The clamour for a unisex world by women emancipation apostles all over the world is now a tropical issue. The clamour has gained so much ground. Its popularity was made possible by its patronage by the United Nations and some other countries of the world, especially the developed world.

Considering a unisex world from human angle might be plausible, but what kind of world is it going to bequeath to us? A world in which one has to look very closely before knowing weather human being is a male or female to me, is going to be a strange world full of confusion and negativity.

In those days, the relationship between man and woman was cordial and harmonious. Men were actually the bread winner, while women of the time used to support their husbands in obedience and humility. The warmth of women at home when their husbands returned from their daily toils was always felt.

In a nutshell, a deep exploration of available antecedents proves that public life has not been the lots of women. But today, the case is surprisingly different. Modern women today tend to rise from a sudden realization and have rejected their naturally assistant position. Instead, they opted for public life and have chosen to rub shoulders with men. It is now a popular jingle to hear that whatever a man can do, a woman can do even better

Armed with this belief, women are aggressive demanding for equal space in governance of their various societies. Nigerian women, in order to toe the lines of Western women in their agitation, have degenerated to doing things that were hitherto anathemic considering our ways of life. Nigerian women today are not only involved in politics but want to edge the men out.

It is no longer uncommon to see women attending late night political meetings leaving their husbands at home with children.

For all I know, it is not our culture that a woman becomes a soldier that carries arms, or a policeman that runs night duties. I have also never heard where a woman was a taxi driver in the good olden days. But today, we have a lot of them as taxi drivers and bus conductors. That women want to be like men, talk like  men, sit like men, dress like men, work like men, think and behave like men to me portends doom.

Recorded women agitation started in America in the 1840s. In a conference held by women in New York, they called for the amendment of the American constitution to reflect the existence of women. They agued that the then American constitution did not recognize women in national life. During this period, American women were disenfranchised and therefore took no part in the politics of America.

In Europe, the German experience gives the picture of women struggle. The Welma Constitution therefore gave equal political class to both genders. The German women were also granted legal rights to acquire land and own property. Also, in 1970, Britain passed the property act law which gave British women the right to own properties like their American and German counterparts.

In the Forth international conference held in Beijing, China in 1995, women recorded another milestone in their emancipation struggle. Their request for reservation of 30% of positions in governments all over the world was granted. Nigeria too in 1983 adopted the United Nations Human Rights clause through the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. And the 1979 constitution subsequently granted equal rights to all.

There is nothing wrong in granting some rights to women. Women are human beings and should not be treated otherwise. But the clamour for equality with men is unacceptable.

From the Christian point of view, man is older than the woman. He gave man charge over everything including woman. This makes sex differences a natural factor that can not be done away with. Unisex world therefore is grossly destructive and shamefully anti-nature.

Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher emphatically stated that “the woman is cut out to be ruled by man. The relationship between the male and the female is naturally that of superior to the inferior, of the ruler to the ruled” (Ibid 1:7). Hegel whose works have helped greatly in shaping the human community said inter alia that the place of the woman is in the home and that the spheres of politics and the State belong to the man.

The intense longing for equality with men by women has grave consequences. We must admit that the moral decadence and chaotic nonsense we are facing today is traceable to this agitation.  Today, public social life has taken women out of their family responsibilities as they struggle to gain a good chunk of the economy, and this has created a yawning gap at home with its great consequences on the children. If something is therefore not done fast to check the excesses of our women in public life, Nigeria may suffer the setback of having good leaders tomorrow.

Ordy resides in Port Harcourt.

John Ordy