Today is International Women's Day and it brought back so many memories.
You see this cup and the women that surround it?
It taught me a lesson about the power of women in collaboration.
It was our final year in Secondary School, Federal Government College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. We were Glory House girls, the Purple Beauties as we term ourselves.
Prior to this day, right from the day I came to this school, Glory House had always come last (8th position) or second-to-last (7th position) during our Inter-House Sports Competition.
As we were about to partake in our very last Inter House Sports, I suddenly realized I did not want to always be a loser in this competition. This happened in my subconscious because I don't remember thinking about it clearly.
Already, we had developed a lackadaisical attitude to the competition after years of losing.
Somehow, it turned out that my friends also had the same thought, even though nothing was explicitly said.
Thus began our journey to greatness.
From left, Okwuchi, Biola, Amaka, Glory, Oniro, Stella, Blessing, Elizabeth and Chisom (squatting)
The Purple Beauties '09
Don't listen to the drivel that some self-acclaimed so-called feminists make when they say 'women don't need men'.
So we called a meeting with Glory House Boys. It was just after evening food and when they gathered, we pleaded with them to pay the Inter-House Sports fee and to join the various competition.
Frankly, I was shocked that Glory House had so many boys. It was surprising to note that many Glory House boys would compete for other houses.
I guess you can say women are powerful because that year, every boy in Glory House paid the Inter-House Sports fee.
When we began training, they came out in droves to join the competition. So many of our boys who used to run, jump and play for other houses came to join us and we grew in strength. We had competitors for every Sport and we had very good players.
The girls went to the market to buy all the paraphernalia we would need for the D day and parting gifts for each other.
That made us bond so much that we were like a real family, as close as ever.
The night before the D day, we spent hours practicing our Marching Parade and to our surprise, some SS3 boys even joined us.
The day dawned bright and early.
I was so hopeful that day, praying that our efforts would not be in vain.
We excelled in the running and in our Marching Parade.
By evening, I had stopped worrying so much and just decided to enjoy the day with friends whom I would be leaving very soon.
When it was time to call the results, we gathered together like a family, our hearts beating, ever hopeful.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we did not take the 8th or 7th position.
You see that Cup there, that was for the 3rd position.
We took first in running, due to Faith, our very own powerful sprinter.
We hooted and celebrated and jumped up and down like mad people.
Nobody was exempted.
And as the day got darker, we took a final picture together, to always remind ourselves of the victory we won, of the family we had become.
All of this started because a group of girls decided to work together to achieve a goal.
In the end, we found true friendship and family, not just among ourselves but with the guys.
Comments
Post a Comment