By Dapo Ipoola

Inspiring beyond borders can be understood in various ways, often referencing the idea of breaking down geographical, cultural, or ideological boundaries to promote positive change, connect people, or foster a sense of global community. It can encompass inspiration through travel, personal growth, faith, or even global movements. In the account of history, great and noble women of repute have sacrificed there all to make an impactful change from the medieval times. In this account falls a renowned writer, author, poet, and dancer, Maya Angelou. Angelou joined the writer’s Guild in 1959, and later became active in the Civil Rights Movement and served as the northern coordinator of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a prominent African American advocacy organization.

In 1969, Angelou published a book: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiography of her early life. Her tale of personal strength amid childhood trauma and racism resonated with readers and was nominated for the National Book Award. Many schools sought to ban the book for its frank depiction of sexual abuse, but it was credited with helping other abuse survivors tell their stories. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings has been translated into numerous languages and has sold over a million copies worldwide. Angelou eventually published six more autobiographies, culminating in 2013’s Mom & Me & Mom.

She wrote numerous poetry volumes, such as the Pulitzer Prize-nominated Just Give me a Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie (1971), as well as several essay collections. She also recorded spoken albums of her poetry, including “On the Pulse of the Morning,” for which she won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album. The poem was originally written for and delivered at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. She also won a Grammy in 1995, and again in 2002, for her spoken albums of poetry.

Angelou carried out a wide variety of activities on stage and screen as a writer, actor, director, and producer. In 1972, she became the first African American woman to have her screen play turned into a film with the production of Georgia, Georgia. Angelou earned a Tony nomination in 1973 for her supporting role in Jerome Kitty’s play, Look Away, and portrayed Kunta Kinte’s grandmother in the television miniseries Roots in 1977.

She was recognized by many organizations both nationally and internationally for her contributions to literature. In 1981, Wake Forest University offered Angelou the Reynolds Professorship of American Studies. President Clinton awarded Angelou the National Medal of Arts in 2000. In 2012, she was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Wake Forest University Writers Hall of Fame. The following year, she received the National Book Foundation’s Literarian Award for outstanding service to the American literary community. Angelou also gave many commencement speeches and was awarded more than 30 honorary degrees in her lifetime.

Angelou died on May 28, 2014. Several memorials were held in her honor, including ones at Wake Forest University and Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. To honor her legacy, the US Postal Service issued a stamp with her likeness on it in 2015. (The US Postal Service mistakenly included a quote on the stamp that has long been associated with Angelou but was actually first written by Joan Walsh Anglund.)

In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded Angelou the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor. It was a fitting recognition for Angelou’s remarkable and inspiring career in the arts.

Malala Yousafzai, bornbon 12 July 1997, is a Pakistani female education activist, film and television producer, and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the age of 17. She is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history, the second Pakistani and the only Pashtun to receive a Nobel Prize. Yousafzai is a human rights advocate for the education of women and children in her native homeland, Swat, where the Pakistani Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. Her advocacy has grown into an international movement, and according to former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, she has become Pakistan’s “most prominent citizen.”

Back at home here in Nigeria is another enigmatic personage in person of Honorable Dr. Zainab Gimba, member, House of Representatives, representing Obama/Ngala/Kala-Balge, Borno State. That MHR Zainab Gimba is an emblem of hope will be tantamount to saying the least. Before her foray in partisan politics, she enthused hope to those in the slough of despondency, giving succour to the have-nots, mentoring the youths, and coaching from the behind as this led her to training 162 youths through her Zainab Gimba Second Chance Skills Acquisition School where those trained were provided with start-up packages from the International Migration Organization(IMO), with the objective of empowering women, girls, and youths who missed out on formal education, fostering economic growth and self-reliance. As if that was not enough, essential items were distributed to the displaced persons at the Government Vocational Training Institute Camp, both aged and the physically challenged. Both on global and local stages, she has made stentorous advancement for the girl child education, gender equality in legislation, and abuse against the female gender.

As part of her legislative efforts to ameliorate the poor living conditions of her constituents, she embarked on food distribution to the C.J. T.F., hunters, Kesh, vigilante, repentant Boko Haram members, NURTW, Jega and Keke Napep union, super youths, women and elders, trained 274 women, youths and supported them with start-up package, cash support to establish their various businesses. As a way of giving back, MHR Zainab Gimba has empowered her constituents with various life-changing materials and equipment. In one of her empowerments programs, she empowered her constituents with 118 vehicles; 200 tricycles; 800 sewing machines; 400 grinding machines; 492 water pumps, deep freezer; bags of rice; bags of millet; bags of maize; bags of sugar; cartoons of vegetable oil; cartoons of spaghetti; and millions of cash gifts. Taken in awe, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, while commending her said, “No legislator has the capacity of trying your unusual empowerment program, not even myself nor the Senate President.”

Known for her indelible imprints wherever she serves, MHR Zainab Gimba made remarkable impacts while she served as the Hon. Commissioner of the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Youth Empowerment. As commissioner for State Universal Basic Education Board, she brought her academic erudition to bear by changing the ugly narratives of education in Borno. During the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference(CPC) at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, in 2019, she was elected Vice President of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarian(CWP) for Africa region. For her many commitments at making the world a better place, most especially for the less privileged, MHR Zainab Gimba’s name will be etched in gold.

Dapo Ipoola, a media consultant wrote in from Abuja.