The untold story of an African woman

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. — pro 31:25

Even if they won’t accept it, you have been a back bone of generations, you have raised multitudes, you have birthed nations, you have nurtured revolution leaders, you have protected national treasures.

Even in the pain, your strength has been selfless, even when they raped you, you still took care of the kids. Even when they despised you, you still invested your all in your family and your society. Even when they thought they could exchange you for cows, you served new societies, raised nations and built empires.

The fathers come home back to your comfort, you gave it even when you were not comfortable. You gave your daughters your strength, your sons your dignity, even when they made you believe you needed people to help you, you survived on your own, you taught your daughters self-reliance and your sons responsibilities.

You are a queen who for the love of others has lived as a slave, you clean the home, you feed the children, you please the man, you invest in everyone. You serve everything you have, you give all you are selflessly, yet they perceive you to be weak.

When I tell them to invest in you, they say, you are not ready for that kind of growth, that level of exposure, you are not ready to seat on those tables. What they don’t want to acknowledge, you have created those tables, they wouldn’t seat on them if you didn't build their foundation, if you didn’t plant the seed, where would they get the wood to create the tables?

You didn’t sleep so that they finish home work, bore all you had so that they may grow in a conducive environment. Spent sleepless nights encouraging that man not to give up so that he can seat in that board.

You are set apart, you are a queen, you plant, you feed, you nurture, you grow, you survive, you comfort, you build, you are strong enough to humble yourself while they walk in pride, you wear your beauty in strength while it’s their weakness. Yet they say you are the weak one, yet they say you can’t run a business, lead a nation, command an army while you have been doing that all along.

You are An African Woman.

Damn, I love you.

PS | This is dedicated to my mother, my sister and all my African sisters.