Here is an interesting question by a respected Nigerian, can you help answer the question?

http://www.modernghana.com/news/323651/1/between-igbo-yoruba-and-other-nigerian-women.html

Interesting question by Mr. Fani-Kayode. However, I think the title is a little misleading. The only group which could compete in that department with Igbos would be Yorubas so the "other Nigerian" is not even necessary.  Hausas are behind Yorubas and Igbos in almost all spheres of life unfortunately, and the other groups don't have the population to rack up a list anywhere as long. So maybe this is his way of lamenting the apparent dearth of recent outstanding Yoruba female public figures as compared with Igbo female trailblazers. If I were to put forward a guess, I would say it might be a result of culture and environment.

Those qualities are intrinsic in both IGBO men and women. All they need is the right environment and atmosphere and the best in them will come out. If you look at IGBOS in the US and other parts of the world, they are excelling way more than their local citizen counterparts. Now back to this article, the success of IGBO women came to light in the last 12yrs because Nigeria transitioned from a military government that seldomly gives women the opportunity to progress and voice their talent to a democracy that give voice to everyone. Since igbos were not in charge of the military and were often scared of retaliation in those days, they kept their qualities to themselves, waiting for the right time and environment. Though Nigeria's democracy is not perfect, what it did was to give power  and voice (at least some) to the people it belongs to and those are Nigerians.  NIGERIA WILL NEVER REACH ITS BEST potential unless it fully taps into this can-do spirit of IGBOS, just like other countries and organizations have.

Mr. Fani-Kayode is truly a man that I respect. My respect continues to grow for this man who comes from such a well respected lineage. He speaks the truth and is not afraid to go against the norm. Excellent write-up from the man. He doesn't look through "tribal" lens when assessing a situation.

The secret to the success of Igbo women is based on Igbo culture. Igbo women will continue to excel, and I am so proud of them. As they continue with their educational achievement, all I can do is smile. Just look at the recent BBC report that say 90% of Igbo women are literate.

Igwe-1:

Those qualities are intrinsic in both IGBO men and women. All they need is the right environment and atmosphere and the best in them will come out. If you look at IGBOS in the US and other parts of the world, they are excelling way more than their local citizen counterparts. Now back to this article, the success of IGBO women came to light in the last 12yrs because Nigeria transitioned from a military government that seldomly gives women an the opportunity to progress to a democracy that give voice to everyone. Though Nigeria's democracy is not perfect, what it did was to give power  and voice (at least some) to the people it belongs to and those are Nigerians.  NIGERIA WILL NEVER REACH ITS BEST potential unless it fully tap into this can-do spirit of IGBOS, just like other countries and organizations have.

And you know this because? Any data?

This hasn't been my experience, as one of those actually living here.

Igwe-1:

Those qualities are intrinsic in both IGBO men and women. All they need is the right environment and atmosphere and the best in them will come out. If you look at IGBOS in the US and other parts of the world, they are excelling way more than their local citizen counterparts. Now back to this article, the success of IGBO women came to light in the last 12yrs because Nigeria transitioned from a military government that seldomly gives women the opportunity to progress and voice their talent to a democracy that give voice to everyone. Since igbos were not in charge of the military and were often scared of retaliation in those days, they kept their qualities to themselves, waiting for the right time and environment. Though Nigeria's democracy is not perfect, what it did was to give power  and voice (at least some) to the people it belongs to and those are Nigerians.  NIGERIA WILL NEVER REACH ITS BEST potential unless it fully taps into this can-do spirit of IGBOS, just like other countries and organizations have.

please no kill me for here

what igbo spirit
igbo spirit

Move over all, Igbo women are dominating

PhysicsMHD:


And you know this because? Any data?

This hasn't been my experience, as one of those actually living here.

Brother, go to the ivy league schools in the US and UK and tell me the names of black students in most of their power professions like Medicine, Engineering, law, , even in state schools, this is the same story. Most IGBOS i have met in the US and Europe, (80%) are in the upper middle class to upper class in those places. That is the success i am talking about. I don't know where you live, but this has been my personal experience and i have travelled around the world.

Literacy
Female literacy is seen as the key to raising living standards for the next generation. For example, a newborn child is far likelier to survive if its mother is well-educated. In Nigeria we see a stark contrast between the mainly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south. In some northern states less than 5% of women can read and write, whereas in some Igbo areas more than 90% are literate.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12953393

Thank God that we Igbos make sure our females get an education, just like their male counterparts. There is nothing more attractive than an educated Igbo woman.

I do not mean any offence to Nigerian women by asking the question that I am about to ask or by making the assertions that I am about to make in this note. However this is an important question that I have not been able to answer myself for a number of years even though I have tried my best to do so. And the question is as follows. What precisely is it about Igbo women that have made them excel in public office, business, politics, the arts, the sciences, religion, leadership and social activism in just the last 12 years when compared to their counterparts from other parts of our country?


There are, of course, some equally notable and brilliant non-Igbo women in our country as well who are doing, and have done, a great job in both our private and public sectors and who have also done great things in their local communities and in our nation. However when I ponder on this issue and I consider the names that are on my list of distinguished Nigerian women that have been outstanding in their various fields of endeavour over the last few years, the overwhelming majority of them are Igbos. A few names will serve as an illustration of what I am trying to say and let me assure you that I have had the distinct honour and privilege of either knowing most of them quite well or working closely with at least a few, so I am speaking from an informed position.


They are all well-educated, forceful, strong-willed, focused, creative, disciplined, passionate and decisive characters who are almost ''German-like'' in their work ethics and in their pursuit of excellence and perfection. They really don't take any prisoners when it comes to their work or calling and they all do their jobs, or whatever it is that they are doing, with an almost ''messianic'' zeal. I am talking about people like Ngozie Okonjo-Iweala (the former Minister of Finance and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria who is now the Managing Director of the World Bank), Obi Ezekwezile (the former Minister of Solid Minerals and former Minister of Education of Nigeria who is now the National Vice Charman of the World Bank), Dora Akinluyi (the former Director- General of NAFDAC and the former Minister of Information for Nigeria), Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke (the former Director- General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the person that was credited with building it up literally from scratch), Roz Ben-Okagbue (a leading pro-democracy activist in Nigeria and one of the conveners and leaders of the Save Nigeria Group), Violet Yough (a successful, wealthy and well-respected industrialist and business woman of many years standing), Stella Chinyelu Okoli (the Chief Executive and founder of Emzor Pharmaceutical, the most successful and largest indigenous pharmaceutical company in Nigeria), Irene Iroche (the Chief Executive of Finbank), the late Genevieve Onyuike (one of the most versatile and brilliant lawyers in Nigeria and the former President of the Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria), Joy Ogwu (the former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Nigeria and presently the Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations), Evelyn Oputu (the Chief Executive Officer of the Industrial Bank), Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie (a well respected and notable writer of international standing and repute and the author of the international best-seller titled ''Half A Yellow Sun''), the late Flora Nwapa (the poet, writer and essayist who was the author of the Nigerian bestseller titled ''Efuru''), Akachi Ezeigbo (a highly respected Professor of African Literature of international standing and repute) , Stella Oduah Ogiemwonyi (the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sea Petroleum and Gas Group of Companies and who is one of the biggest players in the Nigerian oil and gas industry), Genevieve Nnaji (a leading Nigerian actress), Amaka Igwe (the respected film producer and director and a key figure in the Nigerian movie industry which is known as ''Nollywood'), Bishop Peace Okonkwo (the wife of Bishop Mike Okonkwo and the co-founder of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission TREM, one of the largest and most respected Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria) and so many others.


If you care to do the necessary research and see what they have achieved in their various fields you will be very impressed with each and every one of them. Of course we yorubas of the west have our very own female legends, bright shining stars and great innovators too (as does every other part of Nigeria) and we have had them for the last eighty years when none in Africa could come anywhere near Yoruba women in terms of leadership, class, style and innovation. A few names that come to mind are Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (who was the most formidable female leader and the greatest activist that we have ever had in Nigerian modern history), Kudirat Abiola (the second wife of Chief MKO Abiola, a formidable and utterly fearless pro-democracy fighter and the first woman to be martyred in the fight for democracy in Nigeria), Funmi Goka (who is both the first female and the first Nigerian Deputy Managing Director of Agip Petroleum), Folake Solanke (who is the first woman to ever be appointed as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria), Lola Shoneyin (who is one of the most forceful and insightful writers of her generation), Bola Kuforiji-Olubi (the first female Chairman and chief executive of a Nigerian bank), Eniola Fadayomi (a leading and notable banker in the early '90's), Aurora Kayode(the matriach and doyen of Lagos high society in the '30's and '40's), Bolanle Awe (a revered and highly respected professor of philosophy and the leader in her field), Ebun Oyagbola (the first woman to ever be appointed as a Federal Minister in the history of Nigeria), Nike Akande (the first woman to ever be appointed as a Federal Minister for Industries in Nigeria), Joke Silva (probably the greatest and certainly one of the most versatile and respected actresses in the Nigerian film industry), Biola Alabi (the executive director of MNET Africa), Olufunmilayo Falusi Olopade (who has contributed enormously to breast cancer research globally and especially amongst African and African-American women) and so many others.


However in the last 12 years the Igbos seem to have taken over in this respect and are now well-ahead of the rest of Nigeria. Just a few years and look at what they have achieved. It really is quite remarkable. Can anyone tell me their secret or why this is so? What could be responsible for their doggedness, their natural drive, their tremendous energy and their great strength of character? What is it about these strong-willed eastern women of Bantu and Igbo extraction that now and all of a sudden sets them so far apart?

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode was the spokesperson to President Olusegun Obasanjo; he subsequently became Minister of Tourism & Culture & later served as Aviation Minister for Federal Republic of Nigeria.

http://www.modernghana.com/news/323651/1/between-igbo-yoruba-and-other-nigerian-women.html

you see when you people start like this it really piss me off, what is special about igbos that others do not have CHINA today is the world's economic power and they are every where

ghanaians are everywhere as well

japanese too

mexican etc


so what has igbo done that others have not done

Freewilly:

Move over all, Igbo women are dominating

hw far my NL wife

Alj Uche:

you see when you people start like this it really piss me off, what is special about igbos that others do not have CHINA today is the world's economic power and they are every where

ghanaians are everywhere as well

japanese too

mexican etc


so what has igbo done that others have not done

Shut the hellll up. This thread concerns the success of IGBO WOMEN. Do you understand or do I have to put that into your thick skull?

Igbo women are being successful. And we are celebrating that fact. Do you even know who is Chief Femi Fani-Kayode? The man is just stating his opinion and can you even deny the fact that Igbo women are at the forefront? Other groups should be trying to emulate the success of Igbo women. No nation can succeed without helping their women as well.

Igwe-1:


Brother,go to the ivy league schools in the US and UK and tell me the names of black students in most of their power professions like Medicine, Engineering, law, , even in state schools, this is the same story. Most IGBOS i have met in the US and Europe, (80%) are in the upper middle class to upper class in those places. That is the success i am talking about. I don't know where you leave, but this has been my personal experience and i have travelled around the world.

I haven't traveled around the world. I live here in the U.S. and I'm in college right now, so I'm not basing my observation on cursory glances through name lists or on sampling from afar.

Let me make it simpler:

1. Igbos have a population of 25-30 million.
2. Igbos go to America more than a country like the UK, so there is already a disproportionately higher number of them in the U.S. when compared with Yoruba.
3. Yet, they don't seem to edging out the Yorubas academically in the U.S., whether we're talking about students in engineering and medicine, or about going on to grad school and/or becoming professors. You would think the gap would be large enough to where you could notice it if what you're asserting is actually true, but the gap between Igbo and Yoruba must be either insignificantly small or not actually existent, despite the (reasonable) assumption that there are more Igbos in the U.S. to begin with.

One should also look at the people being studied.

As assumed by Nlers, most Igbos are wealthy, so they have the money to send their children to school. School dont take loans or those financial aids in Nigerian.

Even with the "poor" state in Yorubaland, it's still remarkable to find that amount of educated women. Like I said before, my grandmother did not have wealth, she swent to the farm, sold her cocoa/garri/etc, sent her children with hose money to nursing/med/pharmacy school. But at this age, it's hard to do that in Nigeria.

Yes, the wealthy have the money to go to school. . . .

EzeUche:

Shut the hellll up. This thread concerns the success of IGBO WOMEN. You understand who do I have to put that into your thick skull?

Igbo women are being successful. And we are celebrating that fact. Do you even know who is Chief Femi Fani-Kayode?

you are asking me who femi is   what a dumb question i tell you

it is good to celebrate the fact that "igbo" women are the best and so on but when people like igwe1 start saying rubbish about

Igwe-1:

NIGERIA WILL NEVER REACH ITS BEST potential unless it fully taps into this can-do spirit of IGBOS, just like other countries and organizations have.

this are the things that piss me off the most

PhysicsMHD:

I haven't traveled around the world. I live here in the U.S. and I'm in college right now, so I'm not basing my observation on cursory glances through name lists or on sampling from afar.

Let me make it simpler:

1. Igbos have a population of 25-30 million.
2. Igbos go to America more than a country like the UK, so there is already a disproportionately higher number of them in the U.S. when compared with Yoruba.
3. Yet, they don't seem to edging out the Yorubas academically in the U.S., whether we're talking about students in engineering and medicine, or about going on to grad school and/or becoming professors. You would think the gap would be large enough to where you could notice it if what you're asserting is actually true, but the gap between Igbo and Yoruba must be either insignificantly small or not actually existent, despite the (reasonable) assumption that there are more Igbos in the U.S. to begin with.

In the U.S, even with the larger population of Igbos, Yorubas still stand out. Goes to show that the lack of money in the SW Nigeria plays a role factor in who goes to school more. In the U.S, you dont necessarily need money right there right now, so money does not hinder us.

I've never met a Yoruba woman who is not passionate about school. . . .and some of them are competitive biaches. . . .no comment.

PhysicsMHD:

I haven't traveled around the world. I live here in the U.S. and I'm in college right now, so I'm not basing my observation on cursory glances through name lists or on sampling from afar.

Let me make it simpler:

1. Igbos have a population of 25-30 million.
2. Igbos go to America more than a country like the UK, so there is already a disproportionately higher number of them in the U.S. when compared with Yoruba.
3. Yet, they don't seem to edging out the Yorubas academically in the U.S., whether we're talking about students in engineering and medicine, or about going on to grad school and/or becoming professors. You would think the gap would be large enough to where you could notice it if what you're asserting is actually true, but the gap between Igbo and Yoruba must be either insignificantly small or not actually existent, despite the (reasonable) assumption that there are more Igbos in the U.S. to begin with.

thank you and this yoruba people are not even shouting praises

One thing i know is that IGBO women are the most successful women in Nigeria, followed by the Yoruba women, most IGBO women are hard-working and don't take no for an answer, they also don't take nonsense especially 4rm men, they are very ambitious and challenge the men without hesitation, also the Igbo men tend 2 respect the women and don't hold them down, look at oby ezekwesili, virgy etiaba, dora akunyili, okonjo-iweala, sen. Chris anyanwu, kema chikwe, sen. Stella nwaogu, sen. Joy emordi, etc. One thing i know is that igbo women are reping naija well in the global scene. What baffles me is that many of the uneducated ones still achieve a lot of things, once an igbo woman is well educated, expect a lot of things 4rm her.

Femi Fani-Kayode:




However in the last 12 years the Igbos seem to have taken over in this respect and are now well-ahead of the rest of Nigeria. Just a few years and look at what they have achieved. It really is quite remarkable. Can anyone tell me their secret or why this is so? What could be responsible for their doggedness, their natural drive, their tremendous energy and their great strength of character? What is it about these strong-willed eastern women of Bantu and Igbo extraction that now and all of a sudden sets them so far apart?

lol, he thinks Igbos are Bantu?

I suspect that this is part of that habit of perceiving/imagining that the rival group or "other" group must really be so different from your own group.

I am sure Fani-Kayode hasnt heard of Hajiya Amina Zubair.


Fani Kayode is truly an ediot.


He overlooked people like Adenike Grange, yet was too myopic to exalt the likes of Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke who barely graduated from one of the shyytiest school in NY, Baruch College.


Hmmmmm

Alj Uche:

you see when you people start like this it really piss me off, what is special about igbos that others do not have CHINA today is the world's economic power and they are every where

ghanaians are everywhere as well

japanese too

mexican etc


so what has igbo done that others have not done

Offtopic. . . . Ghanaians are smarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtttt mehn. I love those people die.
Their un-relaxed passion for education, yet so flawlessly smart. And they're not smug about it. Ghanaians have to be one of the groups of people I've been blessed to associate with.

I hope people understand that there is competition amongst Yorubas and Igbos. The author of this article is a Yoruba man and he perceives, rightly or wrongly that Igbo women are performing better than there counterparts.

Personally, I have seen Igbo women in the United States do better than the men. I hope my fellow Igbo men wont crucify me.

Ileke-IdI:

Offtopic. . . . Ghanaians are smarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtttt mehn. I love those people die.
Their un-relaxed passion for education, yet so flawlessly smart. And they're not smug about it. Ghanaians have to be one of the groups of people I've been blessed to associate with.

i know, but yet they don't make noise

EzeUche:

I hope people understand that there is competition amongst Yorubas and Igbos. The author of this article is a Yoruba man and he perceives, rightly or wrongly that Igbo women are performing better than there counterparts.

Personally, I have seen Igbo women in the United States do better than the men. I hope my fellow Igbo men wont crucify me.

now you are talking

I missed his mention of Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke, who actually should not be celebrated, in my opinion. But I think his general observation holds true.

Alj Uche:

i know, but yet they don't make noise

Who is making noise? It was a Yoruba man who wrote this article. He was singing Igbo women praise. Give us a break.

EzeUche:

I hope people understand that there is competition amongst Yorubas and Igbos. The author of this article is a Yoruba man and he perceives, rightly or wrongly that Igbo women are performing better than there counterparts.

Personally, I have seen Igbo women in the United States do better than the men. I hope my fellow Igbo men wont crucify me.

Dont go there please.

Tenacity/perseverance/having no option than to stay in school is different from what Fani Kayode is talking about.


Read the article again for better understanding

EzeUche:

Who is making noise? It was a Yoruba man who wrote this article. He was singing Igbo women praise. Give us a break.

shattap dia ewu

i am not talking about femi or the article but talking about people like igwe 1

PhysicsMHD:

I haven't traveled around the world. I live here in the U.S. and I'm in college right now, so I'm not basing my observation on cursory glances through name lists or on sampling from afar.

Let me make it simpler:

1. Igbos have a population of 25-30 million.
2. Igbos go to America more than a country like the UK, so there is already a disproportionately higher number of them in the U.S. when compared with Yoruba.
3. Yet, they don't seem to edging out the Yorubas academically in the U.S., whether we're talking about students in engineering and medicine, or about going on to grad school and/or becoming professors. You would think the gap would be large enough to where you could notice it if what you're asserting is actually true, but the gap between Igbo and Yoruba must be either insignificantly small or not actually existent, despite the (reasonable) assumption that there are more Igbos in the U.S. to begin with.

Dude, i really do not have to argue with you because it'll be like arguing with a person less than my younger ones. I have a brother who graduated from Harvad med school and doing his residency at Johns Hopkins and a sister at yale med school now and another brother currently at Stanford law school. Don;t tell me about graduate school cuz i have 3 degrees myself and my family is well made and educated in the US. I travel the world because i am a business man. So i have been to many of these schools,and i know i see way more IGBOS than any group. wake up to reality.

Igwe-1:

Dude, i reallydo not have to argue with you because it'll be like arguiing with a person less than my younger ones. I have a brother who graduated from Harvad med school and doing his residency at Johns Hopkin and a sister at yale med school now and another brother currently at Stanford law school. Don;t tell me about graduate cuz i have 2 degrees myself and my family is well made and educated in the US. I travel the world because i am a business man. So i have been to many of these schools,and i know i see way more IGBOS than any group. wake up to reality.

LOL. Well, that is in the USA sha!!!

Who cares about these Ivy League institutions? There are plenty of good quality universities in the United States such as UCLA, MIT, Fordham, and UMD.

My eldest brother graduated from Princeton and he was the "darling" of the family, but my brother who went to VA Tech is doing a lot better than the Princeton grad in terms of the amount of money each are making. Even though they are both successful.