Remembering the All Anglophone Conference (AAC) in Men Voices?

 

 Once again, 20 years after the famous AAC, patriarchs are remembered. As usual, women’s effortless contribution in moving the Anglophones agenda forward is ignored.

In the same manner, throughout the entire All Anglophone Conference (AAC) 1 & 2, women voices were never heard. Their Stories went untold.  Or would they say – women sat at the back seats and couldn’t speak with heavy voice like their male counterpart.  Even as they cried so loud for their sons, brothers, husbands, male children and friends subjected to severe torture and inhumane practices.

Yes! It is 20 years after the AAC, so what about the distraught women, widows, grandmothers, sisters and girlfriends who fought fervently alongside the men?  What about the women and girls at the grassroots, whosacrificed their lives, time and services for the good of AAC? What about the women who spent their early morning hours, decorating the conference hall, cooking for the AAC participants. Just how they cooked for the men incarceratedso theyshould not starve to death. Again, what about the women who stayedat home throughout that timebabysitting, and also caring for the family, in-laws andthe entire household? 

Remembering the All Anglophone Conference (AAC) in men voices tells a single story of the struggle. The danger of a single story, like the famous Nigerian Storyteller, Chimamanda Adichie said; it promotes stereotypes, and can be catastrophic and impressionable for a society. 

This article was previously published on The Post Newspaper No. 01423 Monday, April 8, 2013. An opinion expressed in respond to an earlier edition (Friday, April 6, 2013) remembering the AAC