Arese Carrington: From Patriarchy To Gender Equality

Dr. Arese Carrington, the wife of former US Ambassador to Nigeria has emphasized the need for the emancipation of Nigerian women, this she said is a determining factor for the country experience total development.According to Carrington, who is an International Public Health Consultant and Vice President, Africana Consultants, USA, gender equality is the major tool Nigeria needs to redeem her economic status.She revealed this at the Eminent series lectures organized by University of Benin, Uniben, held in collaboration with Pfizer Nigeria, titled; “Nigeria and the Future of the Black World”.Dr. Carrington said: “An uneducated population is a population in bondage. Education is the passport to freedom. Hence, we must speak the truth to ourselves. With education, no one can pull the wool over our eyes.“Education, health and income generation form the axis of development. So, it is essential for more Nigerian women to have access to these. They need to be given the opportunity to advance in science and technology.’’Dr. Carrington revealed; “Nigeria and Africa’s future is dependent on not discarding the role of females in the society or their potentials to contribute economically and politically. Rwanda has harnessed this opportunity. After the genocide, the women were in the forefront in the reconstruction and the emotional healing of the nation. Realizing this, President Paul Kagame made the extra effort to empower women. Half the Supreme Court population is female.”She encouraged women, young and old to strive to get educated, which she asserted is the first step to gaining total independence.