“Through the womb of women, all humanity passes” Okyeame (an Akan)
Feminism has taken various dimensions in different parts of the world. In respect of Africa, the evidence points to a humanistic feminism. The view taken is that the roles of the genders are complementary and parallel. It has a recognition for the duality of humanity where the genders complement each other in matters of production, family and societal cohesion. African feminism is the epitome of beauty, inner strength, resilience and intuition.
The notion that in African societies women are neither respected nor given their rightful place in society is one premised on misconceptions and ignorance. This has been the result of, as Diedre Badejo puts in her work on Mythical and Social Power of Women of African Descent, marginalisation of women through Islamic paternalism, Western hegemony, enslavement and colonialism. Western sexism, which denied their own womanhood of legitimacy, has influenced the thinking of Africans in contemporary times. The term “weaker sex” is one of the subtle suggestions creating the psychological myth in Western thinking that women are weak. Consequently, women were excluded from significant social responsibilities like the priesthood in Western religions; whereas, in African belief systems, women are very much part of the priesthood.
From antiquity, the essential role of women has been a conscious reality in African communities. The oral literature of Africa is replete with accounts of how women are central to the fabric of society and the social order. The risk of attempting to relegate women in important societal decisions was brought to the attention of the Yoruba through the story of Ọ̀ṣun, the female entity sent by the Supreme Deity, Olódùmarè, alongside other male primordial beings. The summary of the story is that her male counterparts could not make any headway in their earthly assignments as a result of neglecting Ọ̀ṣun. Frustrated, the male beings returned to Olódùmarè who instantly noticed the absence of the woman placed among them and enquired about her whereabouts. Olódùmarè then commanded that they should return to earth and include her in all their decision-making processes.
The Odù (corpus) of Ifá, Ọ̀ṣẹ́-Òtúrá, gives the account of how the neglect of the now deified powerful mother, Ọ̀ṣun, created difficulties for her male counterparts in running their worldly affairs:
Ónkọ́rọ̀ awo Ẹ̀wí ńlé Aládó
Ọ̀rún mú dẹ̀dẹ̀dẹ̀ kanlẹ̀ awo Òde Ìràdà
Alákàn ní ńbẹ lódò wọn a làá káàyà pẹpẹ̀pẹ
Á díá fún igba Irúnmọlẹ̀ ajìkọ̀tún
A bù fún igba Irúnmọlẹ̀ ajìkọ̀sì
Níjọ́ tí wọ́n pé ńgbó orò
Ti wọ́n pé ńgbó ọpa
Ti wọ́n ṣe tán tí wọ́n l’áwọn ò fi t’Ọ̀ṣun ṣe
Wọ́n pè’ta ìta ò jẹ́
Wọ́n p’orò orò ò f‘ọhùn
Wọ́n p’ọmọ titun kò wá’lé aiyé mọ́
Wọ́n p’oótù ó tú ká mọ wọn l‘ọ́wọ́
Wọ́n ní taní ńbẹ lẹ́yìn táà fi ti ẹ̀ ṣe?
Wọ́n ní Ọ̀ṣun nìkàn ní ńbẹ l’ẹ́yìn táà fi ti ẹ̀ ṣe
Ǹjẹ́ àwá wá bá wọn pé nímọ̀
A fìmọ̀ jẹ́ t’Ọ̀ṣun
A bá wọn pé nímọ̀
Ore Yèyé ò
Ọta ò, Omi ò
Ágbá ò, Id ẹ ò.
Translation:
Ónkọ́rọ̀ the awo of the Ẹ̀wí in Adó (Èkìtì)
The-Sun-Scorches-the-Earth the awo of Òde Ìràdà
The crab resides in the river in large quantities
Cast Ifá for 200 Irúnmọlẹ̀ (Spirit Beings) on the right
Provided for 200 Irúnmọlẹ̀ on the left
When they were gathered in the Sacred Grove of Orò and ọpa
They declared that Ọ̀ṣun is irrelevant to them
As a result, all their supplications at the sacred grove came to nothing.
They wondered whether there was anyone not included in their supplications
Ọ̀ṣun was identified as the only one not included in their supplications
As such, we are now more knowledgeable in our gathering to consider Ọ̀ṣun’s involvement.
Ẹnití ò b á fi t’Ọ̀ṣun ṣe,
Bí wọ́n bá gún’yán,
Iyán wọn á lẹmọ;
Bí wọ́n bá ro’kà
Ọkà wọn á rọ̀ pẹ́tẹ́
Translation:
Anyone who neglects Ọ̀ṣun would find that the yam they pound would be unsuitable for consumption and their yam flour would be too soft to form into a mound. Which is a euphemism for saying a society which rejects or relegates its womenfolk, would always encounter difficulties in their dealings.
A number of glowing attributes was ascribed to Ọ̀ṣun. She was the epitome of extreme beauty and eroticism; a source of immense wealth and the symbol of fertility. She was also the head of the feminine force known as àjẹ́ or àwọn ìyàmi (the mothers of the world) with the divine authority to exert control on the terrestrial plane. The Ọ̀ṣun River in Òṣogbo was named in her honour. The river is reputed for its healing qualities and devotees from near and far flock the river annually during the festival to make their supplications and make various requests from child-bearing to other matters. Reports had it that the Nobel laurate, Professor Wọlé Ṣóyínká once took some water from the river to Cuba.
Recently, a musical titled Mọrèmi, was staged in Lagos last Christmas/New Year (2018/2019) season. The show depicted a very powerful queen of Ilé-Ifẹ̀ who fought and sacrificed for the freedom of her people. She paid a very high price for her selflessness and courage. Mọrèmi, delivered Ifẹ̀ from the throes of a powerful invading army which appeared invincible and brought the Ọọ̀ni (king of Ilé-Ifẹ̀ to a frustrating wits end. Mọrèmi, the daughter of a renowned hunter, fearlessly offered herself in the service of her people. She approached yet a powerful river goddess (another feminine force) who offered her assistance at a heavy price. Mọrèmi allowed herself to be captured by the invaders to enable her infiltrate their high command and discover the secret of their invincibility. She endured slavery for years and even condescended to servitude. This enabled her to unravel the mystery behind the invaders’ prowess. The heavy price demanded for her extreme courage and bravery was the loss of her only son, Ẹ̀là Olúorogbo, to the river goddess Ẹ̀sìmirin who assisted Mọrèmi in her expedition.
Another notable feat performed by the African (Yoruba) was their pivotal role in the Haitian Revolution which took place about 1792 – the only time in the history of the trans-Atlantic slavery when the slaves successfully revolted against their French overlords. The historical accounts have it that the revolt was mainly carried out by the massive involvement and support of the women.
Close to home, and in more recent times, was the role of women in resisting the unfair taxation levied by the then Aláké of Ẹ̀gbá (the monarch of Abẹ́òkuta), who acted in cohort with the colonial overlords. The women were led by the irrepressible mother of the late Fẹlá Aníkúlápó-Kútì, Mrs Fúnmiláyọ̀ Ransome-Kuti (as she then was) and they succeeded in forcing a high-handed monarch to abdicate the throne.
The 1929 Aba Women’s Riots, which was tagged the Women’s War, also brings into very sharp focus the power of African feminism. Similar to the revolt led by Mrs Ransome-Kuti in Abeokuta, the Aba Women’s Riots was a significant reaction against the indirect rule system introduced by Lord Lugard in Igboland, Eastern Nigeria. Last Tuesday, the 5th of March 2019, The Pan-Afrikan Consciousness Renaissance commemorated the 90th anniversary of the Women’s War at the Osun State University Ikire Campus,
It has become imperative that we begin to examine the standards of socio-cultural values and trace our steps back to the sacred place accorded women in our traditional setting. This would continue to entrench the humanism found in the feminism understood by our sages of old.
@Dubi Imevbore
OlúwoSpeaks
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