NAN-H-65
Equality
By Usman Aliyu
Ilorin, Aug. 10, 2017 (NAN) A don, Dr Saudat Abdulbaqi, on Thursday, in Lagos, urged Muslim parents and guardians to give male and female children equal access to education in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Abdulbaqi, who is also the Head of Department, Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, made this call at its third Public Lecture, organised by a group called “Protection of Women Dignity Initiative (PWDI)” in Ilorin.
According to her, parents should not treat female children as second fiddle.
Delivering her paper with the theme; Muslim women and the right to self-realisation, she said that Islam did not discriminate between male and female children in terms of their rights to acquire education.
On the role of couples, she said Islam encouraged husbands and wives to play complementary roles to each other in the upkeep of their children.
The don, however, identified cultural factors and dearth of ‘ideal men’ as some of the challenges preventing women from self-realisation.
She advised women to always employ dialogue in addressing issues that could affect their progress.
“A woman should be encouraged to identify her potential, as there can be no development without you realising your areas of strengths and weaknesses.,
“It is only then that you can carve out a niche for yourself and purse your goal with passion and realise it,” she said.
Abdulbaqi, who is also the National President of Criterion Sisters, charged women to be responsible and ensure a good relationship with God-fearing people, who could contribute to their progress.
The communication expert added that women should also live up to expectation in their homes.
In her remarks, the coordinator of the initiative, Dr Nimah AbdulRaheem, said that the group was established to spread the message that Islam accorded women a lot of rights but most of them were not enjoying these rights.
According to Abdulraheem, the challenges facing women are not peculiar to Nigeria but the only way they can be successful in their undertakings is by getting men’s support.
She, however, cautioned women against competing with their husbands, as a virtuous Muslim woman should be submissive to her husband. (NAN)
AUO/OSA/YEMI
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Yemi Idris-Aduloju