Who Says Having Large Scrotum In-Between His Legs And Baritone Voice Makes Him A Better Leader Than A Woman? (OPINION)
Isaac Asabor
Who in his right frame of mind in this internet age where acquisition of leadership knowledge and skills is as easy as putting a piece of food in the mouth thinks no woman is a better leader than him? Without resort to calumny, only a misogynist thinks that way as he is wont to boastfully beat his chest that he is naturally better as a leader than any woman by virtue of being generously endowed with large scrotum and baritone voice. Without any iota of exaggeration, such pompous misogynist can best be described as someone that has imprudently embarked on a false ego trip and resorted to self-aggrandizement.
Beyond the views been expressed in this context, not few people, particularly among the male folks erroneously think that they are ‘natural’ leaders by virtue of having large scrotum and baritone voice. In fact, for anyone to think that one could be so impudent to justify his sexism and machismo as an ordinance of a god is disconcerting.
Since the rejection of Gender-Equality bills by the lawmakers penultimate week or thereabout, there is no denying the fact that not few Nigerians were heard unanimously asking “Are women natural leaders?” As a man that has female relatives such as daughters, wife, aunties, sister-in laws, nieces and cousins as well as colleagues, who are aspiring to make a worthy contributions to the Nigerian society, I found the question, ‘Are women natural leaders?’ quite off-putting. In as much as those who asked the question were merely expressing their views, the fact remains that there are still men and women out there who believe women are not capable of leading. That to me, is no doubt chauvinistic.
Despite the wealth of evidence of the key contributions women and girls are availing the people, and to a large extent to the society, it is sadly unfair that some men still have the hutzpah to see themselves as better than women in the area of leadership irrespective of the somewhat burgeoning number of Nigerian women that have in the recent time been shattering glass ceilings.
To me, it is only those that are patriarchal, and unjustifiably biased that would begin to see Nigerian women as not fit for critical leadership positions; being it in politics or corporate world, when it is obvious that our women are doing well in virtually every sector of the economy. In studies that found a gender difference, women adopted participative styles of leadership and were more transformational leaders than men. Other studies find that no significant gender differences in leadership exists.
To make this piece more engaging, it is expedient to say that for the past two decades that gender differences in leadership styles have been the most intensely studied topics in the field of leadership. Then, one would, against the foregoing backdrop ask, “Are there inherent differences in the way men and women function as leaders and, if so, are these differences gender linked? These questions have commanded attention because researchers have been trying to provide an explanation on why there have been so few women leaders. Even though women have become an increasingly large proportion of the population of the work force, they still do not hold a proportionate share of the top leadership positions, particularly in the area of political appointments. Most of the gender difference research has focused upon whether women’s comparative lack of success in attaining high positions could somehow be related to differences in their leadership style. It has examined the personality characteristics and behavior patterns of women as possible explanations for their purported lower status. Yet it has not being established that good leadership skills have anything to do with anyone’s gender.
Analyzing this piece from a proverbial perspective, it is apt to say that that a He-goat has a large scrotum that drags on the ground and a goatee that touches the ground does not qualify it to be “honorable” in animal’s kingdom as it still exudes offensive smell.
Interpretatively put in this context, that some of our lawmakers are in the lofty positions they are today by virtue of their gender, does not qualify them to be so honorable, and better than women in terms of credible leadership so much that they have the temerity to throw away laws that were meant to passed in order to guarantee and protect women’s rights, and to a large extent empower them. In fact, men with large scrotums in-between their legs should realize that nowhere does Scripture imply that women are unequal to men in God’s eyes or that they should have less significance than men. Men and women have different roles in the home and in the church, but different roles do not indicate differing worth. A screwdriver has a different role in the carpenter’s shop than a hammer, but that doesn’t mean one tool is more valuable than the other. The roles of men and women are divinely designed to be complementary.
Men with big scrotum and baritone voice that unarguably think they know everything about leadership should be cognizant of the fact that Nigerians have all heard their claims, theories, and speculations that women do not deserve the laws that are inherent in gender-equality bills when passed. Against the foregoing backdrop, they should not be oblivious of the fact that they too are not better than women in terms of leadership as we (Nigerians) have since 1999 when Nigeria adopted democratic system of government been ‘managing’ them as they are not in any way better than the women they are seemingly seeing as good for nothing as far as quality leadership is concerned.
At this juncture, it expedient to ask men that have large scrotum and baritone voice about the women they think are not good leaders. Could it be Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the economist, who was in February last year appointed as the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), thus becoming the first woman and the first African national to lead the global trade body?
Methinks these men that have large scrotums in-between their legs should be told that there have been harvest of promotions for Nigerian women in the recent times. Aptly put, there has been a streak of promotion of women to the apex position of leadership, particularly in Nigeria’s banking industry since last year. For instance, on July 15, 2021, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) announced the appointment of Miriam Olusanya as Managing Director. Reputed to be an accomplished banker with over 21 years of experience spanning transaction services, treasury, assets and liability management, corporate finance and wholesale banking, Olusanya joined GTB in 1998 as an executive trainee and has risen through the ranks, holding strategic leadership positions. Prior to her recent appointment, she was the Group Treasurer and Head of Wholesale Banking. She also serves on the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank (Gambia) Limited as a non-executive director.
In the same vein, the Board of Directors of FCMB Group Plc, last year, appointed Yemisi Edun as the managing director of First City Monument Bank Limited. Her appointment was sequel to the end of service of the bank’s former Managing Director, Adam Nuru.
In a similar vein, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), last year approved the appointment of Mrs. Beatrice Hamza Bassey as the substantive Chairman of the board of directors of Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc. She occupied the position to replace the late chairman of the Union Bank board, Mr Cyril Odu, and has been acting chairman of the lender since December 2019.
Still in the same vein, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company in March, 2021, appointed Eloho Aiboni, as its first ever female Managing Director/Chief Executive.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to ask our “Over-Sabi” misogynists that have inflamed scrotums in-between their legs on why they think it is not necessary to favorably review the aspect of the constitution that dwells on three women-related bills. May be someone has to remind them that the bills touch on the most important areas of women’s rights as long as leadership is concerned. To once more remind them, they are the bills on citizenship, indigeneship and 35% affirmative action for women.
