(Lights illuminate a grand hall adorned with luxurious decorations fit for royalty. Women are seen talking in groups, all looking beautiful. It is the 8th of March 2025, and the atmosphere is charged with anticipation as the talk show is about to start).
Miss Emordi: It’s International Women’s Day once again, and we are celebrating women all around the world. So, tell the three women next to you: Happy International Women’s Day. (Miss Emordi, the event host announced, as she walked gracefully to the podium with the warmest smile. Her voice commanded rapt attention from the crowd, even as some women engaged in quiet conversations while seated).
(She wore a beautiful pink Ankara print dress paired with silver shoes, and her red lipstick perfectly complemented her natural hair, which was styled in a chic bun, radiating femininity, poise, power, and class. Her look was a definite 10/10)!
Miss Emordi: I feel blessed to be a woman and I’m elated to stand before such amazing and beautiful women today. Women are no doubt angels; we’re strong, courageous, builders, mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and friends. We thrive and make a positive impact wherever we find ourselves.
Miss Emordi: Right now, we’ve hit the ground running! Beautiful women, let us put our hands together for the Gloria Nanakumor Foundation for organizing this event. I also want to thank our sponsors: The Isioma-Opute Group, Margaret Ohiomoje for media coverage, and Ufedojo African Creative Academy. These are organizations led and owned by Nigerian women who have broken barriers and continue to do so.
Miss Emordi: We must also acknowledge our welfare team, Flovic Catering Service. Thank you so much; we deem not your worth slightly! Lastly, I want to express our gratitude to each and every woman present here today. Without you, this event would not be possible. Please, give yourselves a round of applause, my women! (The women cheered for themselves).
Miss Emordi: We’ll take a ten-minute recess before moving to our plenary session. (Ten minutes later, the women are gathered back, and the stage is arranged with four seats: three for the speakers and one for the moderator, Miss Emordi).
Miss Emordi: (With her warm, pretty smile) Welcome back, beautiful women. Please, let’s settle down. (There is decorum in the hall as the women settle down.) Now let us welcome our speakers.
These women will talk about how they broke, and are still breaking, barriers today. With a round of applause, let’s honor Dr. Yvonne, Miss Ara, and Mrs. Ayanfe. And yes, you can welcome me as well. I will be your anchor. (She said jokingly as the women walked gracefully to the stage and took their seats).
Miss Emordi: Alright, I sincerely want to appreciate every lady here today and our speakers for being here to share their journeys and inspire other women. So please, from left to right, introduce yourselves and what you do.
Dr. Yvonne: Good morning, beautiful women. My name is Yvonne Ojo. I’m a medical doctor and the Founder of ‘Let The Women Dream Foundation’. I’m a mom of three, married to the best man ever. I coach young women who want to break barriers against all odds, and I love Jesus. (This was followed by a loud round of applause and cheers from the crowd).
Miss Ara: Hello, beautiful women. It’s an honor to be here. My name is Ara Chuks. I am a woman in tech, a Software Engineer, and a speaker, and I own Ara’s Child Care. Ara’s Child Care is home to over 50 children who were at some point in their lives abandoned or neglected. (She paused, then continued)
I’m also the pioneer of Ara Computer Academy, an institute that provides young people with free tech skills. And yes, I love Jesus! (She smiled at Mrs Yvonne while passing the microphone to Mrs. Ayanfe, realizing she had a microphone already, and giggled).
Mrs. Ayanfe: I’m delighted to be here amongst great women. My name is Ayanfe Davies. I’m a Chef and a Content Creator. I’m known on social media as Chef Aya-D! (The women in the crowd joined in saying her name, followed by laughter from everyone in the hall.) I love to cook, maybe not more than Miss Ara. (She giggled) I love to explore and live life to its fullest. And yes, I love Jesus too. (The crowd cheered loudly).
Miss Emordi: Wow, I must admit that I’m sitting amongst super talented and inspiring women. Thank you so much for all you do.
Miss Emordi: Now, our discussion today will be centered on the theme Birds Who Flew Without Wings: A Tale of Three Women Who Broke Barriers. I’m sure we now know the three women were honoring. For those who don’t know, our theme connotes women who, against all odds, strove, worked hard, and reached the brightest heights despite the challenges they faced.
Miss Emordi: Now, to our speakers, here’s one question. I know that as kids, we all had dreams. What happened, and how did we realize that we needed to fly even when it seemed our wings had been cut? Please share your stories with us. (She gestured).
Dr. Yvonne: So, here’s my story. I was born into a wealthy home, but it didn’t feel like it because I was a girl child. My dad wanted a boy child. As soon as he found out my mom was going to give birth to a girl, he started treating her badly. My mother had to run away because my dad resorted to domestic violence and started bringing different women home.
What broke the camel’s back was when my dad used a bottle to cut my mom’s back and then used the same bottle to cut my neck. (She shows the scar on her neck) That day, my mom decided to leave him forever. We left in the middle of the night, carrying nothing but ourselves. I was only eight years old.
Dr. Yvonne: As we walked out that night, we both bled. My mom tried to nurse my wound, ignoring her own, which bled even more. Going to her family’s house wasn’t an option because she was told that women must endure whatever they faced in marriage. She scoffed at the idea. That night, my mom used the last money she had to treat our wounds and get us food. As we ate, I could still hear my dad’s voice in my head, saying, “Your daughter is miserable, just like yourself.
My mom and I had to take on menial jobs to survive. We got a house cleaning job that provided us with accommodation, allowing me to go to school from there. With sweat and blood, my mom ensured that I received an education and had enough to eat. I always hoped my dad would return one day to apologize, but he never did.
When I turned 17, I wanted to go to university. People around my mom advised her that it wasn’t necessary and suggested I should learn a trade instead. However, she refused to listen to them and insisted that I had to strive for the best. I gained admission to study Medicine and Surgery.
When I was in uni, I made up my mind that I wouldn’t let my background and my experience define me. I was blessed with good friends, did petty jobs alongside studies, and cried a lot; ten years later, here I am. To every woman here, your background should not be a limiting factor.
Miss Ara: Wow, that was truly inspiring. In my case, I didn’t know my parents and grew up in a foster home. After secondary school, the foster home went bankrupt, and I couldn’t continue my education. I wanted to become a lawyer; however, I got the chance to study a tech course for free, and I had to grab the opportunity as if my life depended on it. I landed a small gig and then started getting bigger projects, which enabled me to get jobs and earn money to fund my education.
I remember the day I left the foster home; I promised myself I would return to give back. However, after just nine months, the foster home was no longer there. I cried and sobbed, and to this day, I still don’t know where they moved. That day, I decided I would own my own foster home and put in the work to make it happen.
Mrs. Ayanfe: I was a young girl from a very local village in Lagos, but I had dreams. My parents ran a restaurant, and we lived hand to mouth. I knew I wanted more. My parents didn’t share my vision; I would tell my mom that I would own one of the biggest eateries in Nigeria, but she would often laugh it off, saying it wasn’t possible.
Today, here I am, God bless the day I came across the quote, “Impossible is only in the book of fools.”I vowed I wasn’t going to be a fool.
Miss Emordi: Hearing your stories and seeing how well you’re all doing inspires me greatly. I’m sure other women feel the same way. So, question number two. (She takes a deep breath). What challenges did you face, and how did you tackle them?
Dr. Yvonne: One challenge I faced was having to fight an identity crisis. Trauma from my dad made me feel like I wasn’t enough and I didn’t need to strive much as a woman because, in the end, women end up in the kitchen, which is a big lie.
Another challenge I faced was from people who tried to dictate how I should live because of the situation my mom and I found ourselves in. And of course, there were financial struggles.
I was able to scale through this by healing. At one point, I hated men, but I had to consciously tell myself that the fact that my dad was a bad man didn’t mean they are no good men out there. I had to build myself confidence from scratch, read books about self-esteem, and join communities focused on empowering women.
My mom was adamant enough to not let people dictate my future. As for the finances part, we just kept working, hoping that one-day things would get better. Lastly, I wasn’t scared of building from scratch; I learned to put myself out there and no longer saw myself as small.
Miss Ara: I faced many challenges along my journey. Initially, I struggled with the guilt that my childhood dream of becoming a lawyer had been cut short. However, I was passionate and ready to take every opportunity to make sure that I grow and excel. When I started my tech journey, financial obstacles arose, but I made do with what I had and started small.
Additionally, as a woman in a male-dominated field, people didn’t take me seriously, believing that men would perform better. So, I put in the extra work to be the best at whatever I do. Rather than trying to fit in, I chose to shine my light brightly and fully explore every opportunity to its fullness. Thank you.
Mrs. Ayanfe: The biggest challenge I faced was that the people around me did not share my vision and saw it as irrelevant. However, now my parents, who once thought I was wasting my time and resources, are proud of me and members of my team.
I overcame this challenge by refusing to let their opinions discourage me. Trust me; there were days when I reconsidered whether it was worth it, but I picked myself up and shook off those thoughts. I took the time to learn cooking from my parents, studied how their business was lagging, and figured out how it could be better.
I went to cooking competitions, and even when my friends said I would embarrass them and fail, I participated anyway. I wrote the vision down, and today I own one of the biggest eateries in Nigeria. When top chefs are mentioned, my name is included.
Miss Emordi: Thank you so much for this session; it has been insightful. I’m sure the women have filled their notebooks with valuable information. Please, ma’ams, share a parting word or message for the women who are striving to create a path for themselves.
Dr. Yvonne: I have said this before, your background shouldn’t be considered a limiting factor. Remember, comparison is a thief of joy. Join communities that will help you grow. You are not what you’ve gone through; just stay through to the process, and I promise you, you’ll be fine. Women are not less, we can bring greatness, and that we’ll do! Thank you.
Miss Ara: As women, we should strive for growth. Don’t try to fit in. Strive to be a shining light, and when you shine and become that light, don’t put your light under a bushel. You’re worth every good and perfect thing. Never settle for less; absolutely not. I love you.
Mrs Ayanfe: My dear women, write your vision down and run with it. Don’t allow the world to limit you, believe in yourself and believe that God can help you. Do not allow negativity to affect your dreams. Fight for growth, it’s worth it in the end. Thank you. I’m rooting for you all.
Miss Emordi: Thank you so much, Dr. Yvonne, Miss Ara, and Mrs Ayanfe. I’m packed with loads of lessons and I’m sure every other woman here has as well. This concludes our session; our speakers will be around; feel free to walk up to them and network. See you next year!
(The women walks off the stage)
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