One would think that the idea of female oppression should not be a subject of discussion in the twenty-first century. The idea that the female gender lives for the glorification of the male gender is still very much prevalent in our culture and society. And it is sickening. The success of a woman scares the average man. The idea that a man must always be at the helm of affairs, that a woman must always kneel before a man is one carefully knitted and woven into our fabrics as a people, a culture and a nation.
Women have no right to choice for themselves. One would think that being in the 21st century, none of this would be in place. However, it is done subtly. A woman is allowed much power as long as there is a man to keep her in check or there are laws to put her in her place. The writer Chimamanda Adichie tags this Feminism lite. We don’t want our women to be doctors but would also not have them examined by a male doctor. We appreciate the successes of other women globally but put ours in boxes. Women are caged to live their lives to satisfy men. Our wives can be Kamala Harris as long as she returns up from the white house every night to serve us dinner on her knees.
In a conversation with the German Chancellor who happens to be a woman, the president Buhari speaking of his wife spoke of her roles as restricted to the kitchen and “the other room.” A woman’s sexuality is also attached to a man. She can’t dress in a certain way so as not to tempt a man. Unfortunately for the feminine gender, religion is a custodian of the patriarchal order of things.
The story of Rahama Sadau is an attestation to this. A woman accused of blasphemy because of the way she dressed is just one of many heart-wrenching stories you’ll find about women’s oppression. She became the subject of discussion after she was accused of blasphemy due to a picture she uploaded on social media. In the picture, the Nollywood actress is seen wearing a backless dress. It is funny how our judicial systems have left weightier matters of the law such as finding out those responsible for the Lekki Tollgate massacre, the Boko Haram insurgency, etc., to charging women to court for the way they choose to dress.
However, this is not the case for the children of the high and the mighty. The words of Oliver Goldsmith have never been truer, “the law grinds the poor; the rich rules the law.” The pictures of the daughters of the Governor of Kano, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje and Mallam Nuts Ribadu were arrayed on social media platforms as comparisons were made to their dressings and that of Ms. Sadau. Of course, nothing can be said of these women. Their fathers are powerful figures. Who is Rahama Sadau’s father right?
Once again, we see an unjust system. The rule of law not upheld.
In 2019, Senator Elisha Abbo was caught on camera assaulting a lady in an adult shop in Abuja. The Senator also hails from the same religious and cultural context as Rahama Sadau. It beats one to think that Ms. Sadau will be charged to a Sharia court because of her choice of dressing while Mr. Abbo’s investigation was under wraps. The truth is male privileges exist. Power and positional privileges are a thing.
Injustice against women is actually a thing. Women marginalization is a disease and it is the duty of justice to fight it.
