THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION RACE:A GOLIATH AND GOLIATH AFFAIR?

The 2012 GIJ elections has not, fortunately or unfortunately, been marked by any scandals so far. It has rather been quite diplomatic to say the least though there has been some undercurrents that have been rippling for quite a while now. GIJelection2012coverage.blogspot.com, per its mission statement to bring to its readers a balanced reportage of ongoing events, brings you the first in a series of features geared towards bridging the gap between candidates and the electorate. 

Joscelyne Ahiable, Co-Editor of GIJelection2012coverage.blogspot.com brings you this feature.


The Women’s Commission is a monument to sexism.  Yes, I said it and you can quote me on that. But though its existence affects both sides of the gender divide, Women are perhaps the most affected since the Commission’s name in itself demeans them by implying that they are weak and thus need ‘special’ attention.

While a gender equality advocate will campaign for the scraping of such a testament to eons of cultural stereotyping and discrimination, it is a fight to be postponed to another time. For now, the women on campus’ incessant cries for ‘attention’ have dredged out two candidates willing to bell the cat.

GIJelection2012coverage.blogspot.com therefore sat down with Miss Freda Dedzie , the 22 year-old L300 student vying for the office of Women’s Commissioner; her contender, Miss Gifty Amevor, failed to honour the appointment for an  interview and so everything I write about her is based on observations and what I heard during her public vetting.

Concerning the welfare of the female students on campus, Miss Dedzie identified certain issues she tags ‘pertinent’ such as the women’s lackadaisical attitude toward taking up leadership positions and the seemingly perpetually deplorable state of the women’s wash-room.

To these, she outlined a tantalizing program to garner support from the school’s feminine population and prolific plans to source for funds outside of the school; she had been to General Assembly meetings and realized that getting support from the SRC in the form of financial aid for most of programs was as possible as the phenomena of flying dogs.

She expects to succeed in her quest to ‘making a difference’ with the full support of the female student-body, her stellar background in having held several leadership positions at various stages of her life, as well as her enviable experience in women’s welfare as the Women’s Commission Rep for her class since L100.

I cannot say same for Miss Amevor though, internal experience wise, since she is a Diploma 1 student. It cannot be told also as to whether she has represented her class as the WC rep.

GIJelection2012coverage.blogspot.com can however affirm, from the horse’s own mouth, that she is a certified teacher; of what grade nobody knows.  Although her modus operandi was similar to that of Miss Dedzie in certain aspects such as their shared passion for encouraging women to take up leadership roles and the fight to make the female wash-room more humane, I noticed at the public vetting that she tended to limit herself, in re funding for her programs, to the SRC and the school administration.

This cast her whole campaign in an amateurish glint and exposed a naiveté that could make her tenure, if she should win, a disillusion, and lay to waste a whole academic year of running with scissors, trying to grasp wisps of nothingness.

Despite her staggering shortfalls however, she seems to have massive and unwavering support from her home turf, the Diploma students, not, dare I say, because of her policies but rather because she is one of only two aspirants running for Executive office from Diploma.

Miss Dedzie has emphatically stated that whether win or lose, she is ready to work with her contender if she (Miss Amevor) is willing to.

I say that a monstrosity of an avalanche of responsibilities awaits the winner and they better be able to clear the hurdles or it will be war. Besides, nobody prodded them to go bell the cat.