I saw a stage play yesterday by Joy Isi Bewaji, directed by Segun Adefila of Crown Troupe titled – STORY OF MY VAGINA at Theatre Republic with friends and my followers  who won tickets on my personal Instagram page.

All the title did for me was pick my curiosity. I got to the venue wondering what story Joy was going to tell about her vagina the vagina.

At 4:30pm the play started with a very optimistic young lady reeling out awesome professions she would love to excel in and dramatically reveals that she has a vagina. The very vagina women have allowed to reduce their aspirations and be defined by. Because you have a vagina, you are expected to be confined in the kitchen, cater to a man who will not appreciate your effort, take blame for his shortcomings, shut your mouth and die in pain.

In a patriarchal society where we unfortunately find ourselves, slut shamming is the order of the day, amazingly indulged more by women. Sometimes, I get so weak talking about issues like this. I ask why we try to liberate women who do not want to be liberated. But thanks to people like Joy Isi Bewaji whose relentless spirit fuels people like me when our tank runs dry.

A victim of rape is blamed for being raped while the rapist is given a high five for being a man – a very small man. A woman is sexually harassed at her place of work but blamed for daring to have a job.

Reflecting on how the play started which of course had beautiful scenes till the end, it simply reiterates my thoughts on the girl child. A girl child comes into the world, into a society like Nigeria, with so much to offer, with plenty aspirations, with dreams, with enough drive to keep it together, to move on, to float the tide but grow into a young lady, a woman, who is scared of being. Scared of being adventurous, void of every will to succeed, brainwashed into thinking all she is good for is cooking for and cleaning up after a man – just a lesser individual. She grows up to become an individual seeking validation from another individual – the very one whom without her kind and vagina, would not have existed. She becomes a slave to her sexuality, she is not allowed to feel, to love, to express.

Women are constantly judged and defined by what they do with their vagina, what happens to their vagina while the men feel entitled with their ill mannered penis.

Story of my vagina is a needed call which touched various issues women and the girl child pass through. I like the way the story did more on panting the issues than trying to provide solutions. Yes Joy Isi Bewaji gave a speech at the end to further buttress the point of the play (which I think should be a movement) but sometimes most times, we need our lives played on the big screen to realise how ridiculous we are or have been.

I didn’t get to ask Joy where next this play will be showing, no announcement has been made to that effect but I expect this to be taken to every part of this country…to a larger crowd, to men and women, boys and girls, parents and guardians, our leaders and every decision maker. Let’s rise and make Nigeria and the world at large a better place for men and women alike.

Dear Bewaji, you have more work to do in the year 2017! Kudos!