ABSTRACT
This study examines ‘The Power of Women’ in Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s The Last of the Strong Ones and House of Symbols. The study employs the theory of feminism in the literary analysis of the two novels. The research attempts to answer questions such as how women writers use their creativity to better the lot of women in the contemporary Nigerian society. It traces the women’s plight back to the pre-colonial era, as a means of projecting into the contemporary period. The study also investigates the author’s ideology and style, which revolves around projection of women as being of equal intelligence and disposition with men. There has been a critique of patriarchy which society constructs to label women as inferior to men as often portrayed by male-authored works. This view is shown to be biased and false judging from the roles and life-history of characters in both texts by Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo. To achieve the set objectives of this discourse, the work is divided into five related chapters. The first chapter looks at a general introduction that befits a scholarly work of this theme, ‘The Power of Women’. The second chapter is a review on different perspectives of women achievements. The third chapter highlights and analyzes the power of women in The Last of the Strong Ones, while the fourth chapter evaluates women and community development in House of Symbols. Chapter five is the conclusion, women have voice and can negotiate their existence in the society today. Women are no longer underdog which was formally a norm. Today, we can say that women’s plight is ameliorated! It is hoped that this study will serve as prototype for future community development approach. Also, it is believed that this democratic approach will make feminist essence acceptable globally. Truly, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo’s works is literature in the service of men.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
Chapter One
Introduction 1
Background to Study 7
Chapter Two
Literature review 23
Chapter Three
The Power of Women in The Last of the Strong Ones 39
Chapter Four
The Power of Women in House of Symbols 56
Chapter Five
Conclusion and Recommendation 71
Works Cited 77
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
This work focuses on ‘The Power of Women’ in two contemporary novels of Igbo setting. It is the intention of the researcher to explore the power of women from the lenses of two profound literary works of Adimora-Ezeigbo: The Last of the Strong Ones and House of Symbols in order to bring out the author’s various approaches to the female contributions to development in the contemporary Nigerian society. It is the intention of this research to explore the styles used by the author for the theme of ‘The Power of Women’ in both novels.
It is worthy of note that the issue of ‘The Power of Women’ and the fact that women have been relegated to the background by patriarchy have generated a lot of controversy in recent times. Over the years, the politics of power has consistently been a big issue between men and women, both in the traditional African culture and in the Western society. Women have constantly fought against their degradation and persistent subjugation all over the globe. One would, however, impute from these struggles that the biological disposition of women from ages past makes them vulnerable to exploitation by the physically stronger sex, the men. Notwithstanding this natural difference, women have for decades shown that power is not limited to physical strength alone. Power still translates to the ability to control or to sustain whatever influence and authority one has over the other or others.
It is a matter of fact that women desired that they should be emancipated and involved in community development and nation building, but they have not being adequately given equal right with men. Feminism solicits women empowerment and emancipation with male counterparts in the society. There is a survey of existing African literature texts, especially male-authored which seem to portray women as mothers and underdogs. The cultural concept of the role of women is society has always put the women at the receiving end especially when there is abuse of this power. Women, therefore, try to circumvent their disadvantages by using tact—‘snail-sense’, commitment to their cause and female bonding to consolidate their positions and achieve success in the pursuit of their goals, despite their harassments, intimidation and denigration of men.
Generally, there is need to acknowledge ‘The Power of Women’ to complement men in development and to bring women to the prominence they deserve, has given impetus to this research. This has lead the researcher into very profound texts: The Last of the Strong Ones and House of Symbols authored by a woman, in order to show how Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo explored the female roles in a pragmatic way than the usual portrayal of women as witches, prostitutes and weaklings, as done by most African male writers over the years.
It is obvious that issues raised in this research will focus particularly on women’s plight in a patriarchal society. It will therefore be suitable to analyze these texts from the point of view of feminist. Furthermore, since we intend to evaluate ‘The Power of Women’ and contributions as portrayed by the author under study, it is good for us to examine this appropriately. And we will also use the feminist theory to interpret the works in relation to the political, cultural and economic situations of the characters represented in the two novels. And this will enable us to understand the author’s stylistic presentation, that is, how she created the characters to maximize ‘The Power of Women’ in the work of art. This means that attempts will be made to determine and interpret the stylistic creativity of the writer and role of the characters in the work of art through the interpretation of symbols used as a motivating force in the reaction of those linked with the work. It is also the study of the writer’s undertone, use of language and creative process to pass across her massage.
Furthermore, the origin of feminism has been traced to the struggle for women’s rights which began in Europe in the late eighteen century (Sotunsa, 2008:1). It is a gender movement that posits that, “women should have equal rights and chances with men in every aspect of human experiences: political, legal, economic, social, etc”. (Ezeigbo, 2012:11). The underlying thrust in feminism is that, in comparison to men, women are not treated equally and are significantly disadvantaged. Hence, they seek a redress, as patriarchy demean the power of women and values. In other words, according to Barrow and Milburn (1990) quoted in Sotunsa (2008:3), it is “a label for a commitment or movement to achieve equality for women”. In a lighter mode, patriarchy is any culture that privileges men by promoting traditional gender roles. It is by definition sexist, which means it promotes the belief that women are innately inferior to men.
However, the researcher would assess few issues identified as the unjust patriarchal ventures to undermine women’s socio-political positions in different communities. In the past, there was a denial of their right to vote which posed a major concern for the women and nation building. Thus, the perceived social imbalance later led to women’s suffrage movement of the 19th century and early 20th century particularly in the United States. In the contemporary period, in almost every society, women are disadvantaged in politics. Also, education and male child preference in families are other major issues. Generally, from the early time-education was preferentially for male child. In other words, a social structure was created whereby the education of the male child was more important and valued than the female. Until the Industrial Revolution when females started being educated especially by those whose parents were well-to-do, and the situation remained completely biased in favour of males. Inheritance is also a problem. Overtime in some Nigerian ethnic groups, for instance, as Akachi Ezeigbo (2012) states, women are disallowed by tradition to own or inherit property. It has been for males only and most cultures and traditions still maintain this, with few exceptions like the Yorubas.
From the foregoing, male domination is found in virtually all important aspects of life; it is apparently shows that feminism is the awakening or consciousness of womanhood: her place in the home and society, and the campaign for women’s freedom in a patriarchal society. Feminists and some scholars have divided the movement historically into ‘three waves’. The first wave refers mainly to women’s suffrage movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Suffrage is the same as political franchise; it means the right to run for political office (to be a candidate). In other words, women’s suffrage is the right of women to vote on the same terms as men.
The second-wave feminism saw cultural and political inequalities as inextricably linked. The movement encouraged women to understand aspects of their personal lives as deeply politicized, and reflective of a sexist structure of power. If first-waves focused on absolute rights such as suffrage, second-wave was largely concerned with other issues of equality, such as the end to discrimination. The second wave embodies the ideas and actions associated with the women’s liberation movement beginning in the 1960s and through the late 1980s (which campaigned for legal and social rights for women). The third-wave has been viewed as a continuation and reaction to the perceived failures of the second-wave feminism beginning in the 1990s. Feminist criticism has, in many ways, followed what some theorists called the three-waves of feminism.
However, in late 1700s and early 1900s saw women who were at the forefront: writers like Mary Wollstonecraft—A Vindication of the Rights of Women, 1792 highlighting inequalities between the sexes. Activists like Susan B. Anthony and Victoria Woodhull contributed to the women’s suffrage movement, which leads to National Universal Suffrage in 1920. The second=wave feminism was between early 1960s to late 1970s: building on more equal working conditions necessary in America during World War 11. Movements such as the National Organization for Women (NOW), formed in 1966 were bunch of cohere feminists political activism. Writers like Simone de Beauvoir (Le Deuxiemesexe, 1972) and Elaine Showalter established the groundwork for the dissemination of feminist theories dove-tailed with the American Civil Rights movement.
The third-wave feminism was at early 1990s to present: resisting the perceived essentialist (over generalized, over simplified) ideologies and a white, heterosexual, middle class focus of second-wave feminism. Third-wave feminism borrows from post-structural and contemporary gender and race theories to expand on marginalized populations’ experiences. Writers like Alice Walker work to:
"Reconcile feminism with the concerns of the black community and the survival and wholeness of her people, (men and women), and for the promotion of dialogue and community as well as for the valorization of women and of all the varieties of workwomen perform. (Tyson, 2006: 97)"
Feminist literary criticism, thus, is a literary analysis that arises from the viewpoint of feminism, feminist theory and/or feminist policies. Basic methods of feminist literary criticism include:
• Identifying with female characters: This is a way to challenge the male-centered outlook of authors. Feminist literary criticism suggests that women in literature were historically presented as objects seen from a male perspective.
• Re-evaluating literature and the world in which literature is read: This involves questioning whether society has predominantly valued male authors and their literary works the same way it has valued male more than females.
A feminist literary critic resists traditional assumptions while reading. In addition to challenging assumptions which were thought to be universal, feminist literary criticism actively supports women’s knowledge in literature and valuing women’s experiences.
However, women through the ages have written feminist theory and various forms of feminist critique. During the period of second-wave feminism, the loftiest academic circles increasingly challenged the male literary canon. Feminist literary criticism has since intertwined with postmodernism and increasingly has complex questions of gender and societal roles. Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed by feminist theory, or, more broadly by the policies of feminism. Its history is broad and varied, from classic works of nineteenth century women authors such as George Eliot and Margaret Fuller to cutting-edge theoretical work in women’s studies and gender studies by the third-wave authors. In the most general and simple terms, feminist literary criticism before the 1970s—in the first and second waves of feminism was concerned with the politics of women’s authorship and the representation of women’s condition within literature.
Feminist criticism is a type of literary criticism, which may study and advocate the rights of women or confronts patriarchal values. As Judith Fetterley says, "Feminist criticism is a political act whose aim is not simply to interpret the world but to change it by changing the consciousness of those who read and their relation to what they read." Using feminist criticism to analyze fiction may involve studying the repression of women in fiction. How do men and women differ? What is different about female heroines, and why are these characters important in literary history? In addition to many of the questions raised by a study of women in literature, feminist criticism may study stereotypes, creativity, ideology, racial issues, marginality, and more. Feminist criticism may also involve re-evaluating women writers – following the lead of Virginia Woolf in "A Room of One's Own."
In most literary text throughout history, the male has been promoted as superior to the female. Feminist critics have argued that there is a hierarchical arrangement of gender relations in our society. Magi Humm tells us that feminist literary criticism makes an effort to redefine literary concepts in terms of gender in order to ‘‘create a new literary landscape’’. This cultural arrangement places men in a dominant position and women in a lower position. Generally, feminist criticism focuses on the relationship between literature and male biases in society. It also focuses on the potential role that literature can play in overcoming such biases. Below are various feminism theories:
Sisterhood
This is the psychological and political bonding among women based on the recognition of common experiences and goals. Sisterhood holds its view particularly on radical feminism and liberal feminism on account of their universalization of female experience. It argues that “oppression relating to colonial experience, particularly racial, class, and ethnic oppression, has marginalized women in postcolonial societies.” This crop of feminists have, thus, challenged the assumption that “gender oppression is the primary force of patriarchy,” and also objected to the “portrayal of women of non-western societies as passive, voiceless and victims” and that of western women as “modern, educated and empowered.” In other words, western feminism, as they perceive it, has been criticized on the ground that “it is ethnocentric and does not take into account the unique experiences of women from third-world countries or the existence of feminism indigenous to third-world countries.
The term sisterhood is used among feminists to express the connection of women who are not biologically related but are bonded in solidarity. The sisterhood of women often refers to their feminism, their participation in the women’s movement, their support of other women or their recognition of female qualities that are unique to women’s nature. The use of the word sisterhood implies that women relate to one another in ways that are distinct from how they relate to men, although not necessarily exclusive of relation to men.
However, the term sisterhood defies easy explanation, and it can mean different things to different women. Robin Morgan edited a 1970 anthology called Sisterhood is Powerful that gathered writings from dozens of feminists. This sisterhood emphasized collective struggle, activism and feminist theory. Later in the 1970s, prominent black feminists wrote about the sometimes false notions of sisterhood among upper middle class white feminists. Michele Wallace, bell hooks and Audre Lorde were among those who critiqued the racist and classist assumptions of white women in the women’s liberation movement and commented on their use of the term “sisterhood.”
Womanism
This is a woman-centered ideology regarded as an alternative to feminism. Womanists seek a reassessment of the woman of African descent in the society through the contemporary reality she faces. Womanism is a social theory deeply rooted in the racial and gender oppression of black women. There are varying interpretations on what the term womanist means and efforts to provide a concise and all encompassing definition have only been marginally successful. Yet, the presence of ambiguity within the theology allows for its continuous expansion of its basic tenets.
Womanism is a vivid explication of this variant was captured by Sotunsa in her article titled: “Feminism: The Quest for an African Variant” (in The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol. 3, no. 1, Sep. 2009). In her account, “the deficiency of feminism as practiced by middle class white women and the need to evolve a theory or an ideology that caters specifically for the needs of black women folk later led to the development of another variant of feminism called Womanism, as coined by Alice Walker”. She further maintains that womanism is a global ideology that defines the experience of Blacks in Africa and in the Diaspora. In her famous essay, In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens,(in Ezeigbo 2012: 15), Alice Walker offers us the definition of a womanist as:
A black feminist or feminist of colour...A woman who loves other women, sexually and/or non-sexually. Appreciates and prefers women’s culture, women’s emotional flexibility....Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. (Aduni, 2005: 36).
A quintessential trend is embodied in Akachi T. Ezeigbo’s The Last of the Strong Ones as captured by Aduni (2005: 36). She asserts that the novel is a portrayal of “societal growth that results in the co-existence of both male and female with none gaining ascendency over the other.” Such consciousness of gender roles in a patriarchal society, she maintains, nourishes the growth of African feminism that is distinctive in nature as it accommodates rather than separates both sexes in societal growth. We shall see the flavour of this practically in the analysis of our selected texts.
Motherism:
It is an Afrocentric Alternative to Feminism, as described by the proponent, C. O. Acholonu, and the aim is to “empower African women as mothers”. In Acholonu’s account in her book, Motherism: An Afrocentric Alternative to Feminism (1995), postulates that Motherism is an African alternative to feminism that beams its searchlight on the centrality of motherhood in the African female experience.
In the African contemporary novel feminine characters are inscribed in a complex sphere of multiple meanings, partly derived from the ancient myth of the Big African Mother-Earth, and partly referred to an idea of difference very distant from the European notion of other. A typical feminine conception has been theorized by the movement known as Motherism, whose suggestions have been followed by many African writers. The creation of a new literary woman’s typology refers, therefore, to philosophical, historical, sociological and psychological perspectives, showing new routes to develop the European epistemological system.
Doris Lessing has often emphasized how the European feminist perspective still keeps watching a restricted horizon, because of focusing mainly on the western female model. This western point of view sometimes has misunderstood, particularly, the meaning of feminine symbols in African literature. The representations of African femaleness are frequently inspired by another idea of femininity, different from the western one and, indeed, suggested by an African movement known as Motherism; which has recently developed in several British colonies (Nigeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe etc.). All the artists, writers and theorists of this group have begun to imagine a new female typology and to introduce a typical woman’s literary image. Motherism representation of women sees them essentially as mothers; this precise notion influences many literary topics, related to the characterization of female protagonists in the African fiction, drama and poetry:
An Afrocentric feminist theory, therefore, must be anchored on the matrix of motherhood which is central to African metaphysics and has been the basis of the survival and unity of the black race through the ages. Whatever Africa’s role may be in the global perspective, it could never be divorced from her quintessential position as the mother continent of humanity, nor is it coincidental that motherhood has remained the central focus of African art, African literature (especially women's writing), African culture, African psychology, oral traditions, and empirical philosophy. Africa’s alternative to Western feminism is MOTHERISM and Motherism denotes motherhood. The Motherist is the man or woman committed to the survival of Mother Earth as a hologrammatic entity. The weapon of Motherism is love, tolerance, service, and mutual cooperation of the sexes. The motherist writer is not a sexist. The motherist male writer or artist does not create his work from a patriarchal, masculinist, dominatory perspective. He does not present himself arrogant, all knowing self-righteous before his muse. (Catherine Obianuju Acholonu, Motherism: The Afrocentric Alternative, 3)
The particular idea of Woman (Mother) theorized by Catherine Obianuju Acholonu emphasizes that African women are the spiritual base of every family, community and nation. Some of the most famous postcolonial novels, written and published in distant countries and blown by different cultural breezes, had strangely exhibited striking similar heroines:
Nego Feminism
This is feminism of negotiation and ‘no ego’ theory. Its negotiation principles are found in many African cultures and have become its foundational shared values. These principles are give and take, compromise and balance, Nnaemeka stated. African feminism handles challenges through these approaches: negotiations or dialogue and compromise which help women to breakthrough patriarchal defence. In other words, women are armed with these strategies, and rightful application of knowledge to disarm patriarchy in different contexts. Feminists’ theory is dynamic and solves all women plight in patriarchal society.
Nego‐feminism is structured by cultural values ethos that speak volume on feminist essence in contemporary society and literature. This theme, ‘Women and Development’ in The Last of the Strong Ones and House of Symbols examines how the author-Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, a feminist negotiates for women’s emancipation and empowerment; and with snail sense addresses issues of gender imbalance in patriarchal society.
STIWANISM
STIWA, as an acronym means Social Transformation Including Women in Africa. It is a term adopted in place of feminism to bypass the combative discourses that ensue whenever one raises issues of feminism in Africa. As contained in Ezeigbo (2012), the proponent, Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie, has stated “STIWA” as her acronym for Social Transformation Including Women in Africa”. Ogundipe-Leslie in her stiwanism model posits that what is paramount in Africa is “social transformation” and not “warring with men”. In other words, it is an attempt at “building a harmonious society.” Observably, therefore, what rings ideological in Leslie’s model is that “the transformation of African society is the responsibility of both men and women”.
Snail-Sense
This theory was propounded by Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo. The snail does not “confront” objects but “negotiates” its way past any obstacle. A term associated with the Nigerian women circle describing their relationship with their men as typical of the snail habit. Ezeigbo has accounted for her snail-sense model as having resulted from an “in-depth research or investigation into the condition of Nigerian women, their reaction and response to socio-cultural and political forces that impacted and still impact on their lives in the past and in contemporary times (Ezeigbo, 2012: 25). Despite the feminists’ theories that have been formulated the problems that are being addressed still persist, hence the need for a new, functional and practical model that will capture almost realistically women’s experience, particularly in Nigeria. Ezeigbo has created a theory on the habit of snails, having found a correlation between it and what most Nigerian women can adopt in their relationships with men.
The snail crawls over boulders, rocks, thorns, crags and rough terrains smoothly and efficiently with a well-lubricated tongue which is not damaged or destroyed by these harsh objects....it carries its house on its back without feeling the strain. It goes wherever it wishes in this manner and arrives at its destination intact. If danger looms, it withdraws into its shell and is safe. This is what women often do in our society to survive in Nigeria’s harsh patriarchal culture. (Ezeigbo, 2012: 27)
Consequently, it is understandable that socio-political, cultural and psychological realities peculiar to women of diverse settings globally remain the major catalyst for the diversity of the feminist thoughts. Hence, they shall be looked at within the light of what each seems to be concerned with. However, it is important to point out that despite the differences, but related standpoints, all represent feminism with a single body of argument unified by its commitment to the emancipation of women against patriarchal constructs.
There are variants of feminism!
Liberal Feminism
This is otherwise known as reform feminism and several scholarly articles have traced its origin to the United States, particularly the fight for the Equal Right Amendment (ERA). Liberal feminism “asserts the equality of men and women through political and legal reform.” According to liberal feminist, all women are capable of asserting their ability to achieve equality; therefore, it is possible for change to happen without altering the societal structure. Issues central to them include reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, voting, education, equal pay for equal work, affordable child and care, and bringing to light the frequency of sexual and domestic violence against women.
Radical Feminism
This emphasizes the need for a dramatic social change in order to achieve genuine equality for women. The society is extremely patriarchal, believes the radical feminist, and until patriarchy is transformed on all levels, the system will remain unjust. Hence, they see no alternative other than the “total uprooting and reconstruction of society in order to achieve their goals.”
Cultural Feminism
This has been regarded by its critics, such as Alice Echols (a feminist historian and cultural theorist), as a subtype of radical feminism. She gives credit to Brooke Williams who, according to her, introduced the term cultural feminism in 1975 to describe the de-politicization of radical feminism. Basically, its emphasis is on the difference between men and women and such difference is considered to be psychologically and culturally constructed rather than biologically innate. Therefore, it attempts to “revalidate what it considers the undervalued female attributes.
Separatist Feminism
Like cultural feminism, separatist feminism has also been viewed as a subtype of radical feminism. Its proponents have argued that the sexual disparities between men and women are irresolvable. Its major concern has been captured in the words of author Marilyn Frye as “separation of various sorts or modes from men and from institutions, relationships, roles and activities that are male-defined, male dominated and operating for the benefit of males and the maintenance of male privilege – this separation being initiated or maintained, at will, by women”. In other words, and to recap this, separatists have argued, with some exceptions, for lesbianism and a woman-centered culture. (Sergeant, 2006:152)
Marxist and Socialist Feminism
The inherent ideology in this, as shared by its proponents, is that capitalism rather than patriarchy is in several respects the main source of female oppression. Their argument has been locked in the classic Marxist writings of Frederick Engels and August Babel as “a powerful explanation of the link between gender oppression and class exploitation.” Basically, their concern has been that of classless society. Hence, there will be no room for such things as exploitation, oppression, labour and unequal standings in both work place and the domestic sphere, which they believe hold women down. However, despite their ideological convergence, the socialist maintains a division that is seen as perhaps democratic. That is their rejection of the Marxist tendency to put class before gender, race, sexual identification, ethnicity, and other ways in which human beings identify and classify themselves. (Sergeant, 2006: 152).
A beautiful market sells itself, they say! Feminism is a dynamic topic that catches all disciplines because of women’s contributions, roles and values they stand to defend. Women writers have contributed a lot in engendering equity and parity in gender relations, creating awareness of the plight of women in the homes, and largely patriarchal societies. In Artistic Creativity: Literature in the Service of Society, Akachi Adimore Ezeigbo asserts:
There is no doubt that some of the finest prose writers-novelists especially-in the world, past and present, have been women. This is even more evident in the African literary tradition.(Ezeigbo, 2008: 18)
Globally, women’s plight with patriarchy is known and the struggle continuous to make sure women are given a voice in the order of things in the society. Truly, some men know that women are not given their due place in the family, community and nation building. Listen to a male’s voice in Introduction To African Oral Literature, Akporobaro in his words:
To my brilliant and wonderful daughters:
who have confirmed my belief that women are,
and can be great as givers and keepers of life though
vainly suppressed by men. (Akporobaro, 2012: xi)
This is a confirmation of women’s plight in a patriarchal society. Who does not know that women’s voice is suppressed by men in decision-making? Who does not know that the culture finds it hard to emancipate and empower women?
“It is obvious that culture is pivotal in the construction of gender difference; culture plays a prominent role in the subordination of women to a lower position in discourse and in real life” Ezeigbo states. Must everybody become patriarchy before women can make a meaningful contribution to community development?
But then, shall women continue with this kind of obsolete culture and tradition? Certainly not! Somebody can change the rules. Probably, a woman can change the order or norms within the patriarchal society to come up with a balanced society. This is exactly what happens in Ezeigbo’s Hands That Crush Stone, eight widows circumstantially in the business of crushing stone needed resistance in order to alleviate their hardship through poor salary they receive from Chief Mbu. There is need for them to revolt against their continual exploitation by the affluent Chief Mbu who takes advantage of their poverty and helplessness. They embark on strike amidst hunger and starvation. Nothing could stop them; the presence of armed policemen, the throwing of tear gas on them, the insult and assult from Chief Mbu and his thug could not deter these women from asking for their right. And the yelling of Chief Mbu could not move these women an inch or intimidate them accepting continual slavery.
A similar scene is created by Ezeigbo in Barmaid And The Witches of Izunga. The four witches-- all the victims of spousal infidelity. They find themselves in a very strong bond to challenge the situation. They build trust among themselves and learn to confide in one another; they strategize and come up with the solution to their nightmare. With the collaboration of Izunga, bar-gateman, Osuohia, these women under the guise of witches launch a harrowing attack on the embodiment of their misery, the Barmaid.
Also, in Tess Onwueme’s remarkable play, The Reign of Wazobia, we read where Wazobia, a young woman from anonymity becomes the Regent of Illa Kingdom, mobilizing the women and some gender sensitive men to bring about a revolution that banishes the obnoxious cultural traditions that infringe on women’s rights in the society. Onwueme’s play makes a powerful statement about women’s ability to change society by drawing from their inner strengths and the power of negotiation. By creating this, she agrees with Ezeigbo’s Snail-Sense Feminism: Building on an Indigenous model.
The Snail crawls over boulders, rocks, thorns, crags
And rough terrains smoothly and efficiently with a
Well-lubricated tongue which is not damaged or
Destroyed by these harsh objects (Ezeigbo 2012, 27).
Female writers used their creativity and style to better the lot of women by giving them a voice! The eight widows, four witches and wazobia are symbol of women’s leadership potentials that must be nurtured to support women wriggle out of uneven situation. Again, Ezeigbo captures this ideology and asserts:
We must not be discouraged by the failure of
leadership demonstrated in 2007 by the first
ever female speaker of the House of Assembly
in Nigeria. It was a failure that wounded the
spirit and morale of Nigerian womanhood
(Ezeigbo 2008, 19).
Of course, this challenge did not stop other women from participation in nation building, especially as we have exemplary women leaders like Professor Dora Akunyili (NAFDAC), Dr. Ngozi Okonji Iweala (former managing Director of the World Bank and former Minister of Finance), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili (former Solid Minerals Minister and Vice President of the World Bank, African Region) and Mrs. Nenadi Usman (former Minister of Finance), etc.
With concern, feminist-writers desired changes and redirection of their societies. In Nigerian contemporary society, women writers like Flora Nwapa. Ifeoma Okoye, Buchi Emecheta, Zainab Alkali, among others are at the fore recreating an ideal society. Today, scholars read literary works with joy and fulfillment and ability to know the position of literature to the service of men; acknowledging societal realities, experiences and perceptions which people take for granted. Also, this encourages women to know that there is a way forward from women’s plight. Akachi Ezeigbo states, “The aim of these female writers is primarily to ‘humanize’ their ‘dehumanized’ societies (Ezeigbo 2008, 20).
Broadly speaking, feminism examines the ways in which literature reinforces or undermines the economic, political, social and psychological oppression of women. This movement is a belief that women are not being given a fair consideration on issues involving men and women in the society. It is thus a struggle for the liberation of the women, and a reaction to certain notions which estimate that womanhood is subordinate to men. From the beginning, women have felt that they could do certain things that patriarchy barred them from doing. Women feel that they should be given equal rights with men and not relegated or underdog. Thus feminist theory strives to put women at the centre point, bringing them to prominence which is formally not the norm. Thus, feminism gives women agency to express themselves better. The theory fights against the portrayal of women in the negative, derogatory and condescending lights as done by most male-authored literary works over the years. To achieve this, the feminists have relentlessly made this idea manifest in various disciplines and fields of studies such as geography, history, medicine and literature which is our major interest in this work. Thus we could say that the ultimate goal of feminists therefore, is to increase people’s understanding of women’s experiences, both promote and appreciate women’s values and economic importance in the world.
In Nigeria, feminists like Flora Nwapa, Buchi Emecheta, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Zainab Alkali, Ifeoma Okoye and others have produced works which vividly capture actually all the issues raised by the feminist theory. In Efuru, Idu and One is Enough, Nwapa discusses the plight of females and fiercely emphasizes the independence of women. Also, Buchi Emecheta examines the import of educating girl-child in Second Class Citizen, and the condition of the woman as a daughter, wife and mother in Joys of Motherhood. Akachi Ezeigbo holds that women should be given significant and objective roles in literary works, in Trafficked; she exposes one of the most persistent problems of contemporary Nigerian society, female prostitution and trafficking.
The feminist theory is of opinion to have a balanced society where women among other salient issues will be empowered, educated, included in decision-making and be given active roles to play like men in the communities. Actually, feminist theory has found strength in several ways, ranging from campaigns, strikes, and literature to pass across their message. Also, feminism has enriched literary works by exposing women’s concerns in a patriarchal society. Globally, feminism has also brought to recognition the general condition of women irrespective of race, education or marital status. Women are now telling their own stories from nations across the globe. Issues relevant to women and societies are examine as we intend to do in this study. The researcher intends to explore the theme, ‘Women and Development’ in both texts written by Akachi Adimora Ezeigbo: The Last of The Strong Ones and House of Symbols.
However, the feminist theory has some weaknesses. There are several strands of feminism, due to different ideologies, different cultures and religious backgrounds such that we have womanists, motherist, stiwanism and so on. There are also the liberal and radical feminists, all these tend to make them appear divided among themselves, and make them seem unserious, instead of bringing them together, and it does not give them agency. Also some of the more fundamental or radical feminists portray men as ogres and monsters. This is not realistic and credible.
On a general consensus, there is going to be an eclipse of sun and moon because of patriarchy; the outward symbol is a gross darkness of retardation that is enveloping men as they bore the burdens of families and communities alone! What is darkness in the intellectual symbolism, but exclusion of women in all activities, who are the light, complement and development personified, in whom there is no darkness at all. The term missing leg of tripod stool is an expression that Igbos once used to describe incompleteness in man, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). Since it is an absolute patriarchal resolution to utterly exclude women’s contributions to nation building, men shall suffer the consequences.
Biography:
Who has not known or heard about Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, a literary icon, within this country and all nations? Who has not read her fictional narratives and non-fictional works? Who has not watched or read her various media interviews granted to the press? Who..?
To her credit, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo has published thirty-nine fictional tests and ten non-fictional works. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo has for about a decade and a half consistently published novels, short stories, poetry and children’s narratives. From then, she has amassed an impressive collection of titles, volumes of short stories, plays, poems and children’s fictions. “This makes her one of the most prolific writers in the country today” (The Fiction of Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, 2)
Born and raised in Eastern Nigeria, she now lives in Lagos. Ezeigbo was raised partially in a rural environment and partially in the city; she combines these two factors as background and setting for her children’s stories and adult fiction. Though born in the Eastern Nigeria, she has lived in different parts of the country-East, West and the North. She has also travelled extensively in Africa, Europe and the United State of America. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Arts (MA) Degrees from the University of Lagos and her Ph.D from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from University of Lagos. A lecturer, writer, novelist, critic, essayist, journalist and administrator, she was appointed a professor of English at the University of Lagos in 1999. She has taught in this University, in the department of English since 1981. She headed the English department in 1997 and 1998, from 2002-2005, and 2008-2009. She is married to Professor Chris Ezeigbo and they have three children.
Ezeigbo has being publishing literary works every year. With the interaction the researcher had with her, she said, “I have published two to three books already this year, 2014”. This shows that her output averages more than three titles per annum. Thus she is justifiably described as one of the most prolific writers in contemporary Nigeria society. Harrow says Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo is the nome de plume of Nigerian writing and professor of English studies. Patrick Oloko states: “Ezeigbo’s attachment to the genre of short stories is evident in the narratological style she experiments on, in the incidents, characters and episodes of her first novel, The Last of The Strong Ones”.
Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo demonstrates great prolificacy in her writing for young and adults’ readers. This project work focuses particularly on her first and second novels. Her impressive total output as a great novelist has relatively made her contributions acknowledged in contemporary Nigerian society and literature.
Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo belongs to a class of writers that believe and convinced that patriarchy hinders the freedom and emancipation of women. She is a liberal feminist of international repute and among the third generation of Nigerian writers. To her, feminism is negotiation or dialogue, not aggression because “the snail crawls over thorns with a fine and well-lubricated tongue”, Ezeigbo asserts. This is the best way forward to ameliorate women’s plight within a patriarchal society. Akachi Ezeigbo’s female characters are powerful, resourceful and able to reason their ways out of unfavourable situations they are found in the society. Whereas the late literary icon, Chinua Achebe portrays his female characters as weak and underdog, but Ezeigbo creates female characters to have equal right as the male counterparts in her literary works.
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Login To Comment