2013 VOF WEEK FOUR ASSIGNMENT: MY SEED

As a girl, I was one of those whom circumstances forced to grow into adults before their time. Apart from going to school and helping my mother with her trade, I didn’t have much luxuries but I have dreams. I planned for my future: how I want my home to be like, the society I want my children to live in, the peace I want for my country, my dream for other girls to look inward and face the lie that the society has often told that gender limits.

Now as a graduate from a reputable university doing my internship in a media house in Lagos, I look forward to impacting my society through the power of the pen. My focus is to lend my voice by combining journalism with social responsibility to create the future I want through hard work, service, loyalty and dedication to the noble cause of uplifting women in my community. The point is that when we uplift women, we create an enabling society because it is women that influence the world as mothers and care givers.

Stumbling into World Pulse through a friend on Facebook is an opportunity that I will continue to cherish. I was immediately drawn by the warmth of the great women in this community who do not consider age or class before sharing their views and opinions.

I am committed to learning and self-development. With my experience in the past few weeks with World Pulse, I see a veritable means of achieving this goal. Being a VOF correspondent would provide me with opportunities to be mentored by women of virtue who are knowledgeable and have gained experience in the ‘struggle’. Being under the tutelage of these mentors is a golden opportunity, the value of which cannot be estimated in monetary terms.

Networking is a process which provides a platform for maintaining informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities. I make bold to say that vast opportunities exist for anyone privileged to be admitted into this programme. This is an opportunity I crave for. More so, I believe building a connection with other women is a vantage point to lead the crusade for women empowerment.

Also, as someone who aims to speak for the inarticulate and the submerged, an opportunity to be trained as a VOF correspondent is an open link to the world. Building knowledge, gaining skills and working with a dedicated team of serious minded people in this community would be a confidence boaster towards achieving my dream.
I believe in the words of George Mason, the late U.S. statesman that the freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained. I have passion for journalism and social responsibility. A place as a VOF correspondent is a vision propeller to achieve this dream.

Prior to this period, I have been involved in campus journalism through Campus Life, an eight pages pull-out in The Nation Newspaper where I write reports on campus. With this platform, I was able to showcase the talents of girls in my university community who are changing convention and challenging the status quo. Some of them have excelled in politics, business, sports; creative writing and even led their classes in course like engineering and mathematics which are considered to be male reserve. A particular story on politics titled “Beauty and the Ballot”, won me the Political Reporter of the year award courtesy of CocaCola/The Nation Newspaper students writer award.

Also, while serving as the general secretary representing my hall of residence in the student union government while as a student, I was introduced to the endless opportunities available for women to change the cause of humanity, should they decide to go into politics. My vision is to use journalism as a platform to reach many heights. This is not for selfish gain or self- importance but to create that future that I crave. A future where opportunities abound for women to be equal partners with men in the task of building the nation and creating a better world for our children.
This is the seed I want to sow; VOF is a platform to water it!