‘Avoid rivalry with men’ – Ondo Muslim cleric tells women

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Chief Imam of Akure Kingdom, Alhaji AbdulHakeem Yayi-Akorede, has called on Nigerians to understand gender roles from the Islamic perspective, stressing that there is no basis for rivalry between men and women, as God has clearly defined the responsibilities of both genders.

Yayi Akorede spoke during the formal opening of the 34th Annual Youth Camp of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Southwest Zone, held in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Yayi-Akorede said women “serve as strong support for men but should not be drawn into unnecessary competition with them.”

According to him, each gender has unique responsibilities that the other cannot effectively perform.

“The man is the head of the family. It is his duty to work and provide for his wife and children. Whatever he brings home is what the wife uses to take care of the family.

“It is not the wife’s duty to be the breadwinner but that of her husband. Wherever you find a man staying at home while his wife fends for the family, such a man has turned the natural order upside down,” he said.

While noting that nothing prevents women from participating in governance, the cleric stressed that government could assign them roles best suited for their capabilities.

Earlier in his address, the Chief Imam urged participants to prioritise service to God, noting that divine strength is given to those committed to His work.