OPINION: Natasha's Uncommon Penchant for Societal Building was Justified by the Vice President of Liberia | Isah Bala

While many people outside Kogi State and Nigeria valued the uncommon strides of Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti, some people with cynical beliefs in Ebiraland refused to bend their reasoning from negativity and see beyond petty sentiments and selfish interest.

The Ebira adage that holds, "the worth of a heroe is seldomly known by his own people" may hold sway in the unfolding events in Ebira politics.

But is it not time to value our own heroes, is it not time to celebrate the uncommon strides of Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti and support the people oriented cause she's championing?

Is it not time to have a change of orientation, is it not time to eschew petty sentiment and join hand with those who put their lives for the success of the society?

Thanks to the Vice President of Liberia, Dr. Mrs. Jewel Howard-Taylor who recently led Wife of the Vice President of Ghana, First Lady of Kenya and other notable African women to champion the cause of valueying our inestimable amazon while she is still hale and hearty than to express a veritable avalanche of accolades when she cannot longer see it and confered African Women in Leadership Award to Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti.

This single action by the Vice President of Liberia has affirmed that the previous laurels earned by Natasha within and outside the shores of Nigeria are by merit and justified the fact that Natasha is no doubt a great beacon light of hope to the people of Ebiraland capable of ending the age-long flames of withering misrepresentation. It has however proved the cynical believers and naysayers wrong.

But what is most amazing are the people who still believe Natasha is only seeking for unmerited favour to seek for the mandates of the people of Kogi Central to be their voices at the upper chamber despite her feisty, outspoken, tenacity, antecedence, competence, pedigree, academic qualifications, uncommon valour, forbearance, foresight, exposure and resilience.

There is no doubt that Natasha has given hope to many women in Ebiraland and Nigeria at large, she has resounded the avowal of Queen Amina of Zaria, Oluwafunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, Queen Moremi Ajasoro and Onono Idogido of Ebiraland. She has faulted the belief that women are not to be heard, and has shown that women unquantifiable roles can change the society, and defied all odds to establish the worth of women in a society deeply rooted in patriarchy believe.

As Moira Rayner, in her paper A Pound of Flesh: Women, Politics and Power in the New Millennium, which she delivered at the Clare Burton Lecture, calls the tendentious views of patriarchy “a pound of flesh” from Shylock’s bargain in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, to signify that, in her view, women who seek political office or engage in formal politics expect to pay an extortionate fee for the bargain.
Natasha however steadfastly refused to be cowed down and “erased” from public memory by the patriarchy believe in Ebiraland and Nigeria at large and despite plethora of attempts, odium, media loathe and threats to ignominiously consign her into the dustbin of history, she has refused to be intimidated and fought with spirited gusto.

As Leonardo da Vinci wrote in his notebooks long, long ago, "Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence", Natasha has refused to keep silent while things are going wrong, she has refused to be intimidated or cowed and she has chosen to be the voice of the voiceless, this is her only crime.