Women, today, are unstoppable. Whether it is in the field of medicine, media, films, IT, arts, animation, politics or sports, women are establishing their foothold in almost every area that was once dominated by men.
They are fighting against the stereotypes, exploring the unexplored, pushing their own limits, and figuring their own path to achieve independence in their own terms. We asked five women from different walks of life to define independence, and how it is a part of their daily life. Here are their insightful responses…
“I am a homemaker by choice and it does not mean I have no role in our family besides supervising the household chores. While my husband is busy earning to make ends meet, I make sure that the money that he earns is spent wisely. I am the one who ensures that our house is a ‘home’. Hence, being independent means being respected for the choices (including whether I want to work or not) I make in my life, and not being forced to do anything.” – Nkechi
“Independence is about breaking the age-old stereotypes, and chasing your dreams. It is about having equal work, responsibilities and opportunities irrespective of your gender, and being the best version of yourself. I travel solo, ride bikes, work in a male-dominated industry and do what brings me happiness. Being the master of her own life is true freedom for any woman. In fact, it would be a true achievement for us when we no longer need to dedicate a special day to celebrate the inspiring women in our life. Once we have gender equality in our society, there won’t be a need mark an occasion for our achievements!” – Tonye
“No matter how much my partner earns, I will never be dependent on him financially. I do not want to look up to him for my basic needs and in fact, I would like to help him financially if the need arises. Therefore, independence for me is managing my own finances because it gives me a sense of security and confidence that cannot be replaced by anything else” – Ibinabo
“For me, independence means having my own perspective and outlook towards life. I do not want to make opinions or follow the traditional path (something like getting married in early twenties and having kids due to family pressure) simply because that is how things have been done since ages. I want to view the world with my own lens and make my own choices every single day.” – Awajitim
“I am a 31-year-old modern, professionally-successful woman. For me, independence is to choose to love myself before loving anyone else. It is about keeping my happiness in my own hands, and not compromising my needs over anyone else’s. In fact, loving others is about expanding the already existing deep love within me, and being a happy and content person in life.” – Etim
