Funke Akindele: Enough of the tantrums against the girl-child’s dreams, aspirations, By Adeshola Komolafe

Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele is not just a woman, but a real warrior, model, and an embodiment of the Nigerian spirit. Most importantly, she is a Nigerian and Lagosian through and through. Her existence and aspirations should not attract so much unfounded, infantile and obtuse reactions, except for those whose egos, machismos, clandestine plans, nepotistic tendencies, dark fixations and obvious failure and lack of tact, are threatened by her and the light she potentially brings.

Something very wrong and sinister is gradually creeping into the very fibre of our collective identity and aspiration as a people.

It is like a virus that surreptitiously crawls in without notice and starts to disengage and denigrate every function of the human body, until the centre of wellbeing can no longer hold.

Over the years, this social ‘virus’ has morphed into several shapes, sizes, and can be ubiquitously found across cultures and regions of the country. You can call it the crab mentality, pull down syndrome, village people, stereotype, gender and ethnic bias, etc. Regardless of its nomenclature, if nothing is done quickly to stop it, rather than stoke it, our children will pay for the sins of their fathers.

Sadly, another girl-child turned sister, mother, employer, creative, and potential Deputy Governor of Lagos State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Funke Akindele, is about to become a victim of Nigeria’s longtime hypocrisy and crass unfairness to the feminine gender, largely perceived by many as weaker vessels.

Until a few days ago, she was largely regarded by all and sundry as the darling of the movie industry, Nollywood, because of her funny role as Jenifa and other very interesting roles she has played over the years. Her body of work has also earned her local, state, national, and international recognition for hard labour, creativity and advocacy for social, economic and political change. However, the moment she dared to dream; to move her aspirations from thin paper to thick action, many Nigerians not only raised eyebrows, but were very quick to throw stones and destructive moulds of unkind words her way.

What is her crime? Daring to dream big; heck! Daring to dream at all. Daring to change the status quo. Daring to shine her light so that every young girl and woman in Nigeria can subconsciously have the ‘permission’ to do the same.

No rich and developed country truly achieved their hallowed and enviable status among the league of nations globally without the conscious recognition of the invaluable contributions and participation of women and girls to their growth and development. In fact, the United Nations, European Union, and other international bodies continue to push for more women’s involvement and inclusiveness in every sector, especially in governance, in order to achieve consistent and sustainable growth and development.

However, while most developed and developing countries are racing towards gender equity, women empowerment, participation and inclusion, it appears that Nigeria is swiftly backsliding away from the target.

In May this year, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, was quoted during a briefing on the update on the status of women inclusion, participation in governance, both at the state and subnational levels, as saying: “Currently in the House of Representatives, out of 360 members, only 18 are women, representing about 4.61 per cent; Senate has eight women out of 109 members, representing 7.34 per cent.

This is not a piece to give anyone an unfair advantage just because of their gender, but to recognise that every person has the right to aspire to their greatest potential without being talked down, shut down or locked out of the conversation on the basis of their gender.

According to the 2019 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report Ranking on Women Political Participation, Nigeria ranked 102nd, a position worse off than it did nine years ago when it ranked 99th globally.

In May this year, the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, was quoted during a briefing on the update on the status of women inclusion, participation in governance, both at the state and subnational levels, as saying: “Currently in the House of Representatives, out of 360 members, only 18 are women, representing about 4.61 per cent; Senate has eight women out of 109 members, representing 7.34 per cent.

“The same trend, even worse, runs down all levels of governance in the states and local government areas. Available data from 12 out of 36 states are a clear demonstration of the injustice perpetuated in the election and appointment of women.

“It is evident that women have been shortchanged. Out of 36 states of the federation, there are no female Governors, only two female Deputy Governors.

“Statistics from the 12 states show that we do not have a female secretary to government; of 287…Assembly members in 12 states, only 23 are women; of 2,050 special assistants only 425 are females.

“Of 325 local government chairmen, only 31 are females, 73 vice chairmen and 368 females out of 2,075 councillors of LGAs. This cannot continue.”

Every Nigerian child, whether boy or girl, has the unreserved, unhindered and unalienable right to dream as far as his/her beautiful minds can take them. Being born into this world a tabula rasa, meaning blank slate, the intrinsic talents, abilities (nature) of the child and his or her environment, culture, tradition, experience etc., (nurture), begins to frame what is possible for the child.

The big question now is: Why is Funke Akindele’s aspiration now a problem and nightmare to some? Is it because of her gender? Whatever happens in her personal life is absolutely nobody’s business but hers. Jesus Christ was indeed wise when he asked the crowd to cast the first stone if they were blameless. Everyone has personal struggles.

Therefore our children are like gardens; the grooming, pruning, watering, weeding etc., is what ultimately makes them bloom and blossom with pure beauty.

If we spend the better part of our lives encouraging, motivating, leading, mentoring, and praying for our children to grow up to dream big, aim high and be great, how does it now make sense when we, in turn, begin to use our very hands to pull down all we worked on (the child) for years, by limiting or completely antagonising them when they decide to be great? What a shame!

Funke Akindele is not just a woman, but a real warrior, model, and an embodiment of the Nigerian spirit. Most importantly, she is a Nigerian and Lagosian through and through. Her existence and aspirations should not attract so much unfounded, infantile and obtuse reactions, except for those whose egos, machismos, clandestine plans, nepotistic tendencies, dark fixations and obvious failure and lack of tact, are threatened by her and the light she potentially brings.

How can a garment, especially from a person whose primary occupation is in showbiz, be a yardstick to measure her attitude of mind, intelligence and overall competence? How can the debate be about the garb, while overlooking the antecedents and achievements of the said individual as a brand, leader, and employer of labour for over two decades. Do all her achievements go down the sink because she is a woman?

The world over, and even in Nigeria, there are rife examples of entertainers who moved from their first estates to becoming very fine governors, city administrators, legislators, and presidents. Very recently, Banky W got and is still getting the admiration and support of the majority of the Nigerian people, especially Lagosians, owing to his ambition to represent his people and change the narrative at the House of Representatives.

The big question now is: Why is Funke Akindele’s aspiration now a problem and nightmare to some? Is it because of her gender? Whatever happens in her personal life is absolutely nobody’s business but hers. Jesus Christ was indeed wise when he asked the crowd to cast the first stone if they were blameless. Everyone has personal struggles. However, those struggles should not be strong enough to keep a determined person down and out.

What is really needed to catapult Nigerians from their dark nights of pains and agonies to glorious daybreaks of opportunities, possibilities and hope, is the sheer will to do good, a healthy dose of compassion, requisite experience, and competence to solve problems, no matter how clumsy or complex.

Adeshola Komolafe wrote from Lagos.

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