By Jacob Ajom
In traditional African homes, the girl-child is second class in almost every consideration. She is the first choice in performance of domestic chores.

Asisat Oshoala

She goes to the stream to fetch drinking water, sweeps and keeps the kitchen ready for use, goes to fetch firewood and returns on time to prepare food for the house. She is sentenced to the kitchen.

The girl-child is always taken out of school, for the boy child to further his education because ‘woman education means nothing’ to the family. While the boys move about, making friends with their peers, the girl-child is confined to the house in order to be seen as a ‘good child’ by suitors.

If one manages to go to school, the strict arms of the parents keep them out of numerous activities such as being members of social clubs and sports in particular as the girl-child is seen as too vulnerable to be able to cope with academics and other extra curricular activities. The idea of a girl child taking to sports and reading at the same time is far-fetched.

Super Falcons striker and current African Women Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala says she is out to change all that with her pet project, Asisat Oshoala Football Clinic which has received the backing of the Lagos State First Lady, Emzor Pharmaceuticals and Women in Sports in Lagos.

The project which is focused on the girl child involves a football clinic where hundreds of girls, including their parents will attend. Oshoala throws more light on the project which Emzor Pharmaceuticals are backing her up with: “It is a football tournament which begins with a clinic.. We have 60 schools coming, we will train them, pick the good ones, the ones that are ready to go with clubs in Nigeria or abroad. We will also have national team coaches who will come and watch and will select the best legs to represent our country. It is a huge project.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Emzor Pharmaceuticals during the week, Oshoala said, “It’s been very eventful since the first edition last year. With the support of Emzor we have been able to maintain the momentum and done a lot of things together and look forward to even greater clinic and tournament this year.”

Oshoala said her target is to change the mentality of parents towards the girl-child. “It’s a big problem in Africa. In Europe, it’s no problem at all. Here we need to tell them that girls also have the capacity to do well in sports and still read and pass their exams very well.”