By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
When Ruth Iwunze, wife of the general overseer of LoveBase Assembly, Lagos, founded Tabbitha Foundation, a non-governmental organization ( NGO) meant to bring succour to widows, orphans and the underprivileged, it was based on personal experience of what she saw her widowed mother pass through after the demise of their breadwinner. Today, the organization also rehabilitates commercial sex workers, area boys and the destitute in various communities.
At the recent opening ceremony of her spa, Ethical PP, a fitness and wellness centre in FESTAC town, Lagos, Mrs. Iwunze spoke to Daily Sun.
What do you make of some cultures that exclude women from communal issues as they are shut down if they try to make contributions?
Actually, I think we should embark on more advocacy, education and empowerment to change the mindset of people holding strong cultural practices, especially harmful norms that are detrimental. Those laws need to be abolished, the inhumane treatment meted out to women. Some cultures deny women participation or the right to speak about issues that affect the progress of the community.
For instance, when a woman shares her story of violence, she takes the first step in breaking the cycle of abuse. It’s left to all of us to give her the safe space she needs to speak up and be heard.
We need to train the younger generation. We must shape the way they think about gender, respect and understand human rights. Moreover, we need to start conversations about gender roles early with them, and challenge the traditional features and characteristics assigned to men and women, the stereotypes that children constantly encounter, whether in the media, on the street or at the school, and let them know that it’s all right to be different. We must encourage a culture of acceptance.
Culturally, we focus more on raising the girl child, thereby neglecting the male child, and this sometimes creats a vacuum in their lives. How do we draw the attention of parents to create a balance in raising all children?
I recommend the need to create awareness, especially with the rate at which society influences male children. Some of them are lured into drugs, alcohol and other negative lifestyles. They become irresponsible when they stray. Boys should be raised alongside the girls.
Boys should be domesticated. They must do chores just as the female children. Girls can equally engage in outdoor activities like the boys. There should be a balance, in order to bridge the gender gap.
What is your suggestion to stop the decline in the number of boys attending school, with increasing rate of dropouts?
Boys are increasingly left behind in education and other aspects. They are neglected because attention has been drawn to the girl child alone. They become victims of this negligence and at greater risk of repeating grades, failing to progress and complete their education, and not learning while in school. Boys’ disengagement and lack of interest to return to school are concerns for society.
A lot of factors are responsible, including poverty. The society needs to protect the boy child from negative and unhealthy influences.
What is your take on society’s portrayal of a woman’s place being at home, managing the household?
Women are the pioneers of every nation. The greatest human resource next only to man is having great potential. Women are the keys to sustainable development and good quality of life in the family. Moreover, it is women who have sustained the growth of every society and moulded the future of nations. Women have vital roles to play in different sectors. They can no longer be considered as mere harbingers of peace but they are emerging as the source of power and symbol of progress.
The various roles a woman plays in the family are those of a wife, leader, administrator, manager of family income and a mother.
As a wife, she is a helpmate, partner and comrade. She sacrifices her personal pleasure and ambitions, sets standard of morality, relieves stress and strain, manages the tension of her husband, maintains peace and order in the home, thereby creating a conducive environment for the man to think more about economic growth of the family.
She is the source of inspiration and the worth of his achievements in life. She stands by her husband in all the crises as well as shares with him all the successes and attainments. She is the person to whom he turns for love, sympathy, understanding, comfort and recognition.
As an administrator of the home, she ensures that they have a well-ordered, disciplined house, an essential to normal family life for peaceful co-habiting. The woman in the family assumes this function and more. She is the chief executive director of her enterprise, which is the home.
She assigns duties among family members, according to their interest and abilities and provides resources in terms of equipment and materials to accomplish the job or task.
The mother is the central personality of the home and the family circle. All the members turn to her for sympathy, understanding and recognition.
The woman devotes her time, labour and thoughts for the welfare of the members of the family. For the unity of interacting personalities, man provides the temple while a woman provides the ceremonies and the atmosphere.
The woman performs the role of a wife, partner, organizer, administrator, director, re-creator, disburses finance, economist, mother, disciplinarian, teacher, health officer, artist and queen in the family at the same time. Apart from it, woman plays a key role in the socio-economic development of the society.
