Aralola Olamuyiwa, popularly known as Ara, shared her insights on the struggles women face in maintaining their careers while in the spotlight.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, the new Governor of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, emphasized that many men struggle to support women in the forefront, which often leads to the decline of women’s careers. Ara explained,
“When a woman gets married, the husband takes over. And the problem we have as females is that spouses, who see us and ask for our hands in marriage, already know what we are into.
“However, the moment they come into that picture, there’s a problem. This is because many men cannot manage women in the forefront. It’s not just music, it’s in every sector. So, this kills the drive.
“Some men tell their wives to choose between marriage and their career, and some women go for marriage and let the career die, although some stay put in their careers. Why should a man marry a career woman when he cannot cope with her career?”
When asked about the importance of female artists playing musical instruments, Ara expressed,
“Having a musical background is a plus. Playing an instrument is another plus. There is nowhere it is said or written that one must play an instrument to be a good musician or entertainer. If one is able to do that, then one is blessed.
“We have a lot of talented people among the female musicians in Nigeria. I am privileged to be able to sing, dance and play a musical instrument. Not everyone has that privilege. Angelique Kidjo doesn’t play any instruments, but she’s a fantastic entertainer. She’s one of my role models. Not being able to play an instrument does not denote that one is not a good artiste. One’s voice is one’s instrument as a matter of fact.”
| Punch Newspaper
