Opinion
Don’t Abuse Women Liberation
Women all over the world are generally believed to be weaker than men because their physical and emotional strengths are naturally not equal to that of men.
In the past, the idea of women being weaker than men, deprived them of some rights and privileges that men enjoy. For instance, before now women were not allowed to vote in some countries. Some cultural practices in some areas also ruined their chances of acquiring education and civilisation.
It is the quest to reverse this unfavourable condition of women in the society that gave birth to the women liberation movement. So women liberation is a call for us to do away with all cultures and practices that place undue restrictions on women thereby hampering their efforts to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the society. Women liberation demands that women should be given equal attention and opportunity with their male counterparts. It also emphasises that women are active individuals who can partner with men to achieve great results.
Something is said to be abused if it is put to a wrong harmful use. It is regrettable that many women today have abused the rights that women liberation has given to the female folks. Such women hide under the cloak of women liberation to exhibit behavioural attitudes that are alien and unwholesome, instead of using their position as liberated women to build their homes. Some women have on the contrary, through their evil activities, pulled down their homes thereby putting a question mark on the necessity of women liberation.
Imagine a situation whereby a woman who calls herself a mother tells her children that she is the one who fends for them and that their father contributes little or nothing to their upkeep. Such negative ideas when registered into children will only create in them a permanent hatred for their father who they may erroneously consider irresponsible and uncaring. When this happens, the family will eventually be torn apart. There are also cases of married women who no sooner they came into their husband’s home than they started creating enmity between their husband and the entire family members. They go ahead to call their mothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and other members of the extended family such names that portray a bad image of the family to outsiders. Some women go as far as branding their mothers-in-law “witches and the barren ones accuse them of being responsible for their barrenness. Infact, the evil and havoc that such women cause in their husbands homes are too numerous to mention. All these in the name of women liberation. There are also countless cases of women who opt for divorce at the slightest provocation by their husbands and other family members. What of a case where a woman lives apart from her husband who pays her occasional visit in the name of civilisation and liberation?
At the community level, most women have equally abused the idea of women liberation. So many of them see the “August Meeting” as an avenue to indulge in indecent dressing, lavish money on clothes and display flamboyance. It Is also evident that some women use the “August Meeting” as an opportunity to run away from family responsibilities and force their husbands and other members of the family to realize their importance in their homes. Others use it as an opportunity to pay visit to their secret lovers. After spending so much money on these trivial things, these women have little or nothing left for community developmental projects which is, indeed, the prior essence of the “August Meeting”.
Our business and political arena have also been infested with the activities of women who perpetuate evil under the guise of women liberation. Such women especially in the political scene, take undue advantage of the idea that women are naturally loving and caring and will therefore perform better than men if elected into political offices. Those women have in most cases turn into wolves in sheep clothing as they man such offices, betraying the trust that the unsuspecting masses had reposed on them. It is no longer news that some of our women in political offices have become wayward in a bid to operate at par with their male counterparts. Some of them involve in orgies and late night cocktail parties where they drink excessively and abuse themselves with men who are not their husbands. Some of those who are in business insist on operating separate account with their husbands sometimes to enable them carry out projects without the approval of their husbands.
There are also cases of married women who refuse to help their husband’s with the proceeds from the business ventures even when it has become quite evident that their husbands businesses are on the verge of collapse. Many of such women belong to women associations where they are wrongly taught that women liberation as a movement is anti-men and so they use every opportunity at their disposal to lash it out when their own husbands are involved.
Women liberation, if put to its proper use can bring a lot of developmental gains to the family and society at large for instance, at the level of the home, a women’s first and most important ministry should be the stability of her home. Womanhood is a call to build a home. A woman should therefore be a wife to her husband and mother to her children. As a wife she must submit to her husband irrespective of her status in education, business or politics, she must recognise that the man is the head of the family, she must be loving and caring to her mother-in-law and other members of the extended family. It will be in her best interest to portray the family well before outsiders especially her sisters-in-law who are yet to marry. Eventually marriage will afford her the opportunity to enjoy her husband alone without unnecessary interference from others.
It is very good that a woman works but that should not be to the extent that her children and family suffers. If a woman happens to have a means of livelihood separate from her husband, thereby easing his financial loads and worries.
In a situation where the woman happens to be the bread winner of the home, she should not carry out responsibilities with disregard to her husband, who may be financially handicapped. Women liberation brings about empowerment and a woman is empowered to rescue her home and the society. We know that by so doing the society and the family will ever remain grateful.
There are countless cases of women coming together in their various communities to carry out big developmental projects that have helped to make life easy and more comfortable for rural dwellers.
Ibekwe is an intern with The Tide.
Peace Ibekwe
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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