I am the girl child
Companion of the male child
Able as the boy child
In yesteryears
I was the unnoticed child
The unseen child
But I am the ever evolving child
I have grown and died with talents unrealized
My dreams and visions never materialized
My opinion was low priced
I was never to be involved in any deliberation
Even when I was affected by the resultant decision
And what of the priceless education?
The indispensable tool to build a nation
That too was not my portion
Yet I was bound to fail
For nobody would listen to my tale
All because I am female
All because I am not a male
But can we all be males?


Of course not!!!


So why is it so unfortunate to be female?


Let’s give your question some thought


Some thought?
You’d do better to give it all thought you male!!


Be calm
I’ll relieve you and do and do as you think I ought
But the issue is quite clear
That your grieves lie in the days of yesteryears
Is that all you think about the pressures I bear
May I make my point my dear?
For even as I stand here
There is a whole ministry which as it were
Is dedicated to women and girls affairs
And another
Whose mandate upon formation
Is to cater solely for girl child education
Not to talk about innumerable N.G organizations
Who have you!........................ (pointing to the girl)
As their only preoccupation
Not to talk about legal bodies and courts
Set up solely to defend your course
So that right or wrong you become a dreadful force
You are on every poster
You have become the crow of every rooster
Your problems are constantly read out like a roster
But what about me?
Who pleads my case?
Who encourages me in my race?
Who cares if I can’t keep up the pace?
Yes everyone seems to have the notion
That by my mere physical disposition
My problems should be but a mere illusion.


And isn’t that the truth?
Haven’t you been the stronger since you were a youth?
Have I not been abused in marriages?
And if as a result I have recurrent miscarriages
I am considered an infertile carrier of spoilages
Haven’t I been the disadvantaged one over the ages?
But in life there are stages
And at this stage in my life,
I realize I must open all cages
The cages of detrimental beliefs and customs
That surround me like savages
Ever eager to shred every fiber of dignity clothing my image
So where lays our glory?
What of those who cant decide when to marry?
Anytime we are offended, we have to say sorry
Talk of numerous degrading cultural practices
Of virgins who end up as Trokorshies
Only to be raped and abused by attendants to fetishes
And priests purported to serve gods and goddesses
And what of genital mutilation
Sheer agony that you think improves copulation
But all it brings to me is pain and humiliation
Talk of all those of your widowhood rites
Puberty rites
Pacification rites
But you have been treated as a prince
A king
An emperor


Say no more!!
Do you know my plight?
Can you fight my fight?
You want to caret my so called privileges and rights?
But let me ask
Have you ever been forcefully installed as a chief?
Or forced to administer to gods and fetishes in which you do not believe?
You complain about being forced to marry your dead husband’s brother
But do you know if I was willing or not to accept such an order
You’re the only one about whom people would care to bother
But me
I singularly survive one abuse after the other
Anytime there is a war, I become a child soldier
I carry my problems on my shoulder
I face the world alone with my problems as heavy as a boulder
Do you not expect I show no sign of weakness?
Do you not look up to me to meet danger and yet be fearless?
Do you not expect that I should make a name?
Command your idea of respect and gather fame?
Who cares if I went through water or flame?
For as long as the riches and honor came
You look up too acquire this title and that one
Everything I have is a battle I have won
If I show any sign of fear I am not a man
If I am weaker than my peer I’m the mockery of my clan
In everything my respond must be I can
Or else I cease to be a man
But who cares?


No one I guess


But le me tell you my dear
And make something very clear
That sometime, someday, some year
You’d realize that I too have not been treated fair.

But let me ask a question
That in this present dispensation
When our dreams and vision
Are not given the requisite recognition
Must we resort to arguments that only cause division?
Arguments that only destroy the purpose of our mission
Our mission as the future of this nation
The torch holders of its vision
Shall we destroy or build upon its foundation.


You’re right my brother
As we grow older
We should pull together
And let the flames of our differences smolder
Let’s lean on each others shoulder
Let’s hold hands my brother and my sister
And together
Let’s say this to our mothers
And resound it to our fathers



Every child is a child
Girl child or boy child
We are all children
Whatever one needs, the other needs too
True
Our needs must be catered for
To secure the future
That our nation may prosper
But no child should be catered for
To the detriment of the other
This is what we humbly ask
This is the nation’s true task

Thank you.