Abstract
Contemporary gender discourse on African socio-cultural and religious issues in the past decades tend to give more accolades to the masculine rather than the feminine genders. Consequently, the male is viewed from the positive, objective, strong, intellective, dominant and determined perspective while the female is regarded as weak, passive, emotional, intuitive, childish, dependent and evil. These negative perceptions of most African male as regards to women has led to the present day women struggles for equal rights and opportunities in the educational, political, social, cultural, economic and even religious spheres. How true is the perceptions of most African male as regards to women? Are there no roles played by women in the traditional African society which distinguishes them as strong, objective and intellective? How have women contributed to the initiation of peace and peace building in the traditional African society especially in the South-Eastern Nigeria? This is the thrust of this paper. The paper examines the role of women as agents of peace and social development in the African traditional society with reference to the South-Eastern Nigeria. Having employed the descriptive analysis, the paper argued that before, during and after the colonial era, women have been agents of peace and social development in the African traditional society particularly in South-Eastern Nigeria. This is achieved through a female association known as Omurinya / Umuada. The paper strongly recommends that rather than marginalize, discriminate or oppress women based on their gender, there should be equal treatment of both men and women in all spheres of human endeavour. Key Words : Women, Peace, Patriarchy, Gender, Omurinya / Umuada DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/69-05 Publication date: November 30 th 2020
Highlights
IntroductionThe African society is patriarchal in nature. men are always given the pride of place in the socio-cultural, educational, political, economic and religious spheres while the women are often times relegated to the background
Though the African society is patriarchal in nature and views women as lesser beings that should remain docile, be exploited, suppressed, abused and oppressed in the socio-cultural, political, educational and religious spheres of human existence
This is clearly evident in this paper using the activities and roles of the south-eastern Nigerian women in fostering peace and social development in their natal lands through the formidable association of the Umuada
Summary
The African society is patriarchal in nature. men are always given the pride of place in the socio-cultural, educational, political, economic and religious spheres while the women are often times relegated to the background. In view of the above remarks, this paper seeks to examine the role performed by women in the traditional African society as agents of peace and social development with respect to women in the south-eastern Nigeria. The roles of the Omurinya or Umuada could be seen in the way they handle the following issues in the community: The settlement of disputes among fellow women in the community, infidelity issues involving offending wives, assault on a wife by a husband, assault or physical attack of a wife on her mother-in-law, conflicts involving physical fighting between parties (Amolo 2019) Corroborating this view, Onuoha (1999) writes that the Umuada association ensures that peace and justice are maintained in the traditional community. In case the intervention of women is disregarded, they stand the risk of harming their own daughters which is a taboo to Ala the earth goddess
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