A Study Of The Woman Of Mbaise In Government From 1960-2015
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Through the ages in all cultures, races and creeds, there are accepted conventional roles allocated to women these include, child-bearing, child-looking, feeding of husband and family and generally looking after homes. With time other career roles started to develop, such as working in farms in offices, in business and institutions. Woman especially Nigeria woman found careers in the two major institution of education and health. In fact, most of them saw these roles as an extension of their natural roles in the family that is those of bringing up their health and sanitation.
Before the coming of Europeans into Africa, women were not regarded as human being created equally by God. Hence they were called the inferior sex. They were not allowed to come out in some areas, women were to be seen and not heard. They were not allowed to receive formal education, because it was seen as a waste of money and resources. With the introduction of formal education by missionaries, people began to see the need for education not only for the men but also for the women. In mbaise women embrace early education, early enough hence there are many female doctors, university graduates, academician teaching in universities, lawyers, nurses, engineer.
In 1960s when Nigeria regained her independence, only men played politics it looked absurd, women sitting together with men to discuss issues concerning the government of the country. It looked also unethical for women to move from place to place addressing men in gathering. Even till today, the kola is never shown to women in Imo state and in many places in Igbo land. There eyes opened as they read of the activities of women in other parts of the world.
Women are traditionally called Ori Aku (consumers of wealth). In the wake of women aberration here some enlightened women successfully changed the name to Odozii-Aku (preservers of wealth). They would rather prefer not to be seen as liabilities women joyfully claim that behind any successful man there is a woman.
In this area, a close examination of their performance and capabilities has shown that the Nigeria woman, especially Mbaise women so far have demonstrated exemplary prowess and ability include or placed at the helm of the affairs of the country, if objective appraisal is to be applied. Across board, the Nigerian woman has proved herself worthy of any role she happens to find herself in because, in a male dominated society like ours. Only men in most cases allocates and give women any other rules outside the homes. And include the conventional household roles of bearing, rearing of children, looking after the feeding and sanitation of their families, farming , community development activities, carrying out of any political assignment give to them by their men folk and so forth. In these roles women show a remarkable amount of dedication- honesty of purpose great integrity, good followership, good leadership and very many other virtues.
Therefore, it is not an unworthy claim to say that if these women are given the right opportunities, they will contribute meaningfully to the building of a healthy government of Mbaise there are countries today ruled by women, countries like the great Britain today women, apart from taking care of their homes, now engage in politics or government. In the past- there was a conception of government to be executively and exclusively for men folk but history has show that women have been good administrators, soldiers, lawyer, doctors engineers among these women are the famous Queen Amins of Zaria. It is humorously said that what a man can do a women can do even better’’ in the light of the above therefore my description and analysis will be to dove into role and activities of women in government, with particular reference to Mbaise women.
Osy Okeke rightly said “we have not succeeded in tapping the potentials in women, women have a lot of hidden talents and would make adequate use of them if encouraged’’ it is also the opinion of Onomaose Omorebokhae of the university of Benin that “women have got a lot of untapped wits and wisdom”. It is these untapped talents of women in government and other areas in Mbiase in Imo state that will be delved into.
END NOTES
Dr Mrs. Mana N. David Osuagwu: TILE INSIGHT VOL.
1, 6, No.1june –december, 1989.
Egbe George: Nigerian chronicle, May 25 (198)
3. Aghanwa chuma: “history of traditional an
Social –political organization
Of Abatete in the colonial
Era” U.N. 1986”.
Statement of Research Problem
In Mbaise as in other communities in Imo state the role of women in government has been established it has become a mark of identity and source of pride to every Mbaise women. Through the role of women in government in traditional Igbo society has seen as old as Mbaise itself if but no time has been spared by scholars to document some of the historical facts about the role and activities as well as achievement of women in government.
There has been a burning desire in the hearts of all patriotic women of Mbaise for the revival and modernization of the role of women in Mbaise.
Objective of the Study
The main objective of this research work is for the researcher to find out what actually are the activities of women in government. The women in Ahiazu Mbaise by the 1991 provisional population figures constitute the largest group and as a result the influence of their number on government of the area needs not be over-emphasized but unfortunately, the women are known to have played no significant role in the government to the area; as a result of this study aims at find out the activities of women in government and another areas as well. The researcher will also try to find out the extent to which the cultural practices of the Mbaise people and again, this project will show the capacity of women and their performance in certain roles and activities another purpose for carrying out this research is to encourage the womenfolk of Mbiase to participate fully in politics both at the local. State and federal levels. This research will serve as an eye- opener to the women of Mbaise especially those who are not interested in polities and other activities to sit up and join other women. There by proving that the act of government is not only a man’s affair.
And finally this research is aimed at documenting the activities of women and their roles at least for the first time since little or nothing has been writing about them.
Significance of the Study
The significance of this study lies in the fact that, there is a need to encourage women in politics government activities as well as in other roles they found themselves findings of this study will encourage the men folk to support the womenfolk in government and to participate in government and in other areas with this, give them a sense of belonging both national and state development. Because women are the mothers of life and also mothers in social life and they are the carriers of culture.
Scope and Limitation of the Study:
A study of the women of Mbaise in government will be limited to the local government that made up Mbaise namely Ahiazu Aboh and Ezinitte.
Research Methodology
The writer of this research made use of various method in order to find out exactly the role of women in various parts of the word especially in Mbaise she used written records like books, articles which been documented about women with regards to participation in government in Mbaise the writer also a collected oral- information relating to the role of women in the government of Imo state and post-colonial periods in Mbaise. This interview was for both males and females.
Literature Review
The literature is a compilation of the works of indigenous writers on the roles of women in government, the origin of women’s role in government and what women have been doing in various ways in government in politics, religion, economy, entertainment and military. According to flora Nwapa, Nigerian’s first woman novelist, author praised Efuru and Idu(African writer’ series)
(Nwaife publishes Enugu) 1984 (1) her book on wives at war discussed the involvement of women in all kinds of activities during the Nigeria civil War, she discussed how women were involved, the military we see the military leader of Biafra’s women organization- waging war against the bureaucracy which denised them an opportunity to represent their country abroad. There are other who prepared to sacrifice everything they had to prevent.
Also stressing the role of women, she wrote another book on women are different published in1986 she tell the moving story of a group of Nigerian women from their school days together through the trials and tribulation of their adult lives. It shows how women have helped in the economy, aimed at the struggle for financial independence and a rewarding career combined with the need to bring up a family often without a man. This shows that women have contributed right from the pre-colonial period, their contribution started with the struggle for life.
In agriculture, they contributed 99% in producing food stuff, this shows that in government they will equally play important role in governance, which will help in the upliftement of the society in general in a book named the voice of women by the national civil of women societies, publishes between 1958-1980, according to lady Eudora Ibiam during the opening of the women’s week 1965, women and our culture in relation to the Arts and craft, she expressed changes in the recent times because of the exigencies of life. She said “the exigencies of life are beginning to dictate new approaches to arts, crafts, music, dance which have reached high degrees of perfection in design and colour by women”. In the field of politics, Mrs. Elsie Femi pearse, councilor, Lagos town council 1963 said in her article tilled the responsibilities of women in the task of nation Building, that the influence of women in the task of nation building becomes very powerful if it is directed towards high ideas. She also said that “if women are given the opportunity in government they will help in nation building which will not involve of corruption and bribery’’. A good example is that of Mrs. Banderenaike of Ceylon (Sri- lanka). She worked together with her husband, after the death of her husband she become the prime-minister of Ceylon, the first women ever to attain such an enviable position in the history of great women. Other examples are such talented women like Mrs. Golda Meir, prime minister of Israel. Another outstanding woman is lady Astor who took her seat in the British house of commons in 1919. She further stressed that Nigerian women are still proud of the memory of the late Mrs. Olajumoke Abasa, once a wife of a doctor and politician through altruistic and untiring efforts and her kind of influence, jobs were created for our women in the Nigerian civil service she was also the first Nigerian woman to run successful bus service years before the Lagos municipal bus services game into operation.
Today, looking around Nigerian women have made rapid strides in the field of Education , medicine, the legal profession, accountancy, secretary ship, athletics socials service, in the civil service, the civil aviation-as company director’s and in active politics. A 1978 article in the voice of women titled total participation of women in nation’s life at a rally in Benin, Bendel State, discussed the role of women during this transition and after, and suggested how Nigeria to re-direct the sense of values in contemporary Nigerian society, Nigeria women have complained about discrimination by their male counter parts in the affairs of the nation. Certain jobs have been considered too sophisticated for the women, others here been adjudged too difficult for women. What nobody has been able tell us is, where women have failed before and therefore the criteria for declaring them unfit or not fit enough.
In religion women have contributed much. They see to the smooth running of the church, by contributory in cash and kinds. Without women, there will be a big problem. According to Adrian hasting – the insight ( vol.6,No 1 June-December 1989) women: their role in the church and society but this entry was phenomenal because up to the seven – teenth century, there was no consistent active participation of women in the church or ministry at all. But it was only in the 19th century that it grew on a really large scale, to alter the whole balance of the church’s organized ministerial effort. Women absorb all the responsibility which government and other agencies are too busy and occupied to look into. In 1987 Local Government Election two women, Mrs. Aganako of Abeokuta Local Government, Ogun State, and Hajia Garba Ademu of Malunitash Local Government Area of Katsina State, were voted in as chairperson,. In 1988, only five women were duly elected into the constituent assembly. Women have a responsibility to help shape and determine the future of our country ,and the quality of life of our citizens, they have played the role of the silent majority long enough and must be awake and heard, especially in the local government in Mbaise.
In conclusion, Nigeria women have served and will continue to serve as the cornerstone, in nation building. Given the right orientation and education, women have the potential of contributing much more to national development women cannot be effective as watchdogs, if they do not place before their deeds a proper sense of mission.
The researcher is therefore, of the opinions that women should strangle the biogenetic and cultural notion that the place of women being an integral part of the human community, could not be left out, therefore, women should be seriously involved in government to ensure our economic emancipation in which they must be involved for a better society. Politics is the management of public affairs and women, as the sole managers and administrators of households, are capable of applying their wealth of dependence to politics.
Finally it is worth mentioning here, despite these hinderances, women are gradually over-coming these vestiges, that today, we can boast of women in government both in state and federal level and local level as well.
END NOTES
Flora Nwapa, unves at war African writers’ series
(Nwarife publisher, Enugu), 1984 pp. 1-15
Flora Nwapa, Women are Different
(Published 1986) Pp.1-19.
Eudora Ibiam, the Voice of Women, at National
Council of Women Societies, (Published 1958-1980): Women and our Culture.
Voice of Women total Participation of Women in National life, at Rally In Benin, Bendel State 1978.
5. Else Femi Pearse: (Councilor Lagos Town Council)
The Responsibilities of Women in the Task of Nation Building. 1963.
6. Adrian Tastings: Insight Vol. 6, No. 1, June-December
The role of Women in the Church and Society p.9-15.
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