The Place of Women in African Culture: The Literary View of Mariama Bâ’s So Long a Letter and Regina Yaou’s Aihui Anka Défi Aux Sorciers

Abstract

African women have been degraded and relegated to the background of nothingness as a result of undue African cultural patriarchy. They have suffered untold trauma and hardship when it comes to childbearing and rearing. African woman is best known for caring pregnancy, delivery, caring for the child anyhow with or without the father and at adulthood she is denied exercising authority or control over the decision of such children. This paper, as a way of introduction, clarifies the relationship between the child and the extent of damage patriarchy in the African culture has caused. While theorizing Marxism in the works of Mariama Bâ, so long a letter and Régina Yaou’s Aihui Anka défi aux sorciers with a view to advocating a ‘restructuring’ of African culture and tradition to disallow total abandonment of women’s ideas concerning her constituency (The home) thereby oppressing and underrating her opinions. The paper concludes that while women’s contribution in the home should be that of partner in progress and disagree that the kitchen is her constituency. They should be encouraged, patriarchal over-bearing dominance discouraged; a compromise should be reached to achieve a peaceful and blissful home. Though, African cultural values must be defended and upheld.