QES: Giving West African Women ‘the room to write’
…Mentoring the Next Generation of Innovative Leaders and Community Builders
By Segun Fatuase
‘Fear the female gender’ has gone beyond a wise-crack, going by the leaps and feats women are achieving on the African Continent and globally these days. It is now trite to echo the saying that a woman can only provide food and succour in the kitchen or ‘the other room’ .
Globally, the likes of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Chimamanda, and Oprah Winfrey are showing that the sky is no longer the limit for achievers, particularly women who have to go the extra mile to prove their mettle in a patriarchy.
You simply need to ‘fear this gender’, the ‘amazing Amazons’ who are charting their paths in areas where only men used to excel.
Prof. Nduka Otiono
Professor Nduka Otiono — Principal Investigator of Carleton University’s Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Programme and Director of the Institute of African Studies who was Chief Host of the QES Conference which took place at the Work Haven, Ogba , Lagos on Friday, October 25, 2024, — was in his elements as he insisted that Carleton University through the Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES) West Africa programme, will strive to encourage women, particularly those in the sub-region to garner the requisite knowledge/competencies to excel in many disciplines. He explained that the women-focused project is designed to boost the prospects of a gender disadvantaged in early career advancement due to certain traditional/cultural barriers as well as women’s inability to create time and space to work. No doubt, QES programme will be of immense benefit to emergent female scholars and enable them become global citizens through international student exchange and civic engagements. It will ultimately promote the West African region as a veritable research hub.
Professor Otiono, in noting with displeasure that “women’s triple roles of production, reproduction and community management increase the barriers women confront in building an academic career”; said the QES programme offers research supervision, seminars, experiential learning, and leadership opportunities from West African women Ph.D. and early doctoral career scholars. Basically, he said, the programme will develop the “next generation of innovative leaders and community builders by providing enriched academic, professional and cross-cultural experiences and facilitating lasting local and global community engagement”.
Professor Dorcas Odunaike from Babcock University delivering the keynote address
It is in this direction that, Carleton University, acknowledged for its expertise in the fields of journalism, public affairs, international affairs, architecture, among others, accepts applications from career and academia-focused women from West African countries. More interesting is the adoption of Wurin ta na yin rubutu (Her own room to write), a Hausa phrase, to press home the familial sense of belonging. Incidentally, Hausa language is spoken in the Northern parts of many West African countries.
The Keynote Speaker at the occasion, Professor Dorcas Odunaike of the Department of Private & Commercial Law, School of Law and Security Studies, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, brought the issue to the fore with a challenge to women to excel by maintaining quality and excellence in their professional work. The erudite Professor cited the enviable foot-prints of icons who broke societal barriers and exceeded expectations. In her presentation titled Professional Excellence: The Hallmark of a True Scholar, she mentioned the likes of Nobel Laureate Leyman Gbowee, WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oprah Winfrey and many other inspirational female personalities to buttress the point that women can surmount the societal odds stacked against them and excel. She urged women in general and the QES Scholars present at the ceremony to imbibe good values and ethics while aiming to be the best in their fields of endeavours.
An assemblage of the speakers (front row) and the enthusiastic QES Scholars (back row) at the event
Her advice was borne out of her personal experience as a flourishing practising lawyer before she joined the academia (on the persistent advice of her mentees who used to throng her Chambers to get nuggets of professionalism). She counselled the women on setting goals and being impactful and innovative, after diligent training. In her view, “Life is all about service. As a QES Scholar, as you serve others, you are working on yourself and developing yourself. Every act, every word, every gesture of genuine service will naturally nourish your own hearts as well. Therefore, continuous capacity building should be your focus”.
Professor Odunaike further encouraged the scholars with the words of Maya Angelou, the American memoirist and poet, that they should as true scholars go beyond mere survival but to “thrive to maintain your status as a QES Scholar with passion, confidence and style”.
Anikeade Funke Treasure, the award-winning journalist, Media Trainer and Convener, Sanitary Pad Media Campaign, brought gaiety to the event with her dance drama when she sang the Yoruba inspirational song, ’’Bata re a dun ko ko ka’’ (Your shoes will sound well) to boost the confidence of the QES Scholars who are now expected to shine like bright stars after their successful training. She admonished them not to rest on their oars but to utilize their training for the betterment of their society.
In her presentation tagged; ” Leveraging the Media To Advertise Research Output’’, Treasure advised the emergent scholars to adopt strategic messaging and publish their research works in the traditional media and online media platforms like Twitter, Linked-In, Instagram etc to Connect, Collaborate and Communicate their research efforts and themselves to the larger society . Inspiring examples of popular women academics and writers were given for the scholars’ enlightenment. They include Professor Jane Duncan, a renowned researcher, activist and author, Writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and South African Siphokazi Jonas, a writer, performer and poet.
Professor Foluke Dada-Lawanson from Caleb University stressing a point about maintaining a work-life balance to the QES scholars
Professor Foluke Dada-Lawanson, a lawyer and academic from Caleb University, Imota, Ogun State, who spoke extempore, stressed the need for mental resilience as well as the ability to maintain a work-life balance. She advised the scholars to build their confidence in a male-dominated society, assuring them that nothing is impossible if they remain focused.
Six of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Recipients’ present at the event echoed the fact that the Grants provided the platform to share their experiences, exposure and research interests. Though some (particularly those from Francophone countries) faced language barrier issues in the course of their programme, they commended the organisers for the opportunity to learn. There was also the issue of maintaining a delicate balance between the passion for research work, motherhood and family responsibilities.
The Panel Discussions further motivated and encouraged the recipients; reinforcing their commitment to their research fields. Given their grant achievements, their research outputs are expected to have significant impacts and provide more pathways for aspiring women scholars in academia.
Dr. Sophia Abiri-Franklin explaining the benefits of a QES Scholar
One of the recipients, Dr. Bakare Fatungase, a librarian, spoke of her experience and how she was able to develop a structure to assist emerging scholars in conducting effective research.
Another recipient focused on child innocence, advocating the education of children from an early age in order to identify red flags and protect themselves from abuse and pitfalls.
Another scholar from a francophone West African country making a contribution at the event
In all, the QES scholars affirmed that the programme afforded them the required and much-needed intellectual and logistic support. It was also the general opinion of the Speakers at the event that the scholars would benefit more for themselves and the larger society with the benefit of more grant opportunities. Indeed, Knowledge is Power and the more the knowledge, the greater the ability to impact on the scholars’ research efforts for societal benefits.
By Segun Fatuase (QES: Giving West African Women ‘the room to write’ – TheNewsTurf)
* Segun Fatuase is the Team Lead at www.thenewsturf.com