A Woman’s Voice in Nigeria: Heard or Silenced?

Today, being March 8th is International Women's Day and we all have posted, wished ourselves and attended events in our different states and countries. March is Women's History Month; a time to recognize the contributions of women to society. It's also a time to raise awareness about women's rights and gender equality.

However, the recent events in Nigeria for the past few months and especially in this March shows that there is no safe place for women in our society no matter how high her social status.

You must have read about the recent event in the senate involving senator Natasha and the senate president, Akpabio. You might have even contributed to the conversation either on social media or in your private space.

Senator Natasha accused the senate president of sexual harassment and the house went on to suspend her for six months. The accuser was suspended while nothing was said or done to the accused.

It is expected that the senate would ask Akpabio to at least step aside pending the period the investigation would be concluded. Or that Akpabio would allow the deputy senate president preside over the house pending the investigations. But none of these happened rather senator Natasha that was suspended and her security details withdrawn.

What this series of events in the senate house tells women is they must never speak up because no one will listen to them. It says to women that rather than the perpetrator being punished, it is the victim that suffers for speaking up.

This is giving abusers the courage to go ahead to harass and abuse women because they know that if it can be done to senator Natasha(being silenced) then it can be done to the common woman. It goes to show that none of us as women are safe from injustice of any kind.

As the theme for this year's international Women's Day is "Accelerate Action", we must take take action to ensure that women are not silenced. They must be listened to even if what they speak about turns out to be untrue. Due process must be followed.

Women must also rise together to support one another for injustice to one woman is injustice to all.