The Female Character Who Inspired Me.... 244
Enitan Taiwo from Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta
When I think about a female character in a book who truly inspired me and who I deeply identify with, one name comes to my heart immediately, Enitan Taiwo, the main character in Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta. Her life, her struggles, her pain, and finally, her courage, all of it touched something inside me. I saw myself in her silence. I saw myself in her questioning. And more than anything, I saw the kind of woman I hope to be in her final decision to speak up and take charge of her life.
This novel is not just a story. It is a mirror to many of the things women still face today. It talks about gender inequality, injustice, silence, cultural pressure, and political corruption. But more than that, it shows us how a woman can rise above all these things, and still come out strong. That is what Enitan did. That is what inspired me.
Enitan’s life started in silence. She grew up in a home where love was not shown with hugs or warm words. Her father, Mr. Taiwo, was strict and emotionally cold. Her mother, a deeply religious woman, believed in endurance, not freedom. Enitan was raised to be good not wild, not outspoken, not curious. She was not allowed to do what others did. She was always reminded of how a girl should behave.
This part of her story hit me hard. Because I have also felt the weight of silent expectations. I have seen how girls are watched, judged, and corrected more than boys. I have seen how girls are told to sit properly, talk less, and avoid bringing shame. Like Enitan, I was also raised in a society where you are not expected to ask questions, especially if you are a girl.
The whole stuff made her childhood lonely and frustrated, before she came in friendship with Sheri. Sheri was bold, pretty, and full of life. Their friendship brought light into Enitan’s lonely world. But that light was quickly stolen. Sheri was raped by her stepbrother’s friends, and the world around her acted like nothing happened. Instead of justice, there was silence. Instead of comfort, there was shame.
This was one of the most painful parts of the novel. It was also the moment Enitan began to understand the ugly truth about how society treats women. Sheri’s life changed forever, and so did Enitan’s mind. From that moment on, she started to question the rules she had been told to follow all her life.
This moment made me think about how often girls are blamed for what men do to them. How many Sheris are walking around us, hurt, broken, and silenced? And how many Enitans are waking up slowly to the truth?
As she grew older, Enitan became a lawyer. She studied abroad and came back home hoping to live a full life. She fell in love with a man named Niyi Franco and got married. But very soon, she realized that even in her own home, she was expected to remain quiet. Her husband, who seemed understanding at first, turned out to be just another man who wanted a quiet wife.
When Enitan had a miscarriage, no one asked her how she felt. They just told her to try again, to stay strong. The emotional pain she felt was brushed aside. And when she started getting involved in politics and activism, her husband wanted her to stop. He told her to stay out of trouble and stay at home, if everyone should stay at home, how many of us could be safe?
That was the moment Enitan reached her limit. She had been quiet for too long. She had lost her childhood, her freedom, her dreams and now, her voice? She couldn’t do it anymore. She left her husband. She chose her own path. She decided that her voice mattered more than other people’s comfort.
That decision moved me deeply.
One thing that makes Enitan’s story so powerful is how it shows the link between gender inequality and a corrupt society. Nigeria, during the time the novel was set, was under military rule. People were being arrested, tortured, and killed for speaking out. The government was corrupt, and injustice was everywhere.
At the same time, women were being controlled at home. It made me realize, the same silence that keeps women down at home is the same silence that allows governments to keep citizens down. Enitan saw that connection too. Her father was arrested for fighting against corruption. Her country was suffering. Her people were tired. She couldn’t remain quiet anymore.
So she spoke, she protested, she joined women’s groups. She became active. And even though it cost her marriage, it gave her something greater, her freedom.
Enitan’s journey inspired me because it showed me that growth takes courage. She wasn’t born strong. She became strong because life pushed her, broke her, and tested her. And even though she bent, she never stayed broken.
I identify with her because I know what it feels like to be expected to keep quiet. I know what it means to be told to just accept things, even when they don’t feel right. I have seen how women are trained to serve, to endure, and to forget themselves. But Enitan reminds me that we don’t have to stay that way.
Her kinda life taught me that, it’s okay to question the rules, It’s okay to walk away from what hurts you, It’s okay to want more, even if people say you are asking for too much.
And most importantly, it’s okay to speak, even if your voice shakes.
Everything Good Will Come left me with one powerful message, everything good will come, but only when we stop being afraid to want more.
It showed me that silence doesn’t protect us. It only hides the truth. It taught me that freedom is not always given to you, sometimes, you have to take it. And it reminded me that being a woman is not a weakness. It is a kind of strength that grows with every battle we fight.
Enitan’s life showed me that no matter how long you’ve been quiet, you can still speak up. No matter how much you’ve lost, you can still find yourself. And no matter what society says, you deserve to live a life that makes you feel alive.
Enitan Taiwo is every girl who has ever been told to shrink, she is every woman who has ever been told to wait, she is every voice that has ever been silenced, every dream that was postponed, and every truth that was buried too deep to speak. But through her, we are reminded that silence is not strength and that when a woman finally speaks, the world begins to change.
View or trade
LOH
tokens.@iamgracia2, You have received 1.0000 LOH for posting to Ladies of Hive.
We believe that you should be rewarded for the time and effort spent in creating articles. The goal is to encourage token holders to accumulate and hodl LOH tokens over a long period of time.
!LADY
View or trade
LOH
tokens.@hive-124452, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @iamgracia2 and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (27/50 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.
The reflections you express about the book you chose, how to hide reality, that we must make the decision to be free, as well as feeling that strength with every battle we fight as women, as reflected by the protagonist of the story, is undoubtedly very inspiring, although painful, thank you for telling us about her,
!LADY
!PIZZA
View or trade
LOH
tokens.@cautiva-30, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @iamgracia2 and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (1/14 calls)
Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.
Its indeed an inspiring book, thanks for reading through 😊🙏
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@cautiva-30(1/10) tipped @iamgracia2
Come get MOONed!
This novel conveys an excellent message, and I haven't been able to read it yet. Now that I see your excellent review, I'll try to find it so I can read it with all the pleasure it will surely bring me.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Yeah, try get a copy and read through, I'm sure you're going to enjoy reading it, it won't be a waste of time
Thanks for reading through ma'am 😊🙏
Thank you.
By the way, I'm a man, not a woman.
Greetings!