In defence of the Dame --- Pamela Braide

 I took some time to actually watch Dame Patience Jonathan, First Lady of Nigeria, speak in public and have come to the conclusion that she communicates effectively once she isn't hobbled by an uncomfortably couched speech.
She addressed the women of a State in the South East (forgive me for not knowing which one) and first reminded them that other states in that region had adopted laws that protect women at state level.
She then pointed out that the rate of kidnapping was high and that as mothers how do you ensure you raise kids that are law abiding when you are battling with injustice yourself? I was blown away and not by the splendiferous "geles" and "asoebi"Dame spoke about women rights.

Dame spoke about a definite achievable goal which is getting a State House of Assembly to legislate on this and while pointing out that it wasn't anything revolutionary since they were one of the last in the region to do so.

Dame Patience referred to the current kidnapping rage in the South East and managed somehow to point out that kidnappers have mothers and clearly these women didn't choose this as a career option for their children.

Dame Patience then points out that by making sure that women's rights are protected the impact on peace and security in the society will be great.

We all know in these parts when a child goes astray the family it is seen as the mother's failure. Dame Patience put the blame squarely back on the society and encourages these women to demand for better laws and seek leadership roles to create the change we need.

Things will get better if women lead and are treated fairly. That this woman(or Dame) linked a current concern back to the issue of women rights and leadership and recommended an action is commendable.

I applauded. So did the women she was speaking to . I think it would have been more useful to women and the society as a whole if the reports of her last few visits managed to amplify the core of her message even if they also laugh at errors but alas no one seems to see past her clinkers. What a shame.
Finally I think her speech writers need to change the approach. Listen to this woman speak on her own and write in a close approximation of her style. Please don't write a speech full of the usual rhetoric and platitudes and then try to dumb it down with smaller words that reduce her to a mumbling automaton. The woman isn't dumb and she is opinionated and personable ; ask Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Finally (the last finally) Dame Patience, please rehearse and make sure you're comfortable with these speeches and freestyle a bit more. I don't care about clinkers or being PC if there's a message that stands out of the mind numbing politic speech bombarding me daily.

Thus ends my defence of the Dame.

*Thanks to Bill Uko for inspiring this post.