In 2016, when Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election, most women who rooted for her and would have loved to see her occupy that position felt defeated. The ‘glass ceiling’ remained impenetrable. However most consoled themselves with what she said during her concession speech, “Now I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will.’ This was not the first time she made reference to the glass ceiling. After her 2008 failed presidential bid, she had said, “Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you it’s got about 18million cracks in it and the light is shining through like never before.”
The term,‘breaking the glass ceiling,’ is often used as a metaphor when referring to limitations that may have hindered women because of their gender. The term was coined by Marilyn Loden in a 1978 Women’s Exposition in New York. She was speaking on her task by her company why more women weren’t entering management. She said, “It seemed to me there was an invisible barrier to advancement that people didn’t recognize.”
She called this invisible barrier ‘the glass ceiling.’ The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the glass ceiling as an intangible barrier within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper level positions. It lists the phrase origin year as 1984, six years after Marilyn Loden said it.
Fourty years later the term has become universally recognised and has been used by renowned women in modern day history like Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfrey and a host of others.
The cards have always been stacked against women in the past years but slowly and surely this fact is becoming redundant. In Nigeria, more and more women are breaking glass ceilings and in turn showing the women after them that it can be done.
The Next Edition takes a look at some Nigerian ladies who have paved and are still paving the way in an undeniable manner; women who have risen against the odds and showed that indeed the glass ceiling can be broken. They have carved paths in fields that weren’t there before and have made names for themselves in men dominated areas as well.
Mo Abudu also referred to as the Oprah of Africa has taken the media world by storm. Her talk show, ‘Moments with Mo,’ was the first syndicated daily talk show on African regional television.
She once had Hillary Clinton on the show! She founded EbonyLife TV in 2006, a network which airs in 49 countries in Africa as well as in the UK and the Caribbean. From TV to movie producing and screening the film ‘The Royal Hibiscus Hotel’ at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival first, she is constantly breaking boundaries and showing women all over it can be done.
In March 2018, EbonyLife TV signed a three-year deal with Sony Pictures Television. A deal that included the co-production of ‘The Dahomey Warriors’, a series about the Amazons who took on French colonialists in a 19th century West African kingdom.
Edikan Udiong is the founder of Oleander House, a health company that is known for the ‘Flat Tummy Teatox’. The tea is a supplement for those seeking ways to watch their weight. This brand has become quite big in Nigeria and Africa and it earned her a spot in the Forbes ’30 under 30’ list in 2017 as one of the entrepreneurs to watch out for. The brand has been also accepted internationally, a feat that most cannot achieve in the nutritional space that is very highly regulated.
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Mary Njoku at just 31 founded ROK TV, a channel that shows Nigerian and Ghanaian movies on DSTv, GoTv and even Sky TV in the UK. She founded the station in 2016 and has managed to do this as well as raise three children with husband Jason Njoku, co-founder of Irokotv. She still maintains her acting career as well. She is really redefining the phrase that women can indeed have it all.
When it comes to women in modern day politics in Nigeria, almost everyone will agree that Florence Ita-Giwa paved the way for women. From emerging as the NRC Chairman for Delta State and serving on its House of Representatives (1992-93), she stayed relevant till she became Senator in 1999. She has cemented her name in Nigerian Politics and has indeed held the door for women after her.
Before Make-Up became a mainstream business there was Tara Fela-Durotoye. She is a pioneer in the industry and has since gone ahead to own the fist make-up school in Nigeria, created the Tara Orekelewa Beauty range and others. Her influence in this area cannot be denied and she paved the way for other women and even men who are now excelling in the field.
Olajumoke Adenowo who was described by CNN as ‘Africa’s Starchitect’ is an award winning architect, a field dominated by the menfolk. She is also an entrepreneur, philanthropist, speaker, author and radio host. Her company AD Consulting Limited has done work for brands like Coca-Cola and L’Oreal. She has been honuored here at home and globally as well. What glass ceiling? She constantly shatters it!
In the late 70s and 80s, a female photographer was unheard of. It was a purely male-dominated field and then came Toyin Sokefun-Bello popularly known as TY Bello. She started out as a singer in the female group KUSH in the early 2000s. When the group disbanded, she got back into her love for photography. She was the official photographer to former president Goodluck Jonathan ad does work for Thisday fashion magazine. She has shot a lot of portraits for the greats in Nigeria and was recently named as ambassador to Canon Africa. Because of her, a female photographer these days is no longer looked on as strange.
Kemi Adetiba is the first female music director Nigerian has seen. She entered the scene and established her name right up there with the men. The quality of her work announces her presence as it is flawless. She has been featured on CNN’s African Voices, for the work.
Like Priyanka Chopra (Indian actress and UNICEF ambassador) said, “As a girl, you should not be someone who tries to fit into a glass slipper. You should shatter the glass ceiling.” These women are steadily shattering the glass ceiling and showing million other women they can too. The ‘glass ceiling’ soon will be no more.