Women From Nigeria

"Josephine was celebrated, but she and her female colleagues faced many challenges as regards to their gender. She retired voluntarily from service on 5 February 1967 and passed on in 2014."

"If you were fighting against Nigeria and you are Nigerian,it did not speak so well of you. You didn’t feel happy about the fight no matter who was winning."

"Being in the army,we should pray more that they should stop the war because it was not going to help us and it did not help us."

"...this is the time we do this,I must be there at that time."

"Helping other people and taking care as much as you can means that you are doing something good."

"People who know moral education know that we lost a lot by not educating our children morally."

"Television has not done us any good.It is okay to say that you learn from it but as far as I am concerned there are lots of things that should not be on that box."

"I didn’t think I would go so far. I thought I should just get the experience and move on with my life."

"I thought singing would be a hobby; a second love to be done in my spare time. I never thought of it as a career really."

"Table tennis gave me a better life."

"Always carry yourself in high esteem. You can be who you want to be with determination, dedication and discipline. Never allow anybody to pull you down. The world is like a rollercoaster, never give up on your dream. Stay away from negative people and anything or anyone that’s telling you that you can’t make it because you’re a woman. Remember, you’re you and you’re unique."

"I’ve been through racism, discrimination, violence and abuses from men. […] I’ve been through a lot in my life as a woman. I gave love but I was abandoned when I needed help – but all that I’ve been through made me better and stronger. I am a survivor!"

"Nobody can understand young female athletes more than female administrators and female coaches."

"Nothing gives me more joy than seeing all the young, poor players happy with the little I gave them."

"I’ve been going through depression in my life and people don’t know this. They see me smile and play table tennis, but people can’t tell what I’m going through."

"It doesn’t affect me in any way because what I’m doing right now is to enjoy myself, to play good table tennis, to see that I am motivating all the younger women that in any situation they can still be what they want to be. Even married, unmarried, with children whatever they are going through even with age they can still be what they want to be."

"I was physically, sexually, emotionally and mentally abused. This man beat me for more than three years and I remember always going to UNILAG [University of Lagos] with a battered face but I still never gave up on TT, men or life."

"I won’t allow my kids to represent Nigeria of today. But if they want to, I won’t stop them."

"My most exciting time was when I won four gold medals for Nigeria at the 2003 All Africa Games with my child only six months old, and also winning the Africa championship in 2016."

"I was not happy that the ministry dropped the female team from going to the 2018 Commonwealth Games. I allowed it and some other factors to affect me in Kenya and I lost in the quarter-finals; I came fifth for the very first time."

"For the women, l think there are lots of up and coming players but the only thing they are lacking is exposure. They are a bit inexperienced such that they are doing it their own way. They need coaches that will guide them because the way they are playing here is not the same way they are playing abroad. There’s scientific approach to the game. We equally need better facilities. The tables we are using here are a bit slow to the ones that are used in international competitions. Our girls are coming up but they still have more to learn. Government must equally support the game."

"He (my husband) is the reason why I am waxing stronger in the game because he did not ask me to replace my love for table tennis for him. He taught me how to multiply my love for table tennis and my family. I think my husband met me playing the game and l think the most important thing is love. He loves me so much and knows that l love table tennis so much. He has never for once, since we got married, attempted to stop me from playing the game. He appreciates what l do and would always be by my side when l am playing to give his support. I have a very good family and l am very proud of my family. Believe it or not, l don’t want to be in any other family than this and l thank God for that. I have a loving husband that can die for me and two wonderful boys that make me happy each passing day. I am happy and very satisfied."

"I represented my school at a competition and was honoured by the headmaster of the school, Mr G.O. Taiwo, who asked me to come out and said a lot of good things about me in front of my school mates. I decided on that day that I stood to gain everything from the game of table tennis, so I must remain focused to be counted among the best."

"I always remember where I am coming from and the fact that for me to move up in life I have to be focused and steadfast. I am not a star, I just want to be the best."

"I am pained that our female players are not matching up with their male counterparts in terms of standard and quality. When we started some years back, we were so disciplined and determined but these days, our players are not ready to work hard and maintain discipline. This is one of my priorities for now and that is why I will like to tutor them so that they can imbibe the characteristics that aided some of us to still be playing now."

"And please don’t wish me luck; wish me good favour in the eyes of the judges and the organisation. I pray they see the motivated, ambitious, and goal driven woman I am."

"Marriage is a choice, it is not a requirement to fulfill your purpose. Your purpose is not in marriage, it is in you."

"Don’t stew in your juice if you have made a mistake in life move on, don’t try to carry out revenge or get angry over what you couldn’t control. My advice is let your hurt go so you can be a better person. Let love lead and find you."

"It is you first before anybody else. When you die, you won’t know what would happen to the family you left behind."

"Take a walk; leave that environment first before taking any decision. Talk to God. talk to the Holy Spirit. You will get some sort of direction. You can’t stay in a hostile environment and excel."

"“Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let us all #ChooseToChallenge and call out gender bias and inequity,”"

"“It is our collective responsibility to break the culture of silence around women’s human rights violations; feminisation of poverty and women’s exclusion from decision-making arenas. Let us demand accountability everywhere and together we shall make meaningful change happen,”"

"“Who should we hold accountable for improving the lives of women in order to enrich the nation on the long run? Why should we hold them accountable?”"

"“Which opportunities have we lost? How can younger women stand on the shoulders of older women so that they can see farther ahead?""

"“Much as I am against the death penalty I think we are at a point where we have to take drastic measures to protect Nigerian girls and women from the war unleashed on them by the perpetrators of sexual violence. So, that may be an option to life imprisonment. That will surely help reduce the incidences of rape in our society as offenders will have an idea of the fate that would befall them if they dare break the law. It is in our hands to make things happen. If we really want the war on rape to stop the policy of death penalty on rape in Nigeria needs to be adopted.”"

"“We have to be proactive by providing sexuality education to boys and girls in primary and secondary schools, as well as make conscious efforts to reorient men by teaching our boys about respect for a woman’s personal space.”"

"“With this Name & Shame Project, we are saying to victims and survivors that we believe their account of a rape incident and we stand with them as they call out their rapists.”"

"“One of the reasons rapists get away with the crime is that society has a way of violating the victims of rape all over again when they speak up. That happens when we disbelieve or blame them for putting themselves in the line of the rapists.""

"“I saw flashes of the manifestations of the war on Nigerian women: women arrested on trumped up charges and raped in custody, commercial sex workers arrested for the sexual pleasure of the Police and detained for days, I saw women who were killed for trying to resist their Police abductors and labelled armed robbers or girlfriends of criminals, accused of illegal possession of hard drugs (which they would have planted on their victims), and so on and so forth. I told God that Temisan should not be added to the statistics and quickly threw a boubou on my night gown, and raced out to save my daughter!“"

"Small breakthroughs inspire me. I am motivated when I see smiles on the face of a woman who took a decision to leave an abusive relationship; I am inspired when a young woman sees the big picture and dedicates herself to championing the cause of women. I rededicate myself when I see women in positions of power stand with other women."

"I am a feminist because I am unapologetically passionate about improving the status of women. I believe in the capability and potential of women and I acknowledge the role of patriarchy in the oppression of women around the world. I disagree completely with the perception of women as inferior, subordinate, and second-class citizens. I believe every woman must have a voice to make choices. I work in solidarity with other women and some men to fight patriarchy and make women visible as critical stakeholders to improve their condition and position."

"My job motivates me. Being a part of little miracles everyday motivates me, as well as, living fully in the present with gratitude, the wonders of nature, life’s abundance and the joy of sharing."

"Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. I recognise my responsibilities and manage my time with due consideration for all. My first assignment is as “Mom in Chief,” which is a responsibility to my home. Then my job and everything else comes after"

"It is through service. The only way to truly be a leader, stay ahead and be on top of your game is to be in service to others. This is the only way you can truly discover salient needs and find ways to meet them. In my case, it was the health of the people. In meeting these needs, you become a resource person. People come to you for advice, direction and help. Another name for one who does all the above, if you ask me, is a Leader. A great man once said, “If service is beneath you, leading is beyond you."

"I still look at my kids and wonder, if these people came from me. Life is amazing. To have been the vessel that channelled such brilliant, gifted and lovable people into the world makes me so proud."

"Please learn a thing or two from an honest conversation with my son… If you are in a violent relationship, get help, heal and repair your relationship… We did just that and we along with our kids are doing well 19 years and counting"

"Lol!! There is no silver bullet. Give it your best shot. Stay if it makes happy, and walk if it does not. Most importantly though, give careful consideration to the effects and consequences of your actions, especially on your children, and choose your battles."

"Inner beauty will always replenish the outward looks. Be at peace with yourself and with the universe. Be positive. Let your God-self come through. Let go and let God"

"I have always been an army of one. Like me or hate me, I am who I am. I love the freedom to be true to self. That does not mean that I will completely stop acting. However, you will now know me as a nurse; a skilled health care provider."

"I am a people’s person, a social person, and a nurse is socially oriented. Acting is also a way to make a difference but it was not enough, especially the way it is set up in Nigeria. No royalties, no job security, no investment tools for health plans and retirement. With acting, there is the necessity to maintain a front; a sort of image which you could use for endorsements, and so on. A level of “fakeness” is required. Now, where does that stop? It gets difficult to be true to who you really are as a person and having to tow the line of being politically correct, or keeping up appearances, or saying what you think will make everybody happy just to be liked. I cannot live like that."