Northern men caging their wives –Alatise

The immediate past President , International Inner Wheel Club , Mrs . Oluyemisi Alatise , has expressed regrets that despite its many benefits , the club has no presence in the northern part of the country because ‘women in the North are still being subjugated by their husbands .’

She blamed what she termed “ women subjugation ” in the North on poor education , noting that Inner Wheel Club could not have thrived in the North , a region where the Boko Haram insurgents wage a war against Western education and values .

Alatise, who was the first African to emerge the President of the 94 - year- old International Inner Wheel Club , said this in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday on the sidelines of the club’ s 31st Annual National Conference / Rally.

The four - day event , which doubled as the club’ s 50th anniversary , was with the theme , “ Leaving a lasting legacy .”

It held in Amuwo - Odofin , Lagos , with the club playing host to the wife of the Lagos State Governor , Mrs . Bolanle Ambode , on Friday night.

Speaking with our correspondent shortly after the business segment on Saturday morning , Alatise expressed satisfaction that Inner Wheel Club in Nigeria had covered a lot of grounds in the attainment of its humanitarian objectives.

She highlighted some of the club’ s humanitarian interventions to include awards of scholarships to 65 youngsters orphaned by HIV/ AIDS , some of whom are now graduates ; and the school - in- bag initiative , which entailed provision of basic school kits to schoolchildren all over the country , except in the North .

Asked why the club has no presence in the North , Alatise explained, “ We are not in the North for obvious reasons . But we are in the South and we are about 98 clubs spread within Lagos , Ogun , up to Anambra . Our limit is Abuja.

“ We used to have about three or four districts in the North , but the people that formed the club were southerners that went to the North on transfer and that ’ s because of their own orientation and education ; they understood what this is about .

“ So , they were the ones who formed districts in the North and as soon as they retired , they came back to the South, and everything died off.

“ The northern women are not as outward - looking as the southern women ; their men will not even allow them to come out, let alone have a voice of their own .

“ We still have women subjugation a lot in the North ; no matter how educated they are , they are still very much under the influence and control of their husbands .

“ In the South, we have the same thing , but we are more educated. We are more outward - looking , we are more cosmopolitan . So, there ’s problem in the North .

“ The meaning of Boko Haram is against Western education . So, now imagine trying to bring a Western culture because Inner Wheel was formed in Britain before it came here .

“ Even though what we are doing is relevant ; the money we make here , we don ’t take it to Britain , we spend it for our people here , but they don ’ t understand it that way; so, that is why we don ’ t have any club in the North .”