Woman to woman marriage had been documented in more than 30 African populations,
including the Yoruba and Igbo of West Africa, the Nuer of Sudan, the Lovedu, Zulu and Sotho
of South Africa, and the Kikuyu and Nandi of East Africa, 39 despite the existing notion that same
sex relations were alien to Africa.

Typically, in Igbo land such arrangements involved two women undergoing formal marriage
rites; the requisite bride price was paid by one party as in a heterosexual marriage. The woman
who paid the bride price of the other woman became the sociological 'husband'. The female
husband was the sociological father of any resulting offspring. The children belonged to her
lineage, not to their biological father's. They belonged to the patrilineal obi (homestead)and had
inheritance rights accordingly. To this end, the concept of female husband was an instrument for
the preservation and extension of patriarchy and its traditions

1 This is true in view of the eclectic nature of these concept in modern times
2 Oral Interview: Eno Blankson Ikpe, Professor of History, University of Uyo Nigeria,
02/10/11
3 Chinweizu, “Gender and Monotheism: The Assault by Monotheism on Africa gender
Diarchy” in Sophie Oluwole (ed.) The Essentials of African Studies General African Studies,
University of Lagos, 1997, p 16.
4 Corinne Kumar D’Souza, “The South wind: Towards New Cosmologies,” in Harcourt, Wendy
(ed.), Feminist Perspectives on Sustainable Development. London & New Jersey: Zed Books
Ltd., 1994, p. 92.
5 Chinweizu, 1997, cited above, p. 21.
6 Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, London: Heinemann, 1958.
7 Uzoma Onyemaechi, “Igbo Political System,” University of Michigan Ann Arbor, 1999
8 S. C. Nwagbara, “The Pre-colonial History of Orlu,” BA history project, University of Lagos,
1985, p82.
9 A. E. Afigbo, Ropes of Sand: Studies in Igbo History and Culture, University Press Ltd, 1981,
p136.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12
“Igbo Beliefs and Religious Thought” in Columbia Encyclopedia: at
http://www.answes.com/topic/ibo. (Accessed 06/06/08).
13 Ibid.
14 V.C, Uchendu, The Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria. NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965,
p.50.
15 Academic dictionaries and encyclopedias available
at http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/10765) (Accessed 06/11/2010).
16 History of Lesbianism, available at http://en.lesbianas.tv/history-of-the-lesbianism.htm
(Accessed 06/11/2010).
17 Ibid
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid.
20 Academic dictionaries and encyclopedias, available
at http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/10765(Accessed 06/11/2010).
21 History of Lesbianism, cited above.

"Sexual Behavior and Selected Health Measures: Men and Women 15-44 Years of Age,
United States, 2002". Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/ National Center for Health
Research.
23 Oral interview: Nze Livinus Njemanze, (78 years) Ezeogba Emekuku Owerri, Imo State,
Nigeria. 29/06/2010.
24 Oral interview: Mrs. Juliana Nwoko, (82 years) Nwoko’s Compound, Egbelu Agbala Owerri,
Imo State, Nigeria. 28/07/2010.
25 For more see Ifi Amadiume, Male Daughters, Female Husbands: Gender and Sex in an
African Society London: Zed Books Ltd, 1987.
26 Oral interview: L.C. Dioka (67 years) from Obetiti Ngwuru, Mbaise, Imo State, at the
University of Lagos, Nigeria, on 29-11-07.
27 William N. Eskridge jnr., “A History of Same-Sex Marriage,”Virginia Law Review, Vol. 79,
No. 7, 1993, p.1420.
28 Oral interview: Dioka L.C. (65 years) from Obetiti Ngwuru, Mbaise, at the University of
Lagos, Nigeria, 29/11/07.
29 I. R. Emefiene, The History of Ubulu People, with Special Searchlight on Ubulu-Uno, (self
published) 2006, p.218.
30 V. C Uchendu., The Igbo of Southeastern Nigeria, NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965,
p.89.
31 Kenneth C. Nwoko,, “A Socio-Political History of Emekuku from the Earliest Times to 1900”
a special BA project, Department of History, University of Lagos Akoka, Lagos
June,1999,p.24.
32 This is a cultural practice in Igbo land reserved only for men
33 Ifi, Amadiume, Male Daughters, Female Husbands: Gender and Sex in an African Society
(London: Zed Books Ltd, 1987), p.52.
34 I. Chukwukere, “Individualism. An Aspect of Igbo Religion” in J.C. Echeruo and E.N.
Obiechina (eds.) Igbo Traditional Life, Culture and Literature Owerri: Couch Magazine Ltd,
1971, p.111.
35 Ibid.
36 Ogbomo. W. Onaiwu, “Women, Power and Society in Pre-colonial Africa,” Lagos Historical
Review A Journal of the Department of History and Strategic Studies University of Lagos,
Vol. 5, 2005, p.57.
37 Ibid.
38 Oral interview: Mazi K.A, Igbo (58 years) Obibi-Ezena Owerri Imo State, Nigeria. 07/10/07.

J.M, Carrier and S.O. Murray, “Woman-woman marriage in Africa,” in Murray S.O and
Roscoe W. (eds.) Boy-wives and Female Husbands: Studies of African Homosexualities New
York: St. Martin's Press 1998, p.255.
40 Wayne, Dynes, “Homosexuality in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Unnecessary Controversy.” Gay
Books Bulletin 9, 1982, p.20.
41 Murray S.O and Roscoe W. (eds.) Boy-wives and Female Husbands: Studies of African
Homosexualities New York: St. Martin's Press 1998.
42 Oral interview: Mr. Ola Famude, doctoral candidate, Dept of History and Strategic Studies
University of Lagos,(66 years) Igbo Egunrin, Ondo State, Nigeria.01/11/07.
43 Ibid.
44 C.A. Dime, “God: Male, female or Asexual?” Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies, xvii,
1, (June 1985)p. 43.
45 Ifi Amadiume, Male Daughters, Female Husbands: Gender and Sex in an African Society
London: Zed Books Ltd, 1987, p.189.

BeeBeeOoh:
As for me & my fone, we not get comment..

olapluto:
What is this new wave of falsifying history to justify homosexuality? The stories are not at par with the culture of these tribes.

shachris:


How really? you mean that women do not marry women in yoruba or even igbo land till this day?

dustydee:

Do the women engage in sexual activities with each other? Or is the marriage symbolic?

Young03:
Damn too long

shachris:


Yes, the marriage is very symbolic. As symbolic as the 'husband' being paid any rite a male husband is to be paid. Whether they engage in sexual activities should be a matter for public consumption. Sexual activities especially in Nigeria is always practiced in private.

olapluto:

Symbolic in the sense that the women were trying to pass messages across. More like women revolution, while there is nothing sexual about these relationships.The women therefore cannot be called homosexuals. They are not sexually attracted to women. In the specific case of 'Lagidigba', the women decided to have their own government, as a defiance to male dominance.
To now intreprete this as homosexuality or gay marriage is deliberate distortion. The same kind of distortion of the story of Sodom and Gomorah.

shachris:


i never mentioned homosexuality. i am talking about gay marriages which is defined as 'marriage between partners of the same sex (as recognized in some jurisdictions)'

Gay marriages are being perpetrated in Africa. And that is a fact. And you cannot say for certain that there is nothing sexual about the relationships.

olapluto:

You must think our ancesstors were using bamboo tree as Love Machine. I am 100% certain that there are no sexual relationships in these marriages. It is not as if women come together to marry. It is more like they come together to form a society, a group.
The foundation of African believe is tied to procreation. This then extrapolates to marriage between the man and the woman.

somegirl1:
You can't refer to those sort of arrangements as gay marriages. There was absolutely nothing sexu-al about them.
They were symbolic, same as marriage in absentia which is still practiced.
Homosexuality has never been a part of Igbo culture, I can't speak authoritatively for other cultures.

shachris02:


gay marriage is very different from homosexuality.

somegirl1:

What is your understanding of the term "gay"?

shachris02:


Google gay marriage and show me the definition you get. stop acting daft.

somegirl1:


Thought I quoted by someone capable of having an intellectual discussion hence my bothering to reply the first.
I haven't your time.