By Christy Anyanwu
Mrs. Rita Okoli, president of the Anambra State Women Association, Lagos, leads one of the most vibrant women’s associations in the country is a retired principal and recipient of the Bournvita National Best Teachers Award in 2007. She is actualizing a paradigm shift to ensure women attain their potential as nation–builders and pillars of the home, who are protected from the ills of domestic violence, discrimination, indolence and other vices.
In this interview with Daily Sun recently, the women’s leader said that the state women association can help to curb insecurity in the state. She highlighted some activities of the association, how they are contributing to the success of women in Anambra through their empowerment programmes as well as tackling other issues.
Can you tell us about your background and what motivated you to become involved in the Anambra State Women Association?
As a retired principal who dealt with human beings, I was motivated to be involved in ASWAL to promote the welfare and well-being of women, especially against domestic violence, maltreatment of widows, and gender inequality, to be their mouthpiece.
What are your primary responsibilities as the president of the Anambra State Women Association?
My primary responsibility as the president of ASWAL is to promote the welfare and well-being of women, to educate women on contemporary family issues, how to contribute and manage finances and contribute effectively to the growth of the family and peaceful co-existence.
What are some of the biggest challenges that women in Anambra State face today?
Some of the challenges women in Anambra and women in general are facing include domestic violence. I will give a typical example of an incident where the husband poured fuel on the wife and got her burnt. Sexual molestation, especially of widows, teenagers and the underprivileged, and discrimination in family inheritance.
Insecurity is a critical issue in the Southeast, especially in Anambra. In what ways has the association contributed to stop the rising incidence of insecurity in the state?
ASWAL has been conducting seminars on how to avoid domestic violence; how to engage in trading, no matter how small the capital is, to avoid begging for money always.
We have equally conducted seminars on how to guide our children and wards against the use of hard drugs, Mkpuru miri, cocaine and rape. Also dropping out of school to engage in apprenticeship. An idle person is the devil’s workshop.
In fact, the governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, has done extremely well by curbing crime in the society. Anambra is a state known for hard work but the present generation likes “ego mbute”. It takes the grace of God for the governor to achieve this. Our adage says that “aka ajaja bu onu manu – manu”.
Governor Soludo has taken some bold steps to minimize crime and insecurity in the state with the ban on Oke ite and Eze nwanyi.
What’s your view on this?
You can see that Oke-ite and Eze nwanyi are taking cover in other states. If the governors of surrounding states can take a cue from Governor Soludo, crime will reduce drastically. Our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow will face the truth of hard work.
How does the association address issues such as gender-based violence, economic inequality, and access to education for women?
Gender-based violence and economic inequality, are what government, churches, mosques, families and society should fight for. More emphasis should be laid on women’s education.
How do you define successful leadership within the context of a women’s association?
Successful leadership is the ability of the leader to inspire, motivate and guide a team towards achieving their goals by communicating effectively, with clear vision and accountability, as my predecessor, Prof. Nkiru Ifekwem, has achieved.
Can you share some success stories that highlight the impact of your programmes on women’s lives in Anambra State?
Since the inception of ASWAL, we have about 120 registered town unions with three representatives from each town union’s women’s wing.
We have done a lot to empower the women in the region. We have engaged severally in the economic empowerment of our women. We have visited the underprivileged and prisons as social responsibilities. We have bestowed awards of excellence on men and women who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavour. We have embarked on free medical missions. We have equally embarked on leadership training for women leaders of various towns.
What would you say are some of the most valuable lessons you have learnt *throughout* your career and how have you applied them to your personal and leadership role in Aswal?
Education is my best experience in all my career. It has helped me in leadership role. As a result of this, I am able to set goals for ASWAL members, encourage and motivate them to work confidentially and enthusiastically. We are able to organize seminars, bestowed award of excellence to some of our men and women who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavours. ASWAL has been motivated to take part in socio-cultural activities and developmental projects. Socio-culturally, ASWAL has participated annually in Anambra State Day Cultural Celebration in Lagos. ASWAL made it a point of duty to visit Anambra State Stand during the “Trade Fair” days in Lagos. I was able to articulate a vision that unites ASWAL as a team, communicating culture and modeling core values, fostering a harmonious, inclusive work environment, inspiring and motivating them to constantly produce exceptional work as can be seen in one of her published books. “Random Thoughts on Contemporary Family Issues”. It will be high premium for more women inclusion in politics at all levels to harness their potentials in that regard. This year’s theme on the International Women’s Day “for all women and girls: Rights. Equality and Empowerment has been on the emphasis over the years without much implementation. What right have women both in their father’s home and in their marital home. The girl child suffers the same. It is even worst when the woman has only female children. Not minding that the man determines the sex of the child. She suffers the same faith if she is a widow. The 1995 fourth World Conference on women in Beijing marked a turning point for global agenda for gender equality. It also laid concrete ways for countries to bring about changes. I don’t know about other countries but in Nigeria no changes have been effected. Women and girls right for equality and empowerment has not been effected, let’s talk about female inheritance. As a female in the house, the emphasis is for you to get married. Once you are married, you are a foreigner in your father’s home. You are subjected to hostility and humiliation. Nothing reaches you in your father’s family. If you are married and have only female children, you are equally lost from your husband’s side. It is worst when you marry and lose your husband as a result of death; you will lose all the property you accumulated with your husband. There is a lot of marital violence, brutality and killings on daily basis just because you are a woman. What of early girls’ marriage? Nobody to defend them. This year’s theme means that women and girls rights must not be infringed. For women and girls empowerment, they must be given qualitative education in schools, encourage them to study professional courses to recognize their rights, be employed in jobs that are lucrative to be remunerated adequately to take care of their needs such as having money to enforce their rights in court, take care of themselves and their children. Loans and grants should be made a bit easier for women to enhance their economic visibility.
What does this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” mean to you, and how do you think it resonates with your experiences and values?
How this year’s theme resonate with my experience and values is that emphasis should be on creating adequate environment where everyone regardless of gender feels valued, accepted, respected and empowered. However, women must continue to fight for equality and liberation along with the Women’s Right Movement. They should focus seriously on gender equality, reproductive rights, violence and abuse against women and the girl child.
What message would you like to convey to women in Anambra State and beyond?
A woman that is trained is an asset, not only to her family but to wherever she is married. Train a woman, train a nation. She is insurance to parents in old age. Women, as the scripture described them, are helpers, and they should be handled with care.