By Justina Auta
Abuja – Miss Funmi Etitayo, winner of the 2017 Skills and Photo contest organised by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), has urged women to take photography as a profession and inch into male dominated professions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Etiyayo emerged best out of over 200 entries from across Africa in the 2017 Skills and Photo contest.
Etitayo said in an interview with NAN on Tuesday in Abuja that it was time for women to make a statement in the male dominated photography business and other fields.
“I feel challenged working in a male dominated career and I hope to do and learn more by putting my skills into action.
“ I want to encourage women to go into any field they have passion for, irrespective of the perception people have that the job is only for men.
“They should challenge themselves, put much efforts and they will even dominate the field.
“Female Aircraft Engineer that bagged the award was of a female at the International Aviation College, Ilorin working in a male dominated field.
“The picture is of a female aircraft engineer who despite working in a field dominated by male, was putting her skills into action.
“What really fascinated me about her was the passion with which she was doing her work in aircraft maintenance, that was why I took her picture and send it for the contest,” she said.
Etitayo urged parents to shun sentiments and the stereotype attached to career choices by encouraging their children to delve into their fields of interest irrespective of their gender.