70 year-old woman challenges patriarchy and claims her right

How would you feel if you gave your land for constructing a community school and when the school is opened your family (brothers) refuse that you speak at the event because you're not educated and unworthy to do so?

ActionAid and its partner Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) launched a new community school in Bolorunduro a rural community 40 kilometres from Akure, Ondo State Nigeria on 22 November 2011.

As we drove through the bumpy untarred road to the community one cannot but notice the excitement in the air, children in navy blue school uniform, brown sandals and white socks running out of their homes towards the school compound, jumping and shouting with excitement.

The adults were all dressed up wearing traditional iro and buba for women and the buba and sokoto for men. If I wasn’t part of the ActionAid team I would have concluded that a chief’s daughter was getting married. There were canopies, drums and blaring music from loud speakers positioned at the four corners of the school compound.

The whole event went well as we got assurance from the state commissioner for education that Ondo state government will formally adopt the school and provide teachers, desks and chairs and other resources that will make the school run properly.

The most interesting part of the event is the action of a 70-year old woman, Mama Morenike Ademuluyi as she is called. She donated the land where the school was constructed. During the launch she faced severe opposition from her brothers who claimed the land was not hers but the family's. Her reaction to this opposition showed that our human rights training in Bolorunduro was not in vain. Here’s the story:

Mama Morenike donated her inheritance-the piece of land where Bolorunduro community school was built. She said:

This land was given to me by our father. It is mine and not a family land. I suffered a lot because I didn’t go to school and I didn’t want the same fate to befall the younger generations in this community.

During the public presentation of the school to the community her male family members refused that she would make a speech because according to them she is not worthy to represent their family. Mama Morenike insisted and stood at the centre of the field and requesting that she could make her speech in Yoruba language even if she is not educated. She was obliged.

After giving her speech in Yoruba it was interpreted in English to the non-Yoruba speakers in attendance. Mama Morenike is a member of the School Based Management Committee (SBMC) in Bolorunduro and she got a certificate of recognition for her good work. Her action clearly demonstrates that she understood her rights and cannot be pushed aside because she didn't have formal education.

They want to cheat me because I didn’t go to school, I know my right and I will claim it.