Socio-political problems affecting women in Northern Nigeria

Even by its very title, there is no doubt that it is non-fiction. In most cases, non-fiction works—except biographies and autobiographies—are boring but this very book is a scintillating chronicle of the socio-political problems that besiege women of northern Nigeria. Ironically, almost like a work of fiction, the beautiful picture of Queen Amina of Zazzau […]

Even by its very title, there is no doubt that it is non-fiction. In most cases, non-fiction works—except biographies and autobiographies—are boring but this very book is a scintillating chronicle of the socio-political problems that besiege women of northern Nigeria.

Ironically, almost like a work of fiction, the beautiful picture of Queen Amina of Zazzau on the cover of the book suggests that it is about the achievements of Northern Nigerian women. Thus it would have been safe to say that the book centres around Northern Nigeria Women Leadership but apparently,  the problems that confront women in the Northern part of the country far outweigh whatever achievement that any of the perceived leaders, especially the first ladies, must have achieved.

The author appears to know the problems hindering the development of women in the north as only a true northerner would do. She posits that the core values of the north have been eroded recently by indolence, occasioned by begging, hawking, low girl-child school enrolment and under-age marriages.

The north being a predominantly Hausa enclave, the author sees some cultural practices working against the advancement or development of women. “In Hausa culture, the comparative inferiority of women to men is pronounced. Women are not allowed to sit where men sit. They are confined to a particular section of the compound while their men go about making friends with both sexes without restriction. The society shuts its eyes to this…” This appears to be an indictment on the society for turning its back on the plight of the Hausa woman.

Again, the cover picture of Queen Amina becomes an irony. Here is a queen of wondrous deeds, symbolizing the strength of the success story of the northern women but inside the book a Hausa woman is portrayed as weak and vulnerable.

But to drive her point further that women have often been victims of a largely patriarchal society, she says “…all over the world, women and young girls have borne the brunt of dictatorship, economic adversity, wars, and unpopular and repressive cultural practices.”

Particularly, the author feels the purdah system has contributed in no small measure to the underdevelopment of women in northern Nigeria. Purdah is a cultural practice among Hausa/Fulani Muslims that seclude women and the author believes strongly that it is a hindrance to women advancement in politics. By and large, fewer women register as members with political parties, thereby limiting their chances of contesting for elective positions.

But in as much as purdah system may be tied to the tenets of Islam, the author dispels that widely held belief. According to her, if Muslims practice Islam in accordance with the real teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah, (sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad) the kind of abuse that women and children suffer in the north will be completely eradicated.

Quoting copiously from the Qur’an, she says a woman as a companion of man is to be treated with respect, love and kindness and should not be regarded as inferior to her husband.

“A woman has an honoured social position under Islamic law besides her legal and civil rights; she is to enjoy special respect, love, affection and the gentle feelings as a beloved wife, an affectionate daughter and a respectable mother,” she said.

She stressed that a daughter is to be consulted to get her consent before her hand is given in marriage. “A grown up girl shall give permission about herself. If she is silent, it is her permission and if she declines, there shall be no compulsion on her.”

She argues that the incessant incidents of rape, sexual harassment, hawking and unguided early marriages that are the bane to northern women development are unlslamic.

“To sum it up, Islam intervened during that period of darkness to illuminate the life of women and emancipate them from centuries of male dominance. It is an irony to note that the women in the western world started enjoying some of these rights only of recent.

Also, low girl-child education means less participation in the political process for women in the north. It also means “women’s role in reshaping the values of the society—in which they are the most disadvantaged is limited.”

And it is against this background that one would have expected that after the author has focused on women in northern Nigeria, she would have clearly spelled out the achievements of the perceived women leaders in advancing the cause of women. Perhaps the author should have challenged the women leaders, especially wives of governors to initiate and implement projects that would significantly change the downtrodden status of women in northern Nigeria. Expectedly, as she rightly pointed out that most of the barriers to women emancipation and development are caused by women themselves.

The book would have been interesting and instructive if it had continued the way it started, rather than veering off to speeches of notable women and biographies of first ladies. Massaging the egos of the first ladies will not in any way eradicate some of these problems that the book has raised.

Also, for a book that advocates for equality, it is erroneous for the author to conclude that “the North, dominated by the largely Hausa/Fulani and Kanuri ethnic groups, is predominantly Muslim. However, significant Christian communities have resided in the north well over 50 years. It is a known fact that indigenous minority Christian communities have co-existed with their majority Hausa/Fulani Muslims across the length and breadth of the north. Such terms as “reside over 50 years could portray the author as  biased on an issue that is volatile.”