By Gbenga Sodeinde
A professor of Gender and Human development at the Ekiti State University EKSU, Grace Modupe Adebo, has stated that her Academic feats and achievements today is all by the grace of God, just according to her name “Grace”.
Prof. Adebo was speaking at the Ekiti State University, EKSU, Ado Ekiti while delivering the 74rh inaugural lecture at the University’s auditorium. Her lecture was titled: de- escalating Grassroot Gender Poverty: Imperatives for Sustainable Rural Development Agenda in Nigeria.
Her lecture which attracted top personalities from all walks of life in academic and in the society was exceptional because it was the 6″ Inaugural lecture in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the First in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Services of the university
She pointed out that by the special Grace of God her outstanding performance that she was able to scale through all her encuberances and attained the level she has attained today, saying” No wonder the Bible in Ephesians 2; 8-9 says, ‘we are saved by grace; it’s not the work of any man’s hand lest anyone should boast’. I am what I am, by His grace alone”.
According to her, “My academic journey was very smooth at the primary and secondary schools, as my mother, a teacher and disciplinarian policed me to read. At the primary school level, my daily routine was from school to the lesson and from lesson to a second lesson at home (Her lesson- Omo teacher). She equipped me with all the relevant books for my subjects. This extended to my secondary school days, such that I had eight different textbooks on English Language, alone. There were several books that I didn’t have the privilege to read at all
“However, the rough road began after the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination, and had to stay with my uncle to study for the JAMB examination. Now far away from home, I lost all the guidance required for the next level. I remember one JAMB examination in which I scored a mark high enough for any course, but realized that the course I chose (Physiotherapy) was not offered in my first choice of university. The following year, I changed my course to Chemistry but did not pick up the admission because of my mother’s premature retirement from service.
“My senior brother who studied Agricultural Science advised that I choose Agricultural Science, on which he had enough textbooks. Thus, I landed in Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo to study Agricultural Science Education. With my HSC experience and the textbooks inherited, the NCE was a walk-over, and later my university education at Ekpoma.
“The further study of Agricultural Extension Technology was possible by God’s grace and my outstanding performance at the undergraduate level.
Mr Vice Chancellor Sir, I once again thank God for the grace to stand before this audience to deliver this 74th inaugural lecture of the university”. She concluded.
She however appreciated her darling husband for the support giving to her, saying, ” l so much appreciate the backbone of my success, my prince, a compassionate, gentle, caring, and loving husband, Mr. Omotayo Olufemi Adebo. Thanks for the privilege accorded me to reach this height, despite all the challenges. Thanks for holding forth at the home most of the time I was away. Thanks forever being there up till now. I pray you shall reap the fruits of your labour in Jesus name”.
In her lecture, the don said that there is a need for a specific gender- focused rural development approach in the country.
She noted that over the years, it has been proven that generalized development policies have not favoured women, as they are often cornered by men while women are side-lined in all aspects of the policies.
Prof. Adebo pointed out that a women-focused policy programme will reduce the chances of its being hijacked by the privileged men in power and bureaucrats.
“Efforts made by rural women to bail themselves out of poverty yielded minimal results due to lack of finance and institutional support. Since women account for half of the total population of Nigeria, any development process that ignores the life-chances of half the population, cannot address the problem of poverty and rural development.
“Hence, it should be emphatically professed but without de-escalating grassroots gender poverty, rural development will be a mirage in Nigeria”, she said.
According to her, the major flaw in all previous rural development programmes is the exclusion of women, who are supposed to be the major beneficiaries of such policies, from the decision-making points.
She stressed that the participatory inclusion of women is therefore required to enable them to participate in decisions bordering on their fate and future and that it should be clearly stated that no masculine-dominated centres of decision-making can favour women; adding that gender-inclusivity should be enthroned by government.
Raising the living conditions of women, she said, could therefore be encouraged by organizing women into cooperative groups, since women are individually economically weak.
She argued: “This will enable them to pool resources to increase their scale of operations and consequently enhance their yield and improve their income-earning abilities. Government at all levels should encourage the formation of cooperative groups and support them financially for sustainability and effectiveness”.
“To complement the suggested encouragement of women cooperative groups, the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should establish a Rural Bank for Women Development in all Local Government Areas in Nigeria. The Bank should be legally saddled with empowering rural women with zero-interest and long-term credit facilities to support their farming efforts and other economic activities.
“To avoid the hijack of such banks by politicians and civil servants, the management should be by women of unquestionable integrity and those having genuine interests in women development. Rural women should be included in the Governing Board of the Bank and the CBN should assume the direct supervision of the bank with the audited reports on the bank published annually in national dailies”, she said.
Photos from the event:
