It Is a Woman Thing

Girls' Vision of the Future

“Do you, the world will adjust”, were the very words Onome stuck to throughout her journey. A journey she wouldn't be giving up on anytime soon.

Growing up as the only female child after 5 boys was tough for Onome. Like her mother would say, it was the best way to learn how to be a wife and a mother. “If you can take care of your father and your brothers, you will be able to look after a home.” It was the perfect plan. The perfect plan was no perfect plan at all. Onome did not want that.

Onome had other plans. She didn't want to learn to be a wife or a mother; she wanted to play football - for the Arsenal women's team and the Nigeria women's national team. What's better, she wanted to be the first African woman to win the Ballon d'Or that is if Asisat Oshoala hasn't made a win for it yet.

You should see how Onome talks passionately about football. The smile on her face everytime; It never gets old. She would talk about how she played better than most guys and how they underestimate her all of the time and then the looks on their faces when she showed them a trick or two. She played with her brothers and their friends most of the time (when her dad wasn't watching). She engaged in soccer arguments too and she wins everytime.

Is it when she receives compliments and loads of advice to consider playing football professionally? Or when she talks about her dreams of flying jets, having a locker room, scoring goals and lifting trophies? I mean, who wouldn't want to listen to that?

What could be the problem, you might ask. Her father. He didn't like the idea of a woman playing football; his only daughter for that matter. Football was male sports and she had no business wanting that.

Her mother didn't have a say, her brothers couldn't care less. But she was determined that his objections wouldn't stop her. I believed it too. I saw it. I knew how she fought to use her feet again after she suffered a dislocation. She was told that she might never be able to do too much with her foot. And when she did heal, she was forbidden from playing football again.

She didn't stop. She couldn't. The dreams were clear, the prophecy had been told multiple times. The vision was lucid. She was going to be a star, she was going to be great and the only way she could do that was to play football. She was made for that.

There was no stopping Onome. She had a plan; we had a plan. It's already set in motion. If we fail to convince him, we would wait till she gets her freedom. It was only a matter of time...

Let the girl child be whoever she wants to be; whatever she says she is. There should be no limitations to her dreams and her visions. Let her dream, let her envision, let her work towards her goals because she is so much more than the what you think she should be.

Love them, support them, empower them. They are the future; the promising future that we talk about and look forward. Their dreams and visions should matter!

Xoxo,
Linny. 🦋