At times we feel we tend to know heroes.
From comic books to portrayal of Superman and Batman.
But sadly the injustice is that society doesn’t have time or space to highlight all the true ‘’heroes’’, and at times those heroes don’t want the publicity for their deeds themselves.
So technical terms for these heroes is’’ unsung’’, and I’m proud to classify my mum in that category.
My mum is a true activist who does it every day of her life.
She hates all forms of injustice from race to sex, and she chooses to avoid all forms of publicity, as she doesn’t have time to get glammed up for fake photo ops, when she knows there’s more productive things you can do with your time.
I secretly now know where I get my modest nature from.
We seriously are spirit sisters.
The day I feared and respected my mum the most is when she had a discussion with a with a top police commissioner in Britain.
From onlookers, it was like a stand-off like in those western films,but actually was a productive peaceful talk.
The lethal weapon she produced was her words in the soft nature that she’s famous for ,and ended up softening his attitude at the end of the conversation.
She probed him about the treatment of BAME in custody, how their rights are sometimes violated, and what physical efforts are the Met Police doing in trying to recruit more BAME to make the police force more inclusive, and she suggested that sometimes custodial sentences aren’t always the only options if there are signs of redemption.
I feel there’s a notion that black people should be afraid of chatting to the ‘’feds’’, but my mum proved we are all the same once you remove the uniform.
My mum always stresses that you don’t have to yell to convey your point.
O it doesn’t end there.
She went out to the local banks, and probed them about why they have fewer black workers.
The manager in a condescending tone said ‘’there’s not a lot of black residents living in the area, so we take the people that’s living in the area’’.
In my mum’s typical fashion she said cheekily ‘’Do we then live in mars.
I live here too with plenty of other black neighbours’’.
Then in some supermarkets she again noticed why is there less black and white workers. Why is it that black people’s money is good enough to taken in your store, but were not worth being hired, so why that double standard.
And my mum used correspondence to former Prime Ministers, and current of Britain.
She asked why would your cabinet not include much black MPs, it doesn’t reflect modern Britain ,and will undoubtedly prove that black people truly don’t have a home in Britain. If they don’t have true representation in the executive, so basically saying in plain words ‘’why are they out of touch’’.
What I also recently found out about my mum she used to work in one of the sole African organization in Britain based in East London that used to help Africans living in the UK with a range of issues from housing to employment.
When she told me one bizarre story that truly shocked me .A man came and told her that despite having his papers, when he and immigrants boarding a house use to hear sirens they will jump out of the window with their mattresses in fear of deportation despite having the required paperwork.
All I thought was’’ poor mattress’’, and the plight of immigrants in this country in the 90’s was tough,and it just shows how immigrants value Britain’s hospitality, and the opportunities available for a better life.
I’m so proud my mum had some part in providing support to Africans in Britain , even accompanying them to Parliament for occasions.
I always asked my mum why is she so vocal about challenging wrongs in society.
My mum said if you let injustice happen it will come back to you one day.
What I want women to know especially african women you too can empower yourselves, and enter local politics it’s at our disposal in Britain ,but still there’s more that can be done elsewhere in the world to encourage more women participation.
Why do we woman talk ourselves out of changing or challenging the order of things?
We should be the change, as it’s good to have a woman touch in politics and be a role model to our offspring.
We can endure labour,so why can’t we endure the steps to be a politician.
Women in African countries should be bold to make your voice heard ,and start contributing through little things like attending your local town meeting to keep yourself involved and scout for opportunities.
I’m proud of my mum and can say I now know where I got my political bug from.
And she to me is the epitome of a modern African woman, and I hope to see more like her.
Even when she was a school governor recently, I was touched by her compassion for the children’s welfare, and the food they were consuming at school.
She cares for people as if they are her own , and that’s a rare quality these days.
Highlighting any form of injustice helps to shape society for the better.
To me, those people including my mum are the true architects of society.