By Moncio Robert Wilmot Kpadeh
My dear young girls, before you fall in love with a boy, fall deeply in love with your dreams. Before you seek the attention of man and worldly things, seek knowledge. Before you aspire to become someone’s wife, aspire to become a woman of substance, independence, dignity, and extraordinary accomplishments. Your future is far too precious to be sacrificed for fleeting affection and premature romance. Romance and lother cravings of life are much more enjoyable when you are firmly and have less worries.
As a proud father of two beautiful daughters and a mentor to many young women, I offer this heartfelt admonition: Fall in love with books, not boys. Chase knowledge, not attention. Pursue excellence, not temporary affection. The time for love will inevitably come, but the opportunities you neglect today may never return. When you are a woman of substance, character, knowledge, and vulture quality men will pursue and you get to choose what you want. When you have no worth or lack qualities you become vulnerable to any man ( every Tim, Dick and Harry feels he get a slice of you). That is not the fate I wish for my daughters or any young woman. And I tell my girls this multiple times that, if you don’t take your education seriously, you may end up being a prey to savage and reckless men.
Young ladies, your greatest beauty is not your gorgeous face, attractive figure, or physical appearance. Your true beauty lies in your intellect, education, wisdom, character, faith, and the values you embody. Physical beauty may attract admiration, but knowledge commands respect, character earns honor, and wisdom sustains dignity.
Do not aspire merely to marry a doctor; become the doctor. Do not dream only of marrying a lawyer; become the lawyer. Do not wait to marry a successful entrepreneur; build your own enterprise and do it big. Do not merely admire powerful women; prepare yourselves to become a great woman who will accomplish epic exploits for history books.
Your education is your instrument of empowerment, your pathway to economic independence, and your passport to greater opportunities and higher heights. An educated woman possesses the knowledge, confidence, and capacity to shape her destiny and contribute meaningfully to society. So, do not compromise your education for temporary romance.
Never measure your worth by your ability to attract or keep a man. Your worth is not determined by who loves you, marries you, or provides for you, but by your character, competence, independence, and the meaningful contributions you make to humanity.
My dear daughters, dream boldly, study diligently, develop your talents, and pursue greatness unapologetically. Never diminish your ambitions to accommodate someone’s insecurity or sacrifice your future to preserve a relationship.
Be beautiful, but above all, be brilliant. Be admired, but above all, be respected. Be loving, but never lose yourself. Be ambitious, but remain grounded in humility, character, faith, and purpose.
In ending, I leave you with this imposing quote by Angelin Jolie, “There is no greater pillar of stability than a strong, free and educated woman…” . Women possess natural influence, with sound education they become enormously powerful.
So, my dear daughters, fall in love with books, not boys. Enough said!
I declare and decree blessings upon you, my dear daughters.
