Women: Nation Builders

I have always been glad for my birth month; March. As a Ghanaian, I share a birth month with my country and as a human being; I share this month with all women across the globe. March 8 is International Women’s Day. It is a day set aside to celebrate women and their enormous and priceless contributions they make to make this planet a better home for all of humanity.

It always gives me joy to know that as a man, I share this incredible space of mine in the universe with such great beings (women).

Women in most parts of the world have played crucial roles in the future of their countries or their kingdoms, Ghana’s own Yaa Asentewaa, viciously and courageously led her people of Ejisu to war against the then mighty British Army. She was a huge force to reckon with, though, the British had a walk through during their wars with some kingdoms ruled by men, they literarily stopped in their tracks when they came against a kingdom ruled and led into war by a woman; Her Majesty Yaa Asentwaa. Decades later, most African women aspire to have the courage she had to stand up to the well-armed British army.

The fight for civil rights in America which saw the black and other minority populations been given the opportunity to take part in the practice of democracy was not solitary fought for by men. Though Martin Luther-King is widely known to have been the champion of this fight, women like Rosa Parks also contributed significantly to the Civil Right Movement. Rosa, a warrior, stood up to white supremacist with the most famous of such event being her refusal to give up her seat on a public bus for a white person. She travelled the length and breadth of America garnering grass root support for the movement. Her fight for equality did not end in America; it travelled miles away from home to South Africa. She was part of the fight from the diaspora to end apartheid in the Southern African country.

Aug san su kyi of Myanmar (Burma) is also one of the great women of our times. Her fight for democracy have taken her to different kinds places around the world, talk of the White House, Buckingham Palace as well as her country’s prison. Released on 13^th November, 2010 from a seven years house arrest for doing nothing other than win a democratically organized election as president; (obviously the military junta in Burma saw this as a crime). Today, Burma is gradually accepting democracy and history will in no doubt credit Aung San Suu Kyi for bringing democracy to Burma. She paid huge debts for this pay check; she was not able to be with her beloved husband when he was on his death bed for fear of being stopped by the military junta from reentering Burma; her husband was in London. If she had gone to London she risked throwing years of struggle for democracy since would be forced to live in exile thereby curtailing her from achieving her goal.  

Africa and the world have been blessed to have some of these women extraordinaire participate in the molding of our world. There are millions of women warriors in the world today contributing their quota in their little quarters with the aim of making the world a better place for all of us.

Today, I honor women in my own small way, I will hold close to my heart my mother, Yaa Asentewaa, Rosa Parks, Ang San Suu Kyi, and all the women whom I have come across in my life and the billions whom I have never met and probably will never meet. Every man will agree with me that women do indeed bring out our best in us. The contributions of women from our homes to the community and to commerce and politics and religion are invaluable and cannot be written off.

Salute to all WOMEN WARRIORS (women fighting for change and/or a better society)

By: Andrew Tetteh