Bolanle Olukanni, a popular media personality, has opened up about the challenges she and other women face in a society that is often hostile and abusive to them.
In a candid post on her X handle, Bolanle shared some of the precautions she takes whenever she has to deal with a male artisan in her house to fix something.
She always stay close to the door and not in a position where she can’t run if need be. She often will pretend there is someone else in the house by calling out someone’s name like “oh the plumber is here.”
Bolanle said she is tired of living in fear and having to constantly protect herself from potential harm. She said she wishes she could live in a world where women are respected and valued for who they are, not what they look like or what they can offer to men.
She urged other women to speak up and share their experiences of being a woman in today’s world.
She also called on men to be more empathetic and supportive of women, and to stand up against any form of abuse or violence against them.
Being a woman is tough. I don’t think men actually understand that we live in a constant state of alertness. I am always aware of my surrounding. When I’m walking to my hotel room, I turn around to check that no one is following me.
— Bolanle Olukanni (@bolanleolukanni) November 12, 2023