Communications Minister, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has revealed how she passed on an opportunity to further her education at the prestigious Yale University in order to marry the man of her dreams.
Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. It was founded in 1701 and is considered one of the best institutions in the world.
The Minister, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West Constituency, highlighted the pressure single women face in the Ghanaian society and how they are tagged as ‘unwhole’ just because they are without a man.
This, she believes, has a great influence on decision-making by women and pushes them to settle down in marriages just to please family and friends.
Speaking at the 2023 International Women’s Day organized by eTranzact Ghana Ltd, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful admitted that although it was crucial decision to choose marriage over education at Yale University, she has no regrets at all.
“Letter to my 25-year-old self is to tell her that, five years from now, will it really matter? Will what you’re stressing about, agitating over really matter…at that stage I was torn between getting married and going to Yale.
“We do give in to a lot of pressure from family, friends and the church that if you are not married, you’re not whole and that is the ultimate you can have in life.
“I had the opportunity to go to Yale and there was a young man who was wooing her at the time and she decided that okay, let me go and get married,” she said.
The Minister advised women to weigh every opportunity that comes their way and also know their priorities which will help them make the right choices.
“…those are crossroads moments in our lives, whatever decision you take in your life will influence your future and we have to take it carefully. Maybe if I had gone to Yale, I wouldn’t be sitting here as a Member of Parliament and your Minister today and so the Lord knew, but that was a decision I had to take,” the MP stated.
Mr Ursula Owusu-Ekuful is married to Dr Sam Ekuful, a senior consultant and owner of Ekuful Eyecare.