LADI KWALI; AN ICON TO RECKON WITH!

Have you ever heard of Ladi Kwali before? Well, I have always heard something like 'Ladi Kwali Hall' or 'Ladi Kwali Crescent' but never before did it occur to me that  she must have been a great woman. Surfing the Web today, I stumbled on this educational tip by Africa Independent Television Facebook Page about Ladi Kwali. The caption under the picture reads thus " The woman in the picture and on the 20 naira note is Ladi Kwali. Nigeria's best known potter who was awarded a Doctorate and was made MBE in 1963 for the level of detail and skill she utilised while making her pots".

So many things surprise me about this woman. One, she is a woman. According to the stage of feminism as at when she lived, women were mostly seen not heard. Ladi without looking at her gender or societial perception about her role as a woman in the society strove to leave her mark in the sand of time. I am sure there were so many potters but something stood her out. That thing is called GIFT. Proverbs 18:16 says, a man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men (NKJV). She had a gift and she didn't let it die. She didn't just sit at home and wait for her husband to bring food home. She was industrious. She made the best use of what she had and this brings me to my second point. Ladi Kwali was skilled and diligent.  I am sure you must be wondering how I figured that out considering the fact that I wasn't even born as at when she lived. Well, my bible tells me so! Proverbs 22:29 says "do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand in the presence of kings. He will not stand in the presence of unknown men". Now you see, Ladi Kwali was a professional and that was what made those in governance distinguish her. She didn't just recognise her gift, she harnessed her skills, made it profitable and with it she was of service to humanity.

Ladi Kwali is gone, but her image, work and legacy has been preserved. Having her image on the legal tender of Nigeria shows how immortalised she has become simply because she dared to Make A Difference! I have so much to say but somehow, I feel I should just conclude this way trusting that his words would stirr up in you the desire to harness the gifts and potentials that God has deposited in you.

Martin Luther King Jr says "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say,'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well!'.

I look forward to celebrating you! Have a great day. Much love, Estee Bams!