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On March 8, 2011,
several events took place all over the world to mark the centenary of
International Women’s Day. Nigeria was no different and several
workshops, seminars and conferences celebrated the economic, political
and social achievements of women.

Traditional gender
roles historically presented household income from a perspective where
women were expected to stay at home and look after children. The
economic reality today is that to lead even the most modest existence,
more often than not, requires a two-income family. Most families have
to rely on incomes from both partners in order to meet family goals of
educating children, living in a decent home and planning for retirement.

Barack Obama, on
October 5, 2010, addressed the 2010 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit
in Washington, D.C. where he honoured accomplished women from around
the world. He stated that women make up half of America’s workforce and
are primary or co-breadwinners in two-thirds of American families.

Women all over the
world are earning more than ever before, and many are contributing a
significant part of the household income, sometimes even assuming the
role of primary breadwinner. This social phenomenon is bringing about
profound changes and has financial, emotional and psychological
implications for both men and women particularly in a patriarchal
society such as ours with its traditional views of gender roles. Any
role reversal can be destabilizing, and this trend can lead to
frustration or resentment as an increasing financial burden is placed
on women on the one hand and potentially bruised male egos on the other.

Generations of
women have held the Proverbs 31 woman as their role model. Even though
she existed thousands of years ago, her approach to life and her
finances, is more relevant than ever for the 21st Century woman.
Proverbs 31 forms a veritable guide to all women of what we can aspire
to and with wisdom, determination and focus, today’s woman is capable
of making a success of both her home and her work. Here are some
practical financial lessons from her that we can imbibe in our own
lives.

She is frugal

“She is like the
merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.” She is prudent about her
shopping and is quality conscious. She will go some distance to ensure
that she gets value for money. We too can be frugal in our shopping,
and avoid impulse buying.

She invests wisely

“She considers a
field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard”. Apart from
working to earn a living, she invests carefully. She not only plans for
the short term but understands and seeks the benefits of long term
investments and income and contributes to the financial well-being of
her household. She is reliable and dependable and her husband trusts
her and has full confidence in her ability to make the right day-to-day
decisions and administer the family assets efficiently.

She plans ahead and is organised

“When it snows, she
has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.”
She is an organised and energetic woman who manages her time
efficiently; she accomplishes more by starting her day early and
carries out her responsibilities with diligence and good cheer.

She is an entrepreneur

“She makes linen
garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.” “She
sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at
night.” This woman runs a business from her home and has the business
acumen to be a successful trader in the marketplace. Her effort and
industry supplement the family income.

She is talented and industrious

“She stretches out
her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle” She uses her
creative talents to earn additional income to support her family. She
is a wonderful example of diligence and industry. With a little
imagination and determination you can put your talent to good use. You
may be a great cook, have a special voice, or be a gifted tailor. How
can you develop these skills through diligent application to the point
where they can increase your income?

She is generous

“She extends her
hand to the poor, and stretches out her hands to the needy.” She is
generous; not only did she care for her family and her domestic staff,
but she also gave back to society and cared for the poor and needy.

She keeps fit and strong

“She girds herself
with strength and makes her arms strong”. We get the impression of a
woman who kept herself physically and mentally fit and well, through
exercise and an appropriate diet.

She is submissive

There are
misconceptions about the word ‘submissive’. To many ‘modern’ women, the
word has a negative tone about it as it connotes weakness. Yet, a truly
submissive woman is not feeble. She lays aside all negative
connotations to rest and sees the ideals of submission not as
subservience or as a threat to her identity, but rather, as a
partnership. It does not undermine her, her confidence or her position.
There is no contest about who is ‘in charge’. She is her husband’s
helper. Whilst submission may not be an easy or popular choice, it
brings harmony to a home. It is that admission of dependence upon one
another and an acceptance of our traditional roles.

It is far too easy
to place the Proverbs 31 woman up on a pedestal as if to try to emulate
her is an unattainable goal. In examining the characteristics of this
remarkable woman, as we pass through our diverse and complex
lifestyles, juggling family, home, work, career and business, let us
see if we can come any closer to this ideal in our own lives and as
traditional gender roles evolve.