66: The Female Orator with Adebisi Adewusi

Welcome to another episode of Unclassified Woman. Today I'm
delighted to share my conversation with Adebisi Adewusi, based in
Nigeria. 


How much courage does it take to REALLY go against what society
deems the norm? As far as women’s rights and feminism have come,
we sometimes forget that there are places in the world where
women don’t have independence and are truly stigmatised for
making 'unusual' choices. Today’s show is about someone who walks
her own path and shares her own truth with immense courage. 


What was even more humbling is how modest she is about her
choices. I truly hope you enjoy today's conversation with the
inspiring Adebisi.


"African tradition teaches that if someone doesn’t have a
lineage to pass on then their life has no meaning or
purpose."


Adebisi Adewusi of Nigeria is a rockstar photographer, writer,
and content consultant from startups in Israel to multi-million
dollar companies in America. She’s helped various companies
across the world improve their content strategy and marketing.
Besides helping businesses succeed, Adebisi uses her skills to
bust myths about women and bring issues that African women face
to the forefront.


Through her writing, Adebisi explores issues connected to
feminism, gender, and other topics with strong social and
political context. She’s written about child marriage in Uganda,
ending sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
gender stereotypes at work, and other spaces. She’s been featured
on numerous international platforms, including the Huffington
Post, She Thinks, BBC’s Why Factor, African Feminism, and many
others.


Adebisi also runs a gender advocacy blog, The Female Orator,
where she educates non-profits on how to get funding and
interviews subject experts in the non-profit sector. She’s a
feminist raised by women who climbed trees and spoke their minds
when it wasn’t fashionable to do so. Adebisi’s feminism is shaped
by the past and sustained by the present.


What you’ll hear in this episode: 


How Adebisi made the choice to be a writer and do her
work--without being a mother.

Adebisi’s path is VERY unusual for a Nigerian woman and some
of her family think it’s odd to not have children.

Breaking through traditional boundaries and creating her own
path--and being at peace with it.

How she handled the topic of children with her boyfriend, who
was fine with the decision (even though men are expected to
pass on their lineage).

How African society’s attitudes dictate that marriage and
having children is normal and not having them is not.

How people believe that a childless women may be a witch.

The connection between religion and African tradition in
having children.

If you speak openly about not wanting a child, people just
assume you must be crazy. It is just not acceptable.

Not having children is taboo and like placing a curse on
yourself.

The pressure for women of colour compared to a white
woman--”It’s a grievous offence.”

Being a role model for other young African women.

Women in African culture are bound to the husband to do what
he wants, so it takes an open-minded man to be OK with not having
children.

Adebisi is from an open-minded, educated family who
understand her choices.

Women who can’t have children will even buy them on the black
market to avoid the stigma of being childless. Even though this
is officially illegal, the buying and selling of babies happens
more frequently than many realise.

Adebisi is a strong voice who writes what she wants to, even
about taboo topics, and she doesn’t care what other people think.

How Adebisi is fulfilled by her writing, mentoring young
women, and telling stories through photography.

Adebisi’s words of encouragement: “It’s OK not to have
children and to make choices about your own body. It doesn’t make
you less of a woman. You can nurture other people and there are
other women who will support you on your journey. It's also
important financially support yourself, so you are not dependent
on a man and can make your own decisions."



Find about more about Adebisi and her work: 


www.thefemaleorator.com


Find her on Twitter: @biswag


Email Adebisi: adebisiadewusi@yahoo.com


If you enjoyed this episode and would like to help more women
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or rating on Itunes. For information about more episodes go to:
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I would love to hear what you found most helpful about
this interview. Thank you.