I know this might be an old article but I thought it interesting to reblog again for those who may have missed it. Read and enjoy.

By Femi Fani-Kayode


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

So so very true. Even in my company, the most senior woman is Igbo.

Some possible reasons:
1. Democracy. Yes, during d military era women were hardly considered for public office positions. They did nt even have d mind. Remember OBJ brought in d likes of Ezekwesili, Akunyili, Okonjo-Iweala.

2.Igbo women are well read: While in some parts of d country they see education as more important for men, in some parts of Igbo land they see education for the girls and learning trading for the boys

3. The Igbo spirit: Igbos are naturally reselient and hard working, including the woman. Have also asked why the Igbos dominate our national female football teams?

4. Igbo men dont feel intimidated by the qualifications and degrees of their wives: An Igbo man who is a tråder can support his more educated wife to any level she so desires without feeling intimidated. Most of those prominent Igbo women who knows their husbands?

5Most other tribes suppress their wives. This point is d opposite of my 4th point. A typical Yoruba or Hausa man would always want to remain above their wives hence would nt want their wives to achieve what they have nt achieved. All those Funmilayo Kuti and Kudirat Abiola memtioned are who they are bc of their husbands.

6. Lastly Igbo ladies are classy. They usually have high tastes and ambitions.

The useless thief probably wrote dis article during his amorous affiar with Biaca Ojukwu

eleko1:
The useless thief probably wrote dis article during his amorous affiar with Biaca Ojukwu

but it's d truth,isn't it?

eleko1:
The useless thief probably wrote dis article during his amorous affiar with Biaca Ojukwu

You still have not answered the question.

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?

Please answer.

They are trying to cope since after the civil war, their strugle continues everyday.
Its in Igbo people generally to try to dominate everywhere.




You didnt get the point do you.

Agreed.Igbo peeps are generally hard working pipu(Entrepreneur of sort),I dn t think any tribe can match their dogged ness/dexterity

bigfrancis21:


You still have not answered the question.



Please answer.

Hmmmm

Nice.

Nice write up.

Icon4s:
So so very true. Even in my company, the most senior woman is Igbo.

Some possible reasons:
1. Democracy. Yes, during d military era women were hardly considered for public office positions. They did nt even have d mind. Remember OBJ brought in d likes of Ezekwesili, Akunyili, Okonjo-Iweala.

2.Igbo women are well read: While in some parts of d country they see education as more important for men, in some parts of Igbo land they see education for the girls and learning trading for the boys

3. The Igbo spirit: Igbos are naturally reselient and hard working, including the woman. Have also asked why the Igbos dominate our national female football teams?

4. Igbo men dont feel intimidated by the qualifications and degrees of their wives: An Igbo man who is a tråder can support his more educated wife to any level she so desires without feeling intimidated. Most of those prominent Igbo women who knows their husbands?

5Most other tribes suppress their wives. This point is d opposite of my 4th point. A typical Yoruba or Hausa man would always want to remain above their wives hence would nt want their wives to achieve what they have nt achieved. All those Funmilayo Kuti and Kudirat Abiola memtioned are who they are bc of their husbands.

6. Lastly Igbo ladies are classy. They usually have high tastes and ambitions.

Yes nah but for the unscrupulous element amOng the lots painting them bad with their itching fingers.Igbo race are goal getter

ginawest:
but it's d truth,isn't it?

Icon4s:
So so very true. Even in my company, the most senior woman is Igbo.

Some possible reasons:
1. Democracy. Yes, during d military era women were hardly considered for public office positions. They did nt even have d mind. Remember OBJ brought in d likes of Ezekwesili, Akunyili, Okonjo-Iweala.

2.Igbo women are well read: While in some parts of d country they see education as more important for men, in some parts of Igbo land they see education for the girls and learning trading for the boys

3. The Igbo spirit: Igbos are naturally reselient and hard working, including the woman. Have also asked why the Igbos dominate our national female football teams?

4. Igbo men dont feel intimidated by the qualifications and degrees of their wives: An Igbo man who is a tråder can support his more educated wife to any level she so desires without feeling intimidated. Most of those prominent Igbo women who knows their husbands?

5Most other tribes suppress their wives. This point is d opposite of my 4th point. A typical Yoruba or Hausa man would always want to remain above their wives hence would nt want their wives to achieve what they have nt achieved. All those Funmilayo Kuti and Kudirat Abiola memtioned are who they are bc of their husbands.

6. Lastly Igbo ladies are classy. They usually have high tastes and ambitions.

And you know this how? the famous bride price tradition practiced by the Igbos I would argue is the complete opposite of what you have written up here. We know you love your tribe, and it is a good thing to be proud of your culture but it's downright petty to make shitt up about about other's culture.

Lool,femi has said worse about d ibos.Francis be digging up old news to make his miserable ibo self feel better.dont forget to add the new ones he wrote about ibos during the deportation saga and also his 'escapades' with dem,and how intimate he was with dem.hope that will also make u feel better at night

The tribe a lady comes from doesn't matter - we are all Nigerians. We should support our women to become the best they want to be. But let's not always focus on one's tribe, Nigeria first. I know there would have been another online tribal war if Mr. Kayode had said otherwise about Igbo women.

I am Igbo, but I just feel we should focus more on our Nigerianess, and not the tribe a lady comes from. Personally, I am tired of reading "Igbo articles" online.

Thank you Mr Kayode for the write-up anyways. I hope you get your answer soon

But its the truth in fact check very well you will see that every successful Yoruba has Igbos by their side.....


Only the illiterate and backward ones hate Igbos probably out of misconceptions.


Kudos to you man

eleko1:
Agreed.Igbo peeps are generally hard working pipu(Entrepreneur of sort),I dn t think any tribe can match their dogged ness/dexterity

ibos are clown and funny set of people,they will never understand that empowering women than men in a tribe, is a plitical calculation to weaken their men.

nah u talk so.

disumusa:
ibos are clown and funny set of people,they will never understand that empowering women than men in a tribe, is a plitical calculation to weaken their men.

.No to TRIBALISM

Ffk is trying to play on igbos inteligence, how can women be apointed more than men in public,company,politicaly. While majority of the men will be trading some thing is politicaly wrong

disumusa:
ibos are clown and funny set of people,they will never understand that empowering women than men in a tribe, is a plitical calculation to weaken their men.

No one is empowering Women than Men....
It's just that, Every Igbo men and Women are Creative and Determined....

I have a Dream.
The first African to build and launch a Shuttle into the Space will be an Igbo Man....

Nonsense and emty

Macelliot:
I have a Dream.
The first African to build and launch a Shuttle into the Space will be an Igbo Man....

Charles M Ichoku

Brief Bio

Dr. Charles Ichoku is a Research Physical Scientist with the Climate and Radiation Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. He is actively involved in the development of innovative remote sensing approaches for global characterization of fires, their smoke emissions, and atmospheric aerosols in general, as well as evaluating their impacts on the environment and climate. However, his activities over the years have included developing and applying both experimental and remote sensing approaches to research in various branches of the earth sciences, including geology and geodynamics, hydrology, and atmospheric studies. He has won several NASA individual and group achievement awards, and has published more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/index.cfm?fuseAction=people.jumpBio&iphonebookid=21456

disumusa:
Nonsense and emty

Hmm, You feel pained..

I dint gain anything from reading this post so I will simply........No comment.........and.......move to the next thread

[size=18pt]..until we restore Great Biafra, forget Black Race...they're not going anywhere....Biafrans bring Light where there's none![/size]

ps:..the comment above is from my german's prof...

there they go again

aguiyi:
there they go again

ab.oki, what're you insinuating...?

teufelein:
[size=18pt]..until we restore Great Biafra, forget Black Race...they're not going anywhere....Biafrans bring Light where there's none![/size]

ps:..the comment above is from my german's prof...

Igbo Kwenu!

.

.

bigfrancis21:

I know this might be an old article but I thought it interesting to reblog again for those who may have missed it. Read and enjoy.

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

I'm 100% certain he wrote this too?

Shouldn't we consider this as well?




According To History



August 5, 2013 – Femi Fani Kayode Blasts The Igbos: Yoruba People Developed Lagos According To Historical Facts
”The claim that the igbo helped to develop Lagos is hogwash. The major institutions of the south-west were developed by the diligence, hard-work, industry and sweat of the yoruba people. This is a historical fact”- Femi Fani-Kayode
I posted these words on my facebook wall as a fall out from the hot debate that was generated after the relocation from Lagos to Anambra of 19 igbo destitutes by the Lagos State Government and Governor Fashola. Immediately after the posting all hell broke loose on my wall and all sorts of exciteable and emotion-laden comments and assertions were made on the thread. I welcome each and every one of those comments including those that accused me of being a tribalist and a yoruba nationalist.
That is the spirit of debate and we cannot all possibly agree on everything. Needless to say I stand by every word that I wrote in the post and those that do not share my view are free to hold their own opinion. My assertion is based on history and knowledge and not emotion. The facts are clear and the records speak for themselves. I will go no further than that because it is about time that Nigerians from the younger generation learnt to do their own research and to study their own history. I will not allow the mob mentality or the wild emotions of others to becloud my thinking or to intimidate me into distorting the truth.
The igbo had little to do with the extraordinary development of Lagos between 1880 right up until today. That is a fact. Other than Ajegunle, Computer Town, Alaba and buying up numerous market stalls in Isale Eko where is their input? Meanwhile the yoruba of the old Western Region and Lagos were very gracious to them and not only allowed them to return after the civil war to claim their properties and jobs but also welcomed them with open arms and allowed them to flourish in our land. This is something that they have never done for our people in the east. Such gestures of love and fraternity were never reciprocated. Now some of them have the effrontery to call Lagos which is our land and the land of our forefathers (I am half Lagosian) ”no-man’s land” and others have the nerve to assert that up to 50 per cent of the development in Lagos came as a consequence of the input of the igbo. This is utter rubbish.
Those that do not know any better ought to go and learn rather than vent their hostilities and ignorance against me here or on my facebook wall. I am not a tribalist but a great believer in Nigeria and more importantly I am a historian and a student of history. I will not distort the facts of history just to keep some people happy. The history of the yoruba and of Lagos particularly is very well known to me and the fact that Lagosians and the yoruba people generally are so generous and accommodating in their ways and to non-indegenes that settle in their territory should not be mistaken for ignorance, stupidity or weakness. We know our history, we know who we are, we know who and what developed our land and made it into what it is and we urge those that yearn to be like us to go and emulate our efforts and attitude to non-indigenees and hard work in their own states of origin.
I have nothing against my fellow Nigerians from other parts of the country and I have proved over and over again that I love Nigeria and that I am a Nigerian before anything else. However if, in the twisted imagination of some, speaking the truth about the history and development of Lagos and the Western Region makes me a tribalist, then tribalist I am. Servants of truth do not fear such labels and are often hated and misunderstood. If I was worried about what others thought of me I would have stopped writing long ago.
Meanwhile permit me to recommend to all and sundry to read and learn from the following words of an insightful Nigerian by the name of Mr. Sina Fagbenro-Byron. He has had the courage to analyse the matter in a very honest, clear and forthright manner and he has spoken the truth. Let us hope that those that have no knowledge of that truth are humble enough to learn from it. He wrote-
”It has become a recent habit by a number of our young Igbo brethren to refer to Lagos as a ‘no-man’s land. The great Zik, Mbadiwe, Mbonu Ojike, Ajuluchukwu, Opara etc would never have made such statements as they knew better. It is not only unfair but in extremely bad taste apart from the fact that it is historically false. How can you call a land that has had over 400 years of traditional rulership and cultural definition as a no man’s land.? It shows contempt for the indigenes, ingratitude of hospitality and a betrayal of ones host.
The late Herbert Macauley( a Yoruba Lagosian) on his dying bed endorsed Zik as successor leader of the NCNC because of his nationalism, intellectual sagacity and it was endorsed by a group of Yoruba elders and not by any Igbo population who is anycase were infinitesimal as at the time, for Chinua Achebe records in his book, and we can roughly confirm that there were not more than a few thousand Igbos in Lagos before the civil war. So after having been received, accommodated by their host Yorubas since the 1940s a generation that is ignorant of history and careless of historical relationship refer to Lagos as no mans land, this attitude is the cause of the perennial Jos crisis amongst others.
When the military stopped the teaching of history in schools in the 1980s, we knew that by allowing them we courted confusion, but it was deliberate. Up till 1968 , Mushin, Apapa, Ikeja, were all part of the Western Region. The English treaty was with the Oba of Eko Ile,(Lagos). Lagos traditional families all are Yoruba and the founder of Eko was Ogunfunminire who migrated from Ife before the 16th century. Lagos traditional Obaship was confirmed on behalf of the Oduduwa dynasty. If we consider it unfair to call Igbo property ‘abandoned property’ after the civil war, why should they refer to another mans backyard as no man’s land.
Lagos had been the commercial nerve center of West Africa before Nigeria was created and this was attributable to the welcoming attitude of coastal Yorubas, which was first betrayed by the Portugese who introduced slave trade, the Kiriji war and the 100 year Yoruba civil war of 1769-1869 also saw a huge population from the other Yoruba Hinterland moving to Lagos to procure salt, guns,seek out their freed slave brethren etc and these led to the growth of Lagos. Since independence and after the civil war, other Nigerians have made Lagos a home for themselves , but none have been so unkind as to call Lagos a no mans land.
Igbos who say this and claim credit for the development of Lagos should remember that the first Industrial Estate in Nigeria was built by Awolowo in Ikeja as Premier of the West and the Western house on Broad street has significant historical importance. I would urge my Igbo brethren not to make true the words of Sardauna when he described the Igbos as having a tendency to come in as visitors and seek to claim ownership to the exclusion of indigents, if Onitcha or Abakaliki is not no mans land why should Lagos be. Imagine how our Niger Delta brethren will feel if we refer to their space on God’s earth as no mans Land?”
Fagbemi-Byron has hit the nail on the head and I wholeheartedly commend him for his courage. Frankly I could not have put it better myself. How I wish that more of those that are in the younger generation today would indulge in the type of research and scholarship that this man has obviously done. He, and those that value truth and knowledge like him, are the true Nigerians and thankfully I believe that there are many like him in every tribe and nationality in this great country. May God grant them the courage to speak out and cure the ignorant of their ignorance.
God bless Nigeria.
Femi Fani Kayode

God dey ooo hmmm

Igbo's empower women as much as men, men are not threatened by women success. Two senators-elect(Stella Oduah and Uche Ekwunife) out of three from Anambra State are women. Igbo's are civilised.

I think this is rubbish really. God did not give Igbo people, white man, America etc special powers. We are all born with the same brain processing power. How will train and use this brain is down to us and not down to tribe or skin colour. The secret here is just pure hardwork and the right attitude!

By the way I am an Igbo man and I am still not successful. Being born Igbo hasn't given me any special power. I guess I have to use my brain like everyone else.