A presentation at the 2023 International Women’s Day Celebration, organized by AfroSvenskarna Riksorganisation and The Nigerian Union, Stockholm, Sweden, on the 11th of March 2023. 

Genetic studies and analysis of artefacts, archaeology, oral history, cultural practices, and language seem to suggest that far from the popular portrayal as oppressed and marginalized, precolonial African women were visible and played key sociopolitical roles. While Africa is not homogenous in terms of cultural practices, evidence suggest that in many African societies, women were active in trade, commerce, agriculture, pottery, and metal production e.g., in West, and Southern Africa. Precolonial African women fought and led wars and had their own armies like the Amazons of Dahomey.

Across various communities in Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, matriclans existed alongside Patriclans and have survived till date. Although patriarchy is still very visible, it seems many pre-colonial African societies had traditional practices that promoted gender equilibrium. Examples of such practices include the existence of several centers of authority in which women were present (e.g., the Umuada system of Eastern Nigeria); the recognition of non-binary gender (e.g., in some parts of East Africa); and the existence of non-binary gender roles such as female husbands, and male daughters (still practiced in parts of East and West Africa). 

In the geographical area known today as Nigeria, women were active in establishing kingdoms as found in Ondo and Daura, they were also known for long distance trade rising to become Iyalode and Iyaloja, two positions of power practiced among the Yorubas of Nigeria. The legend of powerful Queens who fought hard to protect their Kingdoms include Queen Moremi of Ile-Ife and Queen Amina of Zaria, who like Queen Idia of Bini Kingdom, led several wars. Among the Binis and Yorubas, the Queen mother remains a revered position of influence and power, and in many parts of Nigeria, women still have their own chieftaincy societies which contribute to governance and development and are a force to be reckoned with, an example is the Odu society of the Onitsha people. Practices like “sitting-on-a-man”, fines, exile or being made an outcast were tools for addressing sexism, oppression of women, and various crimes against women such as rape (e.g., among the Igbos). 

Unfortunately, colonialism and the introduction of new religions with strict views on women, such as Christianity and Islam, changed the status quo for women. Three case studies are presented, one is the 1929 Aba women war, a women-led protest against colonial taxation and solely based on the tradition of sitting-on-a-man. The other two case studies are taken from Chinua Achebe’s Things fall apart and address how male perpetrators of domestic violence were perceived. Against the backdrop of an analysis of old-fashioned female names of endearment and protection commonly given to women by fathers and husbands, traditional practices targeted at women are discussed through the lens of what the ancestors likely intended to achieve. These traditional practices like test of virginity, female genital mutilation, bride price, widowhood practices, land acquisition and inheritance, wife inheritance and many others are critically examined and discussed. The need to keep the good, eliminate the bad, and where necessary, beautify the ugly is emphasized.