Women in Nation Building: A Feminist Study of Naomi Alderman the Power and the Descendants Zainab Alkali
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- Examine the situation(s) which have caused women to try to redefine their image.
- Identify the means by which women (and other stakeholders) have being exploring in an effort to re-define their image.
- Identify the impact (positive or negative) which the redefinition of the image of women has had or would have on the women themselves and on the large Nigerian nations.
These three factors constitute the relevance of this study that would ultimately culminate into its significance. Despite these three (3) objectives however, the study may highlight other factors that may emerge as the examination of the situation progresses.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, references have been made to and quotations taken from contemporary works of other authors which are of the same thematic disposition as this research project. The chapter is on discourse on womanhood; a treatise on the femine gender as an intrinsic population of Almighty Allah’s glorious creation. The second section of this chapter discusses Nigerian women in the traditional role and image, which society assigned to them. The third part of this chapter is given to critical analysis Zaynab Alhali’s novel, The Descendants, which is the main source of data for this research project.
DISCOURSE ON WOMANHOOD
Every society of the world is populated by people who are differentiated by their natural endowment which in this case is the gender disposition which makes a person either a man or a woman. This gender difference has been a source of discussion, debate, confrontation, agreement and disagreements. Men have over the years, wittingly are unwillingly, made womanhood to be a contentious issue; this is so much so that even women themselves have tended lose sight of their identity collectively and individually.
Women have been referred to as the weaker sex who need to be protected by the men folk whose machismo disposition make them suppose they are stronger than women. However, it is now a point of fact that women are now coming into their own and are able to compete favourably with the men folk.
Womanhood is no longer seen to be a disadvantage. This is because women have proved to men that they are creatures of wit and intelligence; women have successfully ventured into fields of endeavour which have hither to been considered to be the exclusive preserver of men. Women have made their marks in such fields as engineering, avionics, teaching, medicine, literature and even the armed forces.
It is true that there are certain societies in which women are considered to be domestic chattels (Kisseka, 2001) but it is also true that even in such settings, women are respected as the pivot which the household spins. (Nething, 1996).
In these modern times women have access to opportunities that enable them to prove their worth. This is largely due to the emerging secularization trend in societies of the world particularly the so-called third world countries. According to Kisseka, M.N (1985) Secularization trend is:
“The evaluation of people and events on the basis of their utility rather than blind insistence on what is traditional or natural”
Kisseka goes further to explain that now there is lack of emphasis on ascribed status such as age, gender or any other criterion of birth, as legitimate bases for participation in public activities of education, employment or occupancy of position of power and responsibility.
It is in the light of the above factor that the United Nations set 8 march of every year as women’s day; it is also in the spirit of secularization trend that the Beijing conference of 1995 and other subsequent conferences have discussed at legnt the empowerment of women.
At the North West zonal MDGs conference of 18th August, 2014 titled “Achieving greatness (Goal 3-women Empowerment) through synergy and convergence” various resource persons who presented papers were explicit on the need for the men folk to see themselves as partners to men rather than chattels.
CHAPTER THREE
THE RE-DEFINED IMAGE OF NIGERIAN WOMEN
Indeed, the image of the Nigerian women has been uttered in a liberating way; in a way that grants women to engage in healthy competition with the men folk. Today the Nigerian woman is not as easily intimidated as she was in the past.
The re-defined image of the Nigerian woman is mostly attributed to the advent of information and communication technology (ICT) into the Nigerian society. However, before the full-fledged incursion of ICT into Nigeria, there had been a clarion call for girl-child education since education is seen as the first irrepressible and irrevocable step towards self-realization and self-reliance through the development of an individual’s potentialities (Rufai, 2013).
When a percentage of Nigerian girls were given opportunities to attend school to as far as tertiary institutions, their image became redefined even as they grew into womanhood. The acquisition of modern education by and employment of women in the formal sector have instilled self-confidence in them and have also necessitated general respect for the folk by the hitherto cynical men folk. (Uche 2014)
CHAPTER FOUR
SUMMARY
It has been an age-old tradition that men are superior to women in every aspect of life-intellectually, physically, emotionally and even spiritually. This tradition belief may be right or more supposition, no one can say certain. However, the mere fact that a woman was created from the rib of man makes the belief to have divine roots.
It is the right of this that right from pre-historic times, women have been subjected in all spheres of human endeavor as men have arrogated themselves the right to rule over women. However, therefore, are made subservient to men which means that women are pliable to the whims and caprices of men. It has become the belief of men, willy-nilly, that women are created for the sole pleasures of the men folk. This belief has robbed women of their individual identity; women are seen only is the way that men cast them.
CONCLUSION
The situation which this research project has investigated is how the image and role of Nigerian women are being redefined; how the women are shedding the image of docility and meekness which traditions (and religion) have thrust upon them.
In the course of the research, the data collected and analyzed brought home some universal truth. One of these is that the Nigerian women had over the years been suppressed, marginalized, sanctioned and relegated into an ignoble situation in the society; that the Nigerian women had land still may be suffering, suffered many forms of degradation and deprivation at the hands of the men folk.
Another conclusion reached is that the Nigerian women particularly the educated ones are now consciously aware of the predicament which male chauvinism has thrown them into; women have now realized that if they do not stand up and fight for their rights, no one would fight for them and they would perpetually be under the men dominance.
The awareness of their misbe gotten situation in the society has caused the women to sit up and call attention to them; women have made great strides in the campaign for equality with men. Women have formed many feminist and joined non-feminist movements that would aid them in their call for equal rights and opportunities as the men have.
One further conclusion reached by this study is that women are succeeding in gaining some measures of freedom to engage in certain fields of human endeavor which were hitherto forbidden to them. Even in northern Nigeria where women have negligible access to western education, they still persevere to better their lot in spite of all odds stacked against them. It have been found that women engage in politics and even hold political offices in the executive arm of government, the legislature; in the academic field there are women professors and senior lecturers; there are women medical doctors and consultants; there are women in engineering, architecture and survey which used to be considered as sole prerogatives of men.
Generally, women are rising to meet the challenges of life; they have thus far shed the traditional image of being docile, meek, weak, timid and shy. Women are now proving to men that it is not physical strength that matters but that stern resolves can achieve significant results.
The good thing is that men have sat up and taken notice; even in northern Nigeria where women are denied education and employment, the situation is fast changing for the better. Yes! The image and role of women in Nigeria have been redefined.
WORKS CITED
- Ade, Naomi: interview in the sun news paper Abuja, February 14, 2014.
- Adichie, Chimamanda N (2006) purple hibiscus: Lagos: Farafina publishers.
- Alkali Zaynab: (2005) the descendants Zaria: Tamaza publishing company.
- Amadi, Elechi (1966) the concubine Lagos: longman publishers.
- Comte, Auguste (1835) in Kenneth Thompson and Jeremy Turnstall (ed) sociological perspectives England, 2010.
- Gumba, Abubakar (2010) sacred apples Lagos: Drumbeat publishers.
- Holy Quran (sura 2 al-Baqarah).
- Kissena, MN (2004) population and socio-cultural life Zaria: ABU press.
- Mohammed, AH (2013) the last days at Forcados high school.
- Mohammed, Idris (2009) a mystical ring Kaduna MO press E publishers.
- Mohammed, Mairo (2005) when the wall cracks Kaduna: Malthouse press.
- National Bureau of statistic yearly report 2010.
