imported>Jevansen: Moving from Category:Women screenwriters to Category:Nigerian women screenwriters using Cat-a-lot

2025-07-01T10:38:58Z

Moving from Category:Women screenwriters to Category:Nigerian women screenwriters using Cat-a-lot

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{{short description|Nigerian playwright and entrepreneur}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Joy Isi Bewaji
| image_size =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|06|8}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = Nigerian
| education =
| alma_mater = [[The Polytechnic, Ibadan]]
| occupation =
| known_for =
| children = 2
}}

'''Joy Isi Bewaji''' (born June 8, 1977) is a Nigerian essayist, screenwriter, playwright, [[new media]] entrepreneur and social affairs activist. Her writings and plays have been centred on cultural inappropriateness and religious anomalies. She identifies as a feminist, and her viewpoint on public issues have caused her to be described as a "modern-day fearless feminist" by the media.

== Early life and education ==
Bewaji had her high school education at [[Lagos State Model College Kankon|Lagos State Model College]], Kankon, Badagry. She studied [[Mass Communication]] in [[The Polytechnic, Ibadan]]. She went on to forge a career in the media.<ref name="two">{{Cite web |url=http://www.connectnigeria.com/articles/2017/02/10-questions-joy-isi-bewaji-md-happenings-radio/ |title=10 Questions for Joy Isi Bewaji, MD Happening Radio |last=Ehonwa |first=Joy |date=February 23, 2017 |website=Connect Nigeria |access-date=2017-11-09 |archive-date=2020-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128084318/https://www.connectnigeria.com/articles/2017/02/10-questions-joy-isi-bewaji-md-happenings-radio/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

She is divorced with two kids. In a 2016 interview, she stated that "she functions better alone".<ref name="one2">{{Cite web|url=http://punchng.com/got-social-media-find-voice-liberty-joy-isi-bewaji/|title=I got on social media to find my voice and liberty – Joy Isi-Bewaji|last=admin|date=September 10, 2016|website=[[The Punch]]|access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref>

== Career ==
Bewaji was Managing Director at Happenings radio and was an editor at Happenings magazine. She was previously the managing editor for [[Betty Irabor|Genevieve magazine]]. She is also the initiator of ''The Conversation'' that is centred around feminism, sexism and misogyny in Nigerian society. In 2016, she addressed the [[United Nations]] on issues around the girl-child.<ref name="one2"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sunnewsonline.com/my-mum-became-a-millionaire-as-a-seamstress-joy-isi-bewaji/ |title=My mum became a millionaire as a seamstress – Joy Isi Bewaji |last=Adebayo |first=Bolatito |date=October 15, 2017 |website=Sunnewsonline.com |access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref>

Bewaji is a critic of popularity of religious practices among Nigerians, she describes the end result as creating "vulnerable, self-centred and clearly delusional" citizens. She went further to espouse that religion was a mere instrument to provide temporary satisfaction in an imaginary setting. Her comments were criticized by many including Mark Anthony Osuchukwu from ''[[YNaija]]'', who stated that she should mind her business in an article titled, ''Hallelujah Challenge vs the Joy Isi Bewaji Challenge''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pulse.ng/gist/hallelujahchallenge-joy-isi-bewaji-questions-christians-id6836047.html |title=Joy Isi Bewaji questions Christians over online prayer session |last=Tayo |first=Ayomide |date=June 14, 2017 |website=Pulse |access-date=2017-11-10 |archive-date=2017-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171027084443/http://www.pulse.ng/gist/hallelujahchallenge-joy-isi-bewaji-questions-christians-id6836047.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ynaija.com/opinion-hallelujah-challenge-vs-joy-isi-bewaji-challenge/ |title=THE HALLELUJAH CHALLENGE VS THE JOY ISI BEWAJI CHALLENGE |last=Osuchukwu |first=Mark |date=June 16, 2017 |website=YNaija |access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.informationng.com/2017/06/media-mogul-joy-isi-bewaji-comes-nathaniel-basseys-hallelujah-challenge-read-said.html |title= Media Mogul, Joy Isi Bewaji Comes For Nathaniel Bassey’s ‘hallelujah Challenge’ {{!}} Read What She Said |last=Jo |first=Daniel |date= June 13, 2017 |website= Information Nigeria |access-date= 2017-11-09}}</ref>

In 2014, she unveiled ''Tina’s Shoes & Love Issues'', which is an audio series made for women. During a 2014 interview, she revealed that she is close to publishing some of her books.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/nothing-limits-woman-joy-isi-bewajimedia-entrepreneurauthor/ |title=Nothing limits the woman — Joy Isi Bewaji,Media entrepreneur/author |last=Ajose |first=Kehinde |date=January 26, 2014 |website=Vanguard |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref>

In 2016, she organized and moderated a session titled ''Gender Equality And The Funk of Feminism'', where the discussants raised issues that affects women in achieving their full potentials.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://guardian.ng/art/revue/talking-gender-equality-and-the-funk-of-feminism/ |title=Talking gender equality and the funk of feminism |last=Utor |first=Florence |date=November 20, 2016 |website=The Guardian |access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref> Speaking on the motivation for her play, ''Story of my Vagina'' (2016), Bewaji explained that "women have refused to evolve beyond the traditional stereotypes society has imposed on them". The theatrical performance span through gender discrimination, domestic violence, religious segmentation and cultural oppression towards women.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://guardian.ng/life/film/smashing-anti-female-stereotypes-in-joy-bewajis-story-of-my-vagina/ |title=Smashing Anti-Female Stereotypes In Joy Bewaji’s Story Of My Vagina |last=MWANTOK |first=MARGARET |date=January 4, 2017 |website=Guardian |access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref>

At the 2016 UN International Youth Day, Bewaji identified religion, culture and patriarchy as the main cause of poverty in Nigeria. She advised youths to disregard all they've learnt from the older generations, stating that they wouldn't go far in life if they continue to dwell in them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2016/08/no-country-can-develop-by-prayers-alone-lessons-from-rise-networks-un-international-youth-day-2016/ |title=No Country Can Develop By Prayers Alone – Lessons from Rise Networks /UN International Youth Day 2016 |last=admin |date=August 23, 2016 |website=bellanaija |access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref>

Bewaji has been described as a modern-day feminist.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201702020474.html |title=Nigeria: Emecheta - the 'Old School' and Feminist Literature |last=admin |date=February 2, 2017 |website=Vanguard |access-date=2017-11-09}}</ref><ref name="three">{{Cite web |url=https://guardian.ng/art/bewajis-wedding-blues-hits-the-stage-at-freedom-park/ |title=Bewaji’s Wedding Blues hits the stage at Freedom Park |last=admin |website=Guardian |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref> [[BellaNaija|Bellanaija]] went further to explain that she seeks a philosophical position in reinventing how women view themselves in the society.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2017/03/see-gbenga-artsmiths-beautiful-traditional-wedding-inspired-shoot-featuring-author-joy-isi-bewaji/ |title=See Gbenga Artsmith’s Beautiful Traditional Wedding Inspired Shoot featuring Author Joy Isi Bewaji |last=admin |date=March 13, 2017 |website=[[BellaNaija]] |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref><ref name="one2" /> She also spoke concerning feminism in [[Harvard University]].<ref name="two" />

Bewaji is also a vocal critic of the lyrical content of top Nigerian musicians, who she claimed reduced women to a commodity that can be bought with resources to gain sexual satisfaction. She went further to explain that this circle makes it inevitable for the society to see women as materialistic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.herald.ng/dear-nigerian-bros-university-girls-materialistic-joy-isi-bewaji/ |title=Dear Nigerian Bros: Why University Girls are Materialistic by Joy Isi Bewaji |last=addmin |date=July 28, 2014 |website=Herald.ng |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref>

In 2017, Bewaji advised Nigerian married women to stand their ground against any man that do not value them, specifically narrating why their marital vows should not be of a higher priority than their safety and happiness.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2017/03/i-am-here-to-tell-you-not-to-place-man.html |title="I am here to tell you not to place a man or a marriage above commonsense"- Beautiful article written by Joy Bewaji |last=Ikeji |first=Linda |website=[[Linda Ikeji]] |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nigeriatoday.ng/2017/10/victimizing-people-undergoing-divorce-must-stop-toke-makinw-thenewsguru/ |title=Joy Isi Bewaji Joins the List of those Slaming Timi Dakolo, Calls him a Foetus on a Scale of Intelligence |last=admin |date=October 27, 2017 |website=Nigeria Today |access-date=2017-11-10 |archive-date=2018-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220144918/http://www.nigeriatoday.ng/2017/10/victimizing-people-undergoing-divorce-must-stop-toke-makinw-thenewsguru/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

According to ''[[The Guardian (Nigeria)|Guardian]]'', her play ''Marriage Onions In Wedding Blues'' (2017) is a provided theatrical answer to several inert challenges and questions faced by married Nigerian women, including the influence of the husband's family in the marriage and the stereotypical duties of a Nigerian wife.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://guardian.ng/life/film/joy-bewaji-peels-marriage-onions-in-wedding-blues/ |title=Joy Bewaji Peels Marriage Onions In Wedding Blues |last=AJELUOROU |first=ANOTE |date=March 12, 2017 |website=Guardian |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref> The play was performed at Freedom Park, [[Lagos State]] on March 5, with several [[Nollywood]] actors including [[Osas Ighodaro]] and [[Damilola Adegbite]] in major roles.<ref name="three" />

In 2019, Bewaji released "Las Las, We'll be Alright", a handbook which is a documentation of her thoughts as a social and cultural critic on the idiosyncrasies of Nigerians, the lives, lies and beliefs of the citizens.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.facebook.com/login.php?next=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fstory%2Fgraphql_permalink%2F%3Fgraphql_id%3DUzpfSTEwOTQwODIyNjc6MTAyMTc5Mzg0Njg4Mjg3MDU%253D&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fstory%2Fgraphql_permalink%2F&_rdr|title=Log into Facebook {{!}} Facebook|website=m.facebook.com|access-date=2019-08-02}}</ref>

The controversial nature of the topics she addresses and her understanding on feminism have caused her to be criticized by many stakeholders including, Adegoke Adeola, a media personality with Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, fellow feminist, Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo, Uchegbu Ndubuisi, a lecturer at [[University of Nigeria]] amongst others.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.herald.ng/feminism-a-wrong-perception-of-equality-uchegbu-ndubuisi/ |title=Feminism: A wrong perception of equality – Uchegbu Ndubuisi |last=UCHEGBU |first= NDUBUISI |date=September 3, 2015 |website=Herald.ng |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://feminine.com.ng/2016/09/20/facebook-on-fire-as-omotoyosi-ogunbanwo-eviscerates-joy-isi-bewaji-with-sub-post/ |title=Facebook on fire as Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo eviscerates Joy Isi Bewaji with sub post |last=admin |date=June 1, 2017 |website=Feminine.com.ng |access-date=2017-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://veepoint.com/the-moving-train-an-open-letter-to-joy-isi-bewaji-by-sylvanus-omoniyi/ |title=The Moving Train: An Open Letter to Joy Isi Bewaji : By Sylvanus Omoniyi |last=Omoniyi |first=Sylvanus |date=October 9, 2016 |website=veepoint.com |access-date=2017-11-10 |archive-date=2017-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033441/https://veepoint.com/the-moving-train-an-open-letter-to-joy-isi-bewaji-by-sylvanus-omoniyi/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2021 Isi Joy Bewaji, was called out by Instagram blogger GistMerchant in relation to the fraud case of Grace Osei, a fraudster wanted by [[Interpol]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bewaji, Joy Isi}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Nigerian feminists]]
[[Category:Nigerian women writers]]
[[Category:Nigerian women activists]]
[[Category:Nigerian women's rights activists]]
[[Category:Nigerian essayists]]
[[Category:Nigerian women essayists]]
[[Category:Nigerian screenwriters]]
[[Category:Nigerian women screenwriters]]
[[Category:The Polytechnic, Ibadan alumni]]
[[Category:1977 births]]

Joy Isi Bewaji - Revision history

imported>Jevansen: Moving from Category:Women screenwriters to Category:Nigerian women screenwriters using Cat-a-lot