Empower Women with Equal Opportunities, Not Affirmative Action – The Guardian Nigeria News

A Professor of English Language at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Iyabode Nwabueze, highlighted the importance of providing women with equal opportunities to succeed rather than resorting to Affirmative Action. She emphasized the need for a level playing field where women can compete and excel based on their merit.

During her 27th inaugural lecture titled “The Woman is First Human: The Linguistic Exploration of Her Womanhood”, Nwabueze explored the concept of womanhood through a linguistic lens, stressing the recognition of women’s humanity before their gender.

She called for society to move away from patronizing attitudes towards women and instead empower them to excel based on their abilities. Nwabueze also advocated for government intervention to address discrimination and gender-based violence while challenging religious organizations to promote equality and self-sufficiency among women.

The Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Olufemi Peters, echoed the importance of creating an equal opportunity environment for women to compete and succeed. Overall, Nwabueze’s lecture emphasized the need for women to be recognized for their worth and capabilities, rather than being defined by gender stereotypes.