is even more worrying seeing people who are to beget the next generation say things like “if he asks for sex, give it to him, so he doesn't rape you", or “you can't tempt a man and expect him not to rape you.” I want to believe you receiving this newsletter don't subscribe to such mindset. If you do, YOU ARE MAD! Children get raped. How do they tempt you? People in overalls get raped, yet you will think it's a matter of clothing? Again, I want to believe you receiving this newsletter don't subscribe to such mindset. If you do, please unsubscribe from this newsletter.
To every male receiving this, please be the change. Take a stand. We are all being looked at as predators, and rightly so. Now is not the time to say "not all of us." Instead, caution your friends who catcall. Stay away from friends who discuss the body parts of a woman, they are rapists undergoing metamorphosis. And if you know anyone who rapes, please drag the person. Drag him or her. Report them. There is no honor in keeping the silence code while a sister's future is being destroyed. And if you as a male is being molested, or has been molested, please speak up also. There is no strength in “hard guy.” Yes, men get raped too. But it will be damn stupid and counterproductive if you use that as an excuse or a reply to a woman who speaks up about her experience. TALK YOUR OWN!
To every female receiving this, you are not a sex object. You can be a lawyer if you want. A rapper if you want. A chef if you want. A stripper if you want. A doctor if you want. A bartender if you want. A call girl or hooker if you want. You can be anything you want. You are smart, and strong, and beautiful. You can wear anything you want. It shouldn't invite men to rape or molest you. Sadly, the world is too messed up to know that, so please be safe out there. Yes, please defend yourself. Carry a pepper spray if you can find it.
Together, we will defeat this. But we must be the change. We must take a stand. Your environment (people closest to you) is a start. Do something!
Talk to you soon,
Niyi
This is an amazing piece 💯💯
Those bastards do not deserve mercy, I hope they are caught up with soon
Thank you for speaking so true words Niyi