Girls Rising: My Journey So Far

I was born to a family of seven, and I was the second girl and last child. My home was what is called humble(neither rich nor poor). The secret to that humbleness was my mum. My mum was never educated because according to her, she was not opportuned to attend school but she vowed to see me through school. She never relented in her efforts even when, my father wasn’t forthcoming with the needed support. My mum would wake up as early as 4am and go to the shop where she sells drinks and food stuffs and then return home by 10pm. My mum was the pioneer of retail shops because she discovered it would ease the stress of people going long miles to the market and she has been in the business for over 30 years now even though there are more people into the business than when she started. She was my inspiration, “My iron woman”. She would always tell me “never you settle for less. I am going through all this hardship so you can become a graduate and have the best”. “Do not be deceived by men or discouraged because once you get up there, you would have all you want coming to you”. I held on to these words and today I am in a better place than I ever thought I would be. Even though I am not there yet, I am a girl rising. I went on to finish my undergraduate among the best in my class and I topped in law school as well. I was eventually called to the Nigerian Bar Association as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and believe me, nothing can ever beat the Joy my mother felt on that day Seeing me climb the podium amongst the great men and women of the Legal Profession. I wasn’t done yet, just as I was settling into my Law practice, I got a Pan African University Scholarship that took me all the way to Cameroon and as is my nature, I have been impacting lives even in a far away country. I have engaged in Volunteer services and Leadership trainings for children and girls like me. I use my life as an example because I believe in myself and that is the first step to greatness. I have been interviewed twice on Television including National Networks on my life style and My Personality. I tell them I am a girl rising and nothing can put me down. I advocate for the rights of women against domestic violence and I am equally doing a research on it. The life of a girl child is twice as hard as that of a male child. I encourage every girl and young woman to toughen up, be determined and hungry for knowledge. Be empowered! Women are not weak! I am a living proof and I will continue to rise until I get to a point where my qualities speak for me, not my gender.

Thanks!