Prof. Faith Ben-Daniels Speaks at The Shemove Conference
Prof. Faith Ben-Daniels, PhD, served as a speaker at The Shemove Conference, an event organized by the National Union of Ghana Students USTED-K, The Women’s Commissioner.
Her speech, delivered under the theme Every Journey Has A Start, This Is Hers, was a reflective and practical address to young women on education, selfhood, ambition, sacrifice, and the difficult choices that shape women’s journeys.
Academic and Creative Identity
Prof. Ben-Daniels spoke from her position as an Associate Professor of African and World Literature, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Communication Sciences at USTED, and a writer.
She situated her journey through her academic training in English Literature, Theatre Arts, and Education, and through her creative work as the author of the novels A Quarter Past Midnight, Mimosa, Gray Skies, and Of Dreams and Blue Ixoras, as well as the short story Blue Ixora.
Core Themes from the Address
Her presentation focused on the realities women face in education and professional life. She spoke about gendered expectations, patriarchal systems, health challenges, marriage, relationships, pregnancy, motherhood, and the hidden costs women often carry while building a career.
She also challenged simplified ideas about women’s struggles, arguing that the problem is not simply women opposing one another, but systems that train people to reproduce inequality.
It is not that women are their own worst enemies; it is the system that has been built to suppress women.
Guidance for Students
Prof. Ben-Daniels urged young women to remain intentional about their choices and to protect their educational and professional goals. Her advice included making time for study, building a community of focused women, expanding one’s academic horizon, resisting unhealthy distraction, and moving at one’s own pace.
About the Speaker
Prof. Faith Ben-Daniels, PhD, is an Associate Professor of African and World Literature. Her academic and creative work reflects a deep engagement with literature, gender, society, and the lived experiences of women.
She encouraged young women to recognize the value of their journeys, remain intentional about their choices, and understand that every meaningful path begins with a first step.