Lydia Forson and Gifty Anti
Actress Lydia Forson has eulogized renowned Gender Advocate and ace broadcaster, Gifty Anti for her immense support for women.
Gifty Anti, host of the The Standpoint programme, a female-oriented talk show which addresses everyday issues women and young ladies face in society.
Read Lydia Forson’s FULL post below.
Oheneyere Gifty Anti| More than just a Voice
I appreciate it when ever people reach out to say thank you or applaud me for something I’ve said or done; however deep inside especially for those who know me well, I’m terrible at taking compliments.
Especially when I don’t really feel like I’ve done enough to warrant it.
It’s not from a place of modesty, but a genuine feeling that there’s always some one more deserving.
Someone who’s done more, fought harder and needs to hear the words “Thank you” more than I do.
Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in myself or lack confidence (y’all know I have enough of that to go around). It’s because I always believe there’s more to be done, more to achieve and even more to prove.
It’s why today I want to take a moment to celebrate my big sister Gifty sorry oh Oheneyere Gifty Anti.
I refuse to wait around to say Gifty was, or this is what I should have told her.
I’m telling her NOW. Now that she can read and feel the love I have for her, now that she can smile knowing she hasn’t gone unnoticed, now that my words can hopefully urge her on in her fight for all; especially women and children.
For those who don’t know, here’s a little family history.
When Gifty knew me, I didn’t know her, I was still a little girl running around in diapers and causing havoc. Our mothers were very good friends something my mother never failed to remind me about each time Gifty came on TV.
“You know her mother used to give you lots of clothes, ah and she would give you the best too” or ” oh look at Gifty’s neck, just like her mother’s ” , if Gifty came on TV ten times a week, my mother would repeat this story ten times.
My father, not one to be left out would also chime in “oh you know Gifty and your auntie were in school together…”, I’d heard the story enough times to know the end.
Who knew that several years down the line this friendship, formed between two mothers who had no clue what the future held for their daughters would become so significant.
So when I finally met her, we had an instant connection that set in motion a sisterhood for a lifetime.
I’d read and heard the stories about her, and knew she was some kind of women’s advocate; a concept I hadn’t quite grasped at that point.
Who knew that sooner rather than later I was going to be adding my voice to her advocacy.
See I never set out to be a feminist, activists or even such an opinionated woman for that matter; I’ve always been Lydia Forson but you on the other hand are only now labeling me.
Those who really know me (and I don’t mean the waka pass type of know either), know that nothing has really changed about me over the years.
The only thing new is that I probably have more people interested in the things I have to say.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always stood against injustice of any kind, my writings on Facebook and my first blog from as far back as university is an indication that I didn’t just get up one day and start writing, YOU are only just noticing.
In secondary school I was part of a demonstration that stood against the school canceling one of our visiting Sundays . No one knew that I wasn’t even going to get any visitors, but I did it because I strongly believed that it was unfair to those who expected to see their loved ones after several weeks.
I guess I thought it was what was expected of me as a person and then at that time a Christian , to stand for and against injustice of any kind, regardless of how it affected me personally. It’s why I have a hard time understanding how people with such high “supposed” moral convictions,so easily put others down.
Wasn’t showing love where there wasn’t part of that moral compass we so often spoke off? I guess I was naive in thinking we were all the same same way, naive in thinking we were all conditioned the same way to stand for what was right and for the voiceless.
And when I hit this epiphany I was ready to be done with it all.
I called Gifty, to vent and throw in the towel.
Why do we put ourselves through this for
She laughed and told me, ” sis you’re not done, for where? This will pass, someone will need you again and you will forget how you’re feeling now”. And true to her words a few hours later I got a call about an alleged leaked sex tape, and my first instincts were to protect the victim.
But our conversation got me thinking , how does she do it?
How does she continue to fight and stand her ground even the the face of such strong adversity.
How does she find strength, courage and resilience to go on, when the very voices she’s fighting to give hope to are the loudest when it comes to condemning her.
How does continue she risks her life, for strangers who may never know or aknowledge her efforts.
How she sacrifice her comfort to put a little girl in school, or rescue a woman from an abusive situation.
A lot of people are able to sleep well at night because people like Gifty sometimes have to put their happiness aside for them.
Shes not just a media advocate, you know the ones that show up only when it will gain them attention; neither is she a Facebook advocate, the ones that always have something to say, but someone never seem to actually get any work done.
Gifty is the real deal.
And so today, my dear sis, I want to hail you.
On behalf of the girl with no parents and family to call her own that you’ve seen through Univesity, I say thank you.
On behalf of the widow you gave shelter and money to take care of her family , I say thank you.
On behalf of the underage girl you rescued from a forced marriage, I say thank you.
On behalf of the stranger who will never know the kindess you sent her way, I say thank you.
On behalf of a generation of women that are bold enough to go into the world and live their truth, because you took several bullets for, I say thank you.
And on behalf of all the people so indoctrinated by the patriarchal society they were born into,and for that matter will never understand nor appreciate all that you’ve done, are doing, and will continue to do, I say I’m SORRY.
