Onegai:


Bendel

Ok. That's nice. Bendel is old south south

1bkaye:
Pre-slavery and pre-colonial era, the Yoruba woman occupied a significant place in the political, economic, religious and family life setting. Traditional Yoruba culture gave pride of place to women under two designations: their status as daughters in their father’s lineage and as wives in their husband’s lineage.

However, women are respected even more as mothers based on the logic that all men are born of women. It is expected, therefore, that men pay the same maternal respects they have for their mothers to all women. With this understanding, pre-colonial Yoruba land rarely experienced violence against women or divorce. Divorce was considered only when both families have exhausted all means of arbitration. Consideration for divorce commonly included extreme cruelty, infertility, insanity, extreme promiscuity on the part of the woman, irresponsibility on the part of the man or indebtedness.

British missionary records show that polygamy was practised among the Yorubas but mainly among the upper class. It is not clear if this is traditional to the people or an influence of Islam.

Yoruba women were never confined to their domestic roles only. The ability to exercise freedom in trade implied also the woman’s ability to take care of her children. Through known history, Yoruba women wield economic power since the market sphere is considered strictly the domain and political hegemony of women. The market days were seen to be ‘holy days’ and observed in very specific and meticulous order. The women choose a president who directs the affairs of all the traders. Usually in Yoruba land, the Iya L’oja, (President of the Women Market Association) also seats on the king’s ruling council, and wields tremendous political influence and power. Missionary accounts from the 1800s show clearly the economic independence and business acumen of Yoruba women who engage in in the tie and dye trade, cotton spinning, pottery, processing of the palm produce into oil and soap. Women also engaged in household production of crafts, petty trade, weaving, bead making, mat weaving, beer brewing, home economics and management; all of these starts early under the mother’s tutelage. At the early age of seven or eight, girls are already sent out to hawk various household commodities.

Yoruba women translated their economic power into political power as noted already. Specifically, it is important to note that at some point in the history of Yoruba kingdoms, a woman regent has reigned as the king. There are records of Yoruba women warlords and founders of kingdoms, i.e. Moremi (Olurounbi), who is said to have sacrificed an only child to save her people. The great kingdoms of Oyo, Ife, Ondo, Ekiti and Ijebu were all ruled at one point by a woman. It is not uncommon that within a variety of Yoruba cultures, a hierarchy of female chiefs existed. Most popular among the female titles includes; Iya Oba (The King’s mother), Ayaba (The Queen), Iya L’oja (women President in the market), IyaL’ode (women’s Prime Minister usually also on the king’s council).x At all levels, and for this point in pre-modern history, the Yoruba society had evolved in their understanding and respect for gender way beyond their contemporaries in Europe and North America.

Source: The International Journal of African Catholicism, Winter 2013. Volume 4, Number 1; Gender Issues Among the Yorubas

Lol, @ rich men having more wives. That is interesting. It's not easy to feed a big family without money. It's sad that we let religion erode this beautiful culture. Very peaceful, tolerant and organized. Also quite advanced in the treatment of women.

baby124:

This one explains it better Edwife.lol

Yep and last but not least.

In Nigeria historically women had always been very active politically because of the astuteness and enterprise of women in different cultures. In the pre colonial Nigeria, women enjoyed a great measure of freedom and involvement of public life. In the northern Nigeria, there lived such powerful women as queen Amina of Zaria. In the south west women had social and political structures that give them recognition and define traditional roles most Yoruba communities were divided into kingdoms with an Oba as their head. Oral tradition folds to females obas in some areas. I n oyo in 1995. A though palace administration was highly centralized in many parts of yorubaland, women such as iya Afin, Iyalode and yeye oramiya played well define roles. They had responsibilities such as running the markets and wielded great influence over the oba. They fought and got Obas installed or removed from office. Women played important roles in the Yoruba wars in the 19th century.

In Igbo areas like Oguta, Osammari , Onitsha and Aboh , the women Omu(Queens) had their own places either in their husbands places or their natal homes. They had their own insignia of royalty symbolized by the sword, the fan and the drum.


Women were powerful everywhere even in the North so it was a Nigerian "thing".

source: Studies in World Affairs, Volume 1
By Ed. K.R Gupta

Literature on gender roles before the advent of Islam in Hausaland is difficult to obtain. Empirical analyses of the role of women's activities in Hausaland are either weak or scanty. In all probability, more than half the history of Hausaland may have been lost before the encounter with the outside world of Islam and Europeans. Most of the accounts on the role of women before the adoption and spread of Islam are from oral and archaeological sources. Consequently, an analysis of the roles of Hausa women before Islam is a complex exercise. Such an exercise is, however, worth pursuing because it provides clues to the role of women and Hausa business rationality.

The most vivid accounts of high-ranking Hausa women are documented in the Kano Chronicle and the Infaq al-maisur of Sultan Bello. From these sources it is now known that many great women in Hausaland, such as the queens of Daura-Daurama and queen Amina of Zazzau held positions of leadership and played significant roles in patriarchal societies for many years. Historical accounts also provide evidence about the role of women in the Borno and Nupe kingdoms. What is probably factual is that, before the advent of Islam, women in Hausaland were not secluded. Rather, they held political and leadership positions.

Source: Nordic Journal of African Studies 10(1): 107-123 (2001);Entrepreneurs at Home: Secluded Muslim Women and Hidden Economic Activities in Northern Nigeria

Onegai:
bukatyne
So trophy wives didn't start today... Did they have special beauty rites? What features did they consider beautiful?

The examples I have are medium to fair skin smooth skin and a slim nose, good carriage. One of the governors of a SS state and his classmates had a fantasy of a girl, whose nickname was "Stainless". They would perambulate up and down her street to get her attention, but lost her to a man with a white volvo.

Lmao

1bkaye:

Lmao

Puhlease, it was the common sense decision at that time. If only Stainless had known one of those boys in jumping trousers in University would end up as a governor... she still did well for herself and is a grandmother now.

The kind of nonchalant golddigging that used to go on in those days mehn, and it was called Common Sense. The one relative of mine who fell out of line (she was a beauty) and married a much-older "new religion" (pentecostal) middle income man rather than a young, fresh off the boat man (who ended up as a GCFR and wealthy), she was berated till her 60s. Though she seemed happy in her marriage.

@edwife:

Happy new year and thanks.

@inheritance: so the Ori-Ojori & Idi-igi methods of inheritance was after the abolishment of the elder brother of the deceased being the sole inheritor? I know we have arole (Dawodu) which is the eldest male. Never knew that eldest daughters could be also. So do these daughters keep their inheritance after marriage so no need for them to inherit from their husbands? Also, I see why our mothers often advised women to have their own personal properties if they are up to it.

@Status of women: Autonomous & subordinate. .. does this mean than the wives did not need their husbands' 'permission' to start a trade/skill? Is this subordination to the husband or to the family? For instance, there is no other example apart from a man permitted to marry more than one wife? Other points seems to talk about the wife's position in her husband's family.

I also see where the view of a husband doing chores is seen as 'demeaming'

The wives also take care of themselves & children financially.

@political office: we have Iyaloja (women leader/ mother of the market) in every palace. Industrious females are also given titles e.g. Omotola & females were regents till a king is installed.


@Status of children: we still hear several Babatundes, Yewande, Yetunde, Yejide, Yeside, Iyabo as a testament to reincarnation.

@Child birth: so when wife A put to birth and the man married wife B, was wife A expected to be celibate for the next two years to avoid pregnancy?

@ Marriage: Still happens. That's why there several surprises when a husband dies. The outside wives are usually known to the family anyways.

@Divorce : I am confused... court marriage is ancient times?

@conflict resolution: I think it's complex. Age mates might not fight and deride each other instead; sane with strangers. For siblings and spouses, violence might be employed though I an open to correction.

baby124:

I think it did a little. If you check out the older Yoruba men. You will see that despite being polygamous they also had quite a few concubines too who they were supporting. Even some monogamous ones did the same. Not a lot of younger men are engaging in this these days.

True

Just more of side chicks who shouldn't get preggers.

Parallel families are expensive these days.

Economy

The pre-colonial economic activities in Igbo nation was characterized by women-driven
economic wheel. According to Nwanesi following F.K Ekechi, these women traded in various
kinds of agricultural products, ranging from palm product, yam, Cocoa-yam and so on. Some
Nigerian economists have noted that prior to the advent of colonialism; Igbo men regarded
Merchandise as women‟s occupation. Sequel to this, the money accruing from these
enterprises gave Igbo women the power to be independent and to provide them with material
needs (Nwanesi 2006; 33).
The advent of colonialism made the economic status of women insignificant. According to
Nwanesi, in a study of Ngwa people (an Igbo tribe), S.M. Martins maintains that colonialism
induced poverty on Igbo women by transferring economic power first to the colonizers and
more recently to the African men.

Gender and political participation

According to Adu, Judith Van Allen maintains that pre-colonial Igbo society was a “system
of diffuse authority, fluid and informal leadership; shared rights of enforcement, and more or
less stable balance of male and female power” (Adu; 42). She writes that though men and
women were regarded as equal, there was an inherent tendency to see women as
complementary to men.However, due to their enterprising nature and existence of gender
equality, women had equal influence on communal decision. They also had women forums
through which they influenced communal decisions. Just as the political authority of the
assembly of elderly men was recognized, so was the political authority of their female
counterparts (Adu; 43). In a situation where a man was found wanting, probably by beating
his wife or maltreating her in any way, the women forum would impose a curfew on him and
have him reported to the general assembly who would determine the adequate reparation or
punishment. According to Adu, in such a situation sometimes, the women could hold “sitting
on a man” kind of protest, in that the women could go to the offender‟s house from morning
till dawn, singing ridiculous songs and “calling his manhood into question” (Ibid; 45-46).
Van Alle further maintains that the general assembly which allows the participation of every
Adult member of the society was highly democratic. According to her, every adult, both male
and female was allowed to air her or his opinion and it would be taken, as far as it was
reasonable and resonates with a majority of the assembly. She supports her claim by quoting
an Igbo adage which says: “a case forbids no one” (Ibid; 43). However, the problem with this
sort of democracy is that decisions are hard to reach. Nevertheless, they were able to reach
decisions based on a simple majority.
The political culture of the Igbos could be theoretically described as dual-sex. Under this structure, women had their own governing councils…to address their specific concerns and needs as women. The councils protected women’s social and economic interests, and guided the community’s development. The dual symmetrical structure accorded immense political profile to women…The socio-political structure required and depended on the active participation of women in the community life. Their views were deemed critical, not because they were women, but because of the special insight they brought to issue by virtue of their spiritual, market and trading duties and their maternal roles.

The women’s council, also known as the Otu or Ogbo, was led by a woman usually called the Omu, who achieved her status on account of merit. Her roles included leading clan ceremonies, disciplining the women of the community, representing the female population at village meetings, and advising the women of the tribe. Women known as Ilogo advised the Omu. Together this group ruled the women of the tribe. However, when larger community meetings were held for important decisions, all the women of the tribe were expected to be present. Once there, every woman had one vote on the issue in question and the majority won. If a woman broke one of the laws of the council, the other women ostracized her until she repented. If a man broke one of the rules of the council, a ritual known as “sitting on a man” was performed


Women and families


A widow in Ibo society was well protected. As long as she did not remarry, her husband’s family was expected to help take care of her and her children. She also had the option to return to her motherland. If she did, her sons were able to go back to their father’s home to claim their property once they were grown.

In traditional Ibo society, motherhood was greatly respected. Women were respectfully called “the trees that bear fruit,” because the tribe knew that without women to bear children, there would be no future for the clan. New mothers were greatly pampered, receiving a month totally devoid of work after the birth of their child. The ideal number of children was seven, because seven meant completeness or perfection in the tribal culture. If a woman had more children she was considered exceptional. If a woman had ten children a celebratory ritual was held in her honor. After his ceremony, called igbu ewu ukwu, the woman was considered one of the blessed “queen of mothers” and gained great respect and status in the tribe.

source: women in Pre Colonial Nigeria and Maria Rojas '94 (English 32, 1990).

cc: cococandy

edwife:
In the precolonial period, women played a major role in social and economic activities. Division of labour was along gender lines, and women controlled such occupations as food processing, mat weaving, pottery making, and cooking. Moreover, land was communally owned, and women had access to it through their husbands or parents. Although a man was the head of the household in a patrilineal system, older women had control of the labour of younger family members.

Women were also central to trade. Among the Yoruba, they were the major figures in long-distance trade, with enormous opportunities for accumulating wealth and acquiring titles. The most successful among them rose to the prestigious chieftaincy title of iyalode, a position of great privilege and power.

In politics, women were not as docile or powerless as contemporary literature tends to portray them. The basic unit of political organization was the family, and in the common matrifocal arrangement, which allowed a woman to gain considerable authority over her children, a woman and her offspring could form a major bloc in the household. Power and privileges in a household were also based on age and gender, thereby allowing senior women to have a voice on many issues. Because the private and public arenas were intertwined, a woman’s ability to control resources and people in a household was at the same time an exercise in public power. She could use food production to gain respect. She could control her children and influence men through this power. She could evoke the power of the spirit or gods in her favour. Or she could simply withdraw and use the kitchen as her own personal domicile for interaction with her colleagues, friends, and children.

Beyond the household level, power was generally dominated by men, but in many areas specific titles were given to women. The queen mother, a powerful title among the Edo and Yoruba, could be bestowed upon the king’s mother or a free woman of considerable stature. In her own palace, the queen mother presided over meetings, with subordinate titleholders in her support. Yoruba and Hausa legends describe periods when women were either the actual kings or heroines. Such women as Moremi of Ile-Ife and Amina of Zaria are notable legendary figures, as are the powerful queens in the Ondo and Daura histories.

This clears up the women not holding 'most' positions stuff.

Is the writer saying women reigned as 'kings' not regents in ancient Yoruba & Hausa?

There is even Iyalode & Iyaloja

Baby124: please help confirm if they are same thing.

1bkaye:
Pre-slavery and pre-colonial era, the Yoruba woman occupied a significant place in the political, economic, religious and family life setting. Traditional Yoruba culture gave pride of place to women under two designations: their status as daughters in their father’s lineage and as wives in their husband’s lineage.

However, women are respected even more as mothers based on the logic that all men are born of women. It is expected, therefore, that men pay the same maternal respects they have for their mothers to all women. With this understanding, pre-colonial Yoruba land rarely experienced violence against women or divorce. Divorce was considered only when both families have exhausted all means of arbitration. Consideration for divorce commonly included extreme cruelty, infertility, insanity, extreme promiscuity on the part of the woman, irresponsibility on the part of the man or indebtedness.

British missionary records show that polygamy was practised among the Yorubas but mainly among the upper class. It is not clear if this is traditional to the people or an influence of Islam.

Yoruba women were never confined to their domestic roles only. The ability to exercise freedom in trade implied also the woman’s ability to take care of her children. Through known history, Yoruba women wield economic power since the market sphere is considered strictly the domain and political hegemony of women. The market days were seen to be ‘holy days’ and observed in very specific and meticulous order. The women choose a president who directs the affairs of all the traders. Usually in Yoruba land, the Iya L’oja, (President of the Women Market Association) also seats on the king’s ruling council, and wields tremendous political influence and power. Missionary accounts from the 1800s show clearly the economic independence and business acumen of Yoruba women who engage in in the tie and dye trade, cotton spinning, pottery, processing of the palm produce into oil and soap. Women also engaged in household production of crafts, petty trade, weaving, bead making, mat weaving, beer brewing, home economics and management; all of these starts early under the mother’s tutelage. At the early age of seven or eight, girls are already sent out to hawk various household commodities.

Yoruba women translated their economic power into political power as noted already. Specifically, it is important to note that at some point in the history of Yoruba kingdoms, a woman regent has reigned as the king. There are records of Yoruba women warlords and founders of kingdoms, i.e. Moremi (Olurounbi), who is said to have sacrificed an only child to save her people. The great kingdoms of Oyo, Ife, Ondo, Ekiti and Ijebu were all ruled at one point by a woman. It is not uncommon that within a variety of Yoruba cultures, a hierarchy of female chiefs existed. Most popular among the female titles includes; Iya Oba (The King’s mother), Ayaba (The Queen), Iya L’oja (women President in the market), IyaL’ode (women’s Prime Minister usually also on the king’s council).x At all levels, and for this point in pre-modern history, the Yoruba society had evolved in their understanding and respect for gender way beyond their contemporaries in Europe and North America.

Source: The International Journal of African Catholicism, Winter 2013. Volume 4, Number 1; Gender Issues Among the Yorubas

I think this is where Yoruba Muslims got reverring of mothers (I don't know if Hausas do that's why the reference to Yorubas)

@bold: very true.

bukatyne:


This clears up the women not holding 'most' positions stuff.

Is the writer saying women reigned as 'kings' not regents in ancient Yoruba & Hausa?

There is even Iyalode & Iyaloja

Baby124: please help confirm if they are same thing.

Iyaoloja is the head of the market women. Iyalode is the head of the women in the community. Both titles are elected or voted for by the women as their representative on the king's council. The Iyalode is mostly elected by the king though! But before her election she is a powerful woman and mostly a rich one with political clout in the community. I am not too sure if the roles are interchangeable. I would expect though that the Iyalode is the overall head of all women in the community. The Iyaoloja would probably be one of her advisors in her own court. You know they would deliberate and decide what they present to the king as pressing issues affecting women.

baby124:

Lol, @ rich men having more wives. That is interesting. It's not easy to feed a big family without money. It's sad that we let religion erode this beautiful culture. Very peaceful, tolerant and organized. Also quite advanced in the treatment of women.

I think it's illiteracy + religion + demonizing everything relating to our culture.

The ancient culture of Europe, Greeks etc were repressive of women which we absorbed without fine-tuning to suit ours when they brought 'religion'.

bukatyne:

This clears up the women not holding 'most' positions stuff.

Is the writer saying women reigned as 'kings' not regents in ancient Yoruba & Hausa?

There is even Iyalode & Iyaloja

Baby124: please help confirm if they are same thing.

Women never reigned as queens in ancient Yoruba/Hausa kingdom, nor did they hold any serious position. Even the few positions they held were by and large ceremonial as they exerted no real power.

Iyalode was a chieftaincy title conferred upon the most distinguished woman in the town, either due to her wealth or her husband's fame/wealth/influence.

Iyalode means queen of women.

Iyaloja is also a chieftaincy title that means head of traders.

bukatyne:


True

Just more of side chicks who shouldn't get preggers.

Parallel families are expensive these days.

Lol, the side chicks then considered themselves wives. Now it's a thing of shame. Not so much back then. They had as much right as the women in the house if they had kids for the man.

1bkaye:
Literature on gender roles before the advent of Islam in Hausaland is difficult to obtain. Empirical analyses of the role of women's activities in Hausaland are either weak or scanty. In all probability, more than half the history of Hausaland may have been lost before the encounter with the outside world of Islam and Europeans. Most of the accounts on the role of women before the adoption and spread of Islam are from oral and archaeological sources. Consequently, an analysis of the roles of Hausa women before Islam is a complex exercise. Such an exercise is, however, worth pursuing because it provides clues to the role of women and Hausa business rationality.

The most vivid accounts of high-ranking Hausa women are documented in the Kano Chronicle and the Infaq al-maisur of Sultan Bello. From these sources it is now known that many great women in Hausaland, such as the queens of Daura-Daurama and queen Amina of Zazzau held positions of leadership and played significant roles in patriarchal societies for many years. Historical accounts also provide evidence about the role of women in the Borno and Nupe kingdoms. What is probably factual is that, before the advent of Islam, women in Hausaland were not secluded. Rather, they held political and leadership positions.

Source: Nordic Journal of African Studies 10(1): 107-123 (2001);Entrepreneurs at Home: Secluded Muslim Women and Hidden Economic Activities in Northern Nigeria

I am expecting a poster on the Hausa stuff.

Onegai:


Puhlease, it was the common sense decision at that time. If only Stainless had known one of those boys in jumping trousers in University would end up as a governor... she still did well for herself and is a grandmother now.

The kind of nonchalant golddigging that used to go on in those days mehn, and it was called Common Sense. The one relative of mine who fell out of line (she was a beauty) and married a much-older "new religion" (pentecostal) middle income man rather than a young, fresh off the boat man (who ended up as a GCFR and wealthy), she was berated till her 60s. Though she seemed happy in her marriage.

Lol @ berated till 60s....

DarkRebel101:


Women never reigned as queens in ancient Yoruba/Hausa kingdom, nor did they hold any serious position. Even the few positions they held were by and large ceremonial as they exerted no real power.

Iyalode was a chieftaincy title conferred upon the most distinguished woman in the town, either due to her wealth or her husband's fame/wealth/influence.

Iyalode means queen of women.

Iyaloja is also a chieftaincy title.

Iyalode means mother/leader of women. The king had his queens who were the queens of all women. Both titles were never just chieftancy titles. They were and are still very powerful women! If they protest, they can sabotage a whole economy and bring a king to his knees financially. They were a very strong union of sorts.

Onegai:


Puhlease, it was the common sense decision at that time. If only Stainless had known one of those boys in jumping trousers would end up as a governor... she still did well for herself and is a grandmother now.

The kind of nonchalant golddigging that used to go on in those days mehn, and it was called Common Sense. The one relative of mine who fell out of line (she was a beauty) and married a much-older "new religion" (pentecostal) middle income man rather than a young, fresh off the boat man (who ended up as a GFCR and wealthy), she was berated till her 60s. Though she seemed happy in her marriage.

Lol! I won't knock anyone for their hustle, life is a gamble and it's their way of securing their future, shallow as it may be. Plus both genders do it tbh i.e. some men only wanting the most beautiful women etc

bukatyne:
@edwife:

Happy new year and thanks.


@Child birth: so when wife A put to birth and the man married wife B, was wife A expected to be celibate for the next two years to avoid pregnancy?


@Divorce : I am confused... court marriage is ancient times?

Happy new year, you are welcome.

-Yes

-No, customary court. The breaking and the forming of marital ties is less regulated than before. Husbands may simply turn away a barren wife who earlier would have been kept on, although, according to Guyer (1990), the wife might leave first to attempt to bear a child by another man. Wives also may leave a husband who cannot pay the rent. A man may bring a new wife into the home without prior warning, and wife-beating may ensue from these stresses. This sequence of observations highlights the preoccupation with lateral transfers of support noted by Guyer (1990).

DarkRebel101:


Women never reigned as queens in ancient Yoruba/Hausa kingdom, nor did they hold any serious position. Even the few positions they held were by and large ceremonial as they exerted no real power.

Iyalode was a chieftaincy title conferred upon the most distinguished woman in the town, either due to her wealth or her husband's fame/wealth/influence.

Iyalode means queen of women.

Iyaloja is also a chieftaincy title that means head of traders.

pls google efusetan aniwura the iyalode of ancient Ibadan.
don't display ur ignorance publicly.....
there was also a time a woman reigned as the alaafin of oyo......
also google regency in Yoruba land

edwife:
Economy

The pre-colonial economic activities in Igbo nation was characterized by women-driven
economic wheel. According to Nwanesi following F.K Ekechi, these women traded in various
kinds of agricultural products, ranging from palm product, yam, Cocoa-yam and so on. Some
Nigerian economists have noted that prior to the advent of colonialism; Igbo men regarded
Merchandise as women‟s occupation. Sequel to this, the money accruing from these
enterprises gave Igbo women the power to be independent and to provide them with material
needs (Nwanesi 2006; 33).
The advent of colonialism made the economic status of women insignificant. According to
Nwanesi, in a study of Ngwa people (an Igbo tribe), S.M. Martins maintains that colonialism
induced poverty on Igbo women by transferring economic power first to the colonizers and
more recently to the African men.

Gender and political participation

According to Adu, Judith Van Allen maintains that pre-colonial Igbo society was a “system
of diffuse authority, fluid and informal leadership; shared rights of enforcement, and more or
less stable balance of male and female power” (Adu; 42). She writes that though men and
women were regarded as equal, there was an inherent tendency to see women as
complementary to men.However, due to their enterprising nature and existence of gender
equality, women had equal influence on communal decision. They also had women forums
through which they influenced communal decisions. Just as the political authority of the
assembly of elderly men was recognized, so was the political authority of their female
counterparts (Adu; 43). In a situation where a man was found wanting, probably by beating
his wife or maltreating her in any way, the women forum would impose a curfew on him and
have him reported to the general assembly who would determine the adequate reparation or
punishment. According to Adu, in such a situation sometimes, the women could hold “sitting
on a man” kind of protest, in that the women could go to the offender‟s house from morning
till dawn, singing ridiculous songs and “calling his manhood into question” (Ibid; 45-46).
Van Alle further maintains that the general assembly which allows the participation of every
Adult member of the society was highly democratic. According to her, every adult, both male
and female was allowed to air her or his opinion and it would be taken, as far as it was
reasonable and resonates with a majority of the assembly. She supports her claim by quoting
an Igbo adage which says: “a case forbids no one” (Ibid; 43). However, the problem with this
sort of democracy is that decisions are hard to reach. Nevertheless, they were able to reach
decisions based on a simple majority.
The political culture of the Igbos could be theoretically described as dual-sex. Under this structure, women had their own governing councils…to address their specific concerns and needs as women. The councils protected women’s social and economic interests, and guided the community’s development. The dual symmetrical structure accorded immense political profile to women…The socio-political structure required and depended on the active participation of women in the community life. Their views were deemed critical, not because they were women, but because of the special insight they brought to issue by virtue of their spiritual, market and trading duties and their maternal roles.

The women’s council, also known as the Otu or Ogbo, was led by a woman usually called the Omu, who achieved her status on account of merit. Her roles included leading clan ceremonies, disciplining the women of the community, representing the female population at village meetings, and advising the women of the tribe. Women known as Ilogo advised the Omu. Together this group ruled the women of the tribe. However, when larger community meetings were held for important decisions, all the women of the tribe were expected to be present. Once there, every woman had one vote on the issue in question and the majority won. If a woman broke one of the laws of the council, the other women ostracized her until she repented. If a man broke one of the rules of the council, a ritual known as “sitting on a man” was performed


Women and families


A widow in Ibo society was well protected. As long as she did not remarry, her husband’s family was expected to help take care of her and her children. She also had the option to return to her motherland. If she did, her sons were able to go back to their father’s home to claim their property once they were grown.

In traditional Ibo society, motherhood was greatly respected. Women were respectfully called “the trees that bear fruit,” because the tribe knew that without women to bear children, there would be no future for the clan. New mothers were greatly pampered, receiving a month totally devoid of work after the birth of their child. The ideal number of children was seven, because seven meant completeness or perfection in the tribal culture. If a woman had more children she was considered exceptional. If a woman had ten children a celebratory ritual was held in her honor. After his ceremony, called igbu ewu ukwu, the woman was considered one of the blessed “queen of mothers” and gained great respect and status in the tribe.

source: women in Pre Colonial Nigeria and Maria Rojas '94 (English 32, 1990).

cc: cococandy

So where does the Umuada come in? Can't find it here

@Gender relations: Aba women's riot and J.P. Clarks' 'wives revolt' comes to mind.

@ancient Igbo wives were expected to earn; was the money theirs to play with? Did they contribute to the home?

@widowhood: hard to swallow. Nollywood & life stories say otherwise. What happens if a widow re-married?

What if a woman had less than 7?

I think I agree with S M Martins.

baby124:

Iyaoloja is the head of the market women. Iyalode is the head of the women in the community. Both titles are elected or voted for by the women as their representative on the king's council. The Iyalode is mostly elected by the king though! But before her election she is a powerful woman and mostly a rich one with political clout in the community. I am not too sure if the roles are interchangeable. I would expect though that the Iyalode is the overall head of all women in the community. The Iyaoloja would probably be one of her advisors in her own court. You know they would deliberate and decide what they present to the king as pressing issues affecting women.

Thanks a lot.

SIRTee15:

pls google efusetan aniwura the iyalode of ancient Ibadan.
don't display ur ignorance publicly.....

You are a simpletôn. Did Efusetan Aniwara reign as a queen?

there was also a time a woman reigned as the alaafin of oyo......
also google regency in Yoruba land

No woman ever reigned as the Alaafin of Oyo.

Here's the list of all the Alaafins: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rulers_of_the_Yoruba_state_of_Oyo

Now, point out a woman in that list.

DarkRebel101:


Women never reigned as queens in ancient Yoruba/Hausa kingdom, nor did they hold any serious position. Even the few positions they held were by and large ceremonial as they exerted no real power.

Iyalode was a chieftaincy title conferred upon the most distinguished woman in the town, either due to her wealth or her husband's fame/wealth/influence.

Iyalode means queen of women.

Iyaloja is also a chieftaincy title that means head of traders.

I wouldn't compare what is obtainable now to what happened then.

Will wait for edwife on the king part. I was surprised myself.

Never heard of female kings in Yorubaland.

Queen Mothers in Bini land had power and could influence who ended up being Oba. Idia, the Festac 77 mask, was one like that. Ask what "Iyoba" is, she was the protection of the Oba and the kingdom. Most Bini princesses and wives were powerful priestesses. The kind of juju they were expected to unleash...

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/pwmn_3/hd_pwmn_3.htm

baby124:

Lol, the side chicks then considered themselves wives. Now it's a thing of shame. Not so much back then. They had as much right as the women in the house if they had kids for the man.

Very true.

A funny prover.. obiririn to bi mo fun ni ti koja ale eni.

Children are esteemed by Yoruba no matter their source.

DarkRebel101:


You are a simpletôn. Did Efusetan Aniwara reign as a queen?



No woman ever reigned as the Alaafin of Oyo.

Here's the list of all the Alaafins: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rulers_of_the_Yoruba_state_of_Oyo

Now, point out a woman in that list.

u said women position in the kings court is largely ceremonial......
that's wrong.....
efusetan was a powerful iyalode who wielded immense influence....
Yoruba land had many powerful women in political council just like efusetan.....

Orompoto was a female alaafin of oyo who reigned in the 16th century.....
she even led her tributes to battle and built a wall around the kingdom....

edwife:


Happy new year, you are welcome.

-Yes

-No, customary court. The breaking and the forming of marital ties is less regulated than before. Husbands may simply turn away a barren wife who earlier would have been kept on, although, according to Guyer (1990), the wife might leave first to attempt to bear a child by another man. Wives also may leave a husband who cannot pay the rent. A man may bring a new wife into the home without prior warning, and wife-beating may ensue from these stresses. This sequence of observations highlights the preoccupation with lateral transfers of support noted by Guyer (1990).

Interesting although an older woman once said they had juju used for contraceptives

Yoruba believe in destiny and might think the barrenness was because they were not compatible and try their luck elsewhere.

SIRTee15:


u said women position in the kings court is largely ceremonial......
that's wrong.....
efusetan was a powerful iyalode who wielded immense influence....
Yoruba land had many powerful women in political council just like efusetan.....

Orompoto was a female alaafin of oyo who reigned in the 16th century.....
she even led her tributes to battle and built a wall around the kingdom....

That's right! I forgot about Orompoto

baby124:

Iyalode means mother/leader of women. The king had his queens who were the queens of all women. Both titles were never just chieftancy titles. They were and are still very powerful women! If they protest, they can sabotage a whole economy and bring a king to his knees financially. They were a very strong union of sorts.

Even the poorest and least consequential people in a nation can bring its economy to the knees if they come together as a group, and if there's coherence and oneness in their actions.

The fact remains that women were greatly marginalised in pre-colonial Yoruba kingdom. It's only for damage control that we cite examples of how the iyalodes and iyalojas can rally the people into rebelling against the Alaafin --- something that was never even recorded to have happened.

DarkRebel101:


Even the poorest and least consequential people in a nation can bring its economy to the knees if they come together as a group, and if there's coherence and oneness in their actions.

The fact remains that women were greatly marginalised in pre-colonial Yoruba kingdom. It's only for damage control that we cite examples of how the iyalodes and iyalojas can rally the people into rebelling against the Alaafin --- something that was never even recorded to have happened.

Ok, you are obviously saying things that you don't know. Telling complete lies out of envy and jealousy. Please don't bother quoting abeg.