Back to Eden

Many wonder what their purpose on earth is, some find it and some don’t. I can say for certain that I am among those who have found their purpose. The journey to that discovery was not smooth or easy for me either.

I had to travel through the wilderness, the raging storm, the mountain climbing, walking on water, sky diving, cloud climbing and most insurmountable tasks and trials that the feminine species face. Nevertheless, I have not been daunted perceiving there is more to my life than my journey so far.

My personal vision is to be recognized as a force to reckon with in resolving the response to sexual violence nationally, regionally and internationally. While my personal mission is to contribute effectively to bringing hope and healing to children victims and women survivors of sexual violence and to reduce the incidence of sexual violence through innovative prevention interventions as long as I am breathing.

Why? One may ask. Never in my wildest dream did I think for once nor did it ever occur to me that I would become an advocate for women and children on sexual violence because I also am a victim/ survivor and a work in progress. I never saw myself as someone that had much to offer because my spirit had been crushed and I could not struggle or fight anymore. I actually gave up. Then I got a call, “Sexuality Minister.” It was my turning point – Finally I found my destiny and with it carry a high responsibility as destinies of millions of children and women lay in the depth, width and intensity of my contributions. With this picture painted - 1 in 3 girls have been sexually abused before attaining the age of 18. While one in four girls and same goes for 1 in 7 boys will be sexually abused before attaining the age of 18.

My vision for my community which is firstly the State where I reside- Lagos, Nigeria my country and Africa my continent, is to see our societies where the role of being responsible for protecting her children and women is foremost and highly important for development.

This journey started over ten years ago, but finally found a face and now a body structure seven years ago, when Media Concern Initiative - for Women & Children set up office. We began breaking the silence with a huge media campaign with little or no resources at all , and we conquered and did break the silence in my country. Four years of that hard work and the cases began coming in, we were face to face with a huge response across the nation and the city of Lagos. Our crisis intervention was born.

A model being shared and award winning. However, it is the lives that have been touched, children who have been saved and healing, women who are taking courage to speak out and interestingly more persons who have taken to join the crusade in protecting the future generation. At the occasion of the award ceremony of receiving a honourary doctorate in public health at the 50th anniversary of the University of Western Cape, South Africa, I said in my very short acceptance speech, “If we do not play our role, there will be no children and thus, no Africa tomorrow.”

As for my vision for the world, it is no less than to see a world that admits to the vast wasted resources it is losing as long as women and children continue to be violated and make concrete acceptability by involving women and listening to children in decision making that affects their well-being. Recently, the United Nations finally set up the UN Women – through years of negotiation between UN member state and advocacy by global women’s movements.

PulseWire has created a platform that provides women … a voice to speak, be heard and be answered. That is the way to back to Eden and the Voice of Our Future Correspondents Programme is a channel to speak Loud and Clear.
VOF, I and the women global movement side by side in partnership for the advancement of this paradise.