₦airaland Forum

[b]To make my article realistic and more glaring, I will use a book of immense impact on the African sociology as my guide- "A WOMAN IN HER PRIME".

A BRIEF SUMMARY

---

IN THE SMALL GHANIAN VILLAGE OF BRENHOMA, POKUWAA,THOUGH A WOMAN,HAS BECOME A SUCCESSFUL FARMER.BUT TRUE HAPPINESS ELUDES HER: TO HAVE REACHED MIDDLE AGE WITHOUT CHILDREN IS CONSIDERED A GRAVE MISFORTUNE.SHE HAS EVEN FELT COMPELLED TO DIVORCED HER FIRST TWO HUSBAND. EVENTUALLY, THE MAN IN HER LIFE IS KWADWO WHO GREATLY LOVES HER FOR HER CHARM,SYMPATHY AND SWEET CONVERSATION.

ONE OF THE POSSIBLE THEME IS THE THEME OF PREDESTINATION. DESPITE THE BELIEF OF THE PEOPLE IN THE POWERS OF THEIR GODS ESPECIALLY TANO FOR WHICH POKUWAA WAS MADE TO UNDERGO ALL SORTS OF RITUALS IN ORDER FOR HER TO BEGET A CHILD,THE MOST SOUGHT -AFTER CHILD NEVER SURFACED. IT WAS ONLY AFTER SHE DECIDES TO GIVE UP ON HAVING A BABY THROUGH THESE SACRIFICES THAT SHE MIRACULOUSLY CONCEIVED A CHILD.THIS SHOWS THAT SOMETIMES WHAT WE STRUGGLE FOR ALL OUR LIVES ONLY COMES ABOUT WHEN WE ABOUT GIVE UP ON IT.

REFLECTIONS ON THE AFRICAN SITUATION

---

It is no news that Africa have no place for barrenness and delayed pregnancy even in any marriage. No matter How modern and evolved the society has become, the mentality remains.
The Igbo and Yoruba people are very particular when it comes to child bearing in a marriage and anything contrary to this is frowned upon.
The African man gives top priority to Procreation and some even go a step further by making imperative arrangements for a MALE child. An African man believes that his ability to give birth gives him a seat with his ancestors and the contrary is a curse and even a show of "unmanly existence'. Hence any woman or wife who cannot help him achieve this goal is Nothing to him but a tool of misfortune and hindrance to his sojourn.
The African society ensures that barren women or even delayed pregnancy is an abominable act and any lady found guilty should be removed from the circus of the living. THE book above portrayed Pokuwa as a lady of elegance, intelligence and charisma, yet life as a whole was hell for her because she couldn't give her husband a child. This means that the African society gives little concern to Women's essence and their personality and even integrity as human beings, instead They are concerned about their ability to produce a child. No matter How smart you are or How beautiful, if you can't conceive, then all are at waste.

The cruelty of African society on barren women goes beyond mention. It is a norm among African men (and even the women have come to accept it as a norm) that when a woman delays in conceiving or doesn't at all, more wives will be married with her or even replaced totally. And in a case Where the new wife gives birth upon arrival, then it is over for the first wife. This is a norm in Africa and this shows How cruel the continent have handled women.

In the Book, "A WOMAN IN HER PRIME", Pokuwa laboured day and night, going from one Herbalist to another, all in the bid to conceive and give birth, all to have a voice in the midst of her mates and for her to hold sway of her position in her husband's house. She could hardly live her life to It's full potential because of the burden and responsibility that comes with barrenness: social rejection, cultural alienation and all sorts of degradation. This is the plight of barren women in Africa and this has not stopped. It has even been remodeled.

Pokuwa in the book, surrendered at last and decided to Stop fighting for her place in the society and in her husband's Home, she resigned to fate and allow Nature take It's course. This is the stage Where most African women fail. Not all women have the resolute and stern attribute of Pokuwa, many women will allow the burden break and Mar them. Some will go for extreme measures like blood sacrifice and the sort, some might kill competitors or likely replacements. Some might even consider suicide, It's that bad.

A barren woman in the African context is no woman, infact, she is no human. She is but an object that must be replaced for the family name to survive. The African men and every one holding the treacherous belief that barrenness of any woman makes the woman useless, should have a rethink. Childbirth is not the essence of womanhood, it is not the goal of marriage and it is not a prerequisite for respecting women in today's society.

I am FREEMAN DAVID.
A Philosopher.[/b]

Nice one freemanan....

Cutehector:
Nice one freemanan....

Thanks Chief.
Cc lalasticlala Omotayor123 Dharniel Fratermarty teempakguy sonofananimal whynotthetruth Gurgle1 BlissB Obinoscopy

Your title is grammatically incorrect

Nairalanddiary:
Your title is grammatically incorrect

Help out sir.

Freemanan:
Help out sir.

Woman not women

Nairalanddiary:
Woman not women

Thanks. Corrected

Hmmm... I often feel pity for barren women And I pray God give them fruit of the womb soonest!

Their eyes they see in this African setting.

Good one but reconsider this; ..."And in a case Where the new wife gives birth upon arrival, then it is over for the first wife. This is a norm in Africa and this shows How cruel the continent have handled women".

I think whatever becomes of the first wife in case of first son coming from the second wife is subject to maturity & love of the husband as well as level of maturity & tolerance by her mate; not necessarily an African thing per say.

Whynotthetruth:
Good one but reconsider this; ..."And in a case Where the new wife gives birth upon arrival, then it is over for the first wife. This is a norm in Africa and this shows How cruel the continent have handled women".

I think whatever becomes of the first wife in case of first son coming from the second wife is subject to maturity & love of the husband as well as level of maturity & tolerance by her mate; not necessarily an African thing per say.

It is a pace that has been set sir. Most men now believe that if a concubine can conceive, then authomatically, she must be made permanent as a wife. Funny thing is this practice Seems to trample on love, these men sometimes receive pressure from Parents and family so They sometimes act on that and damns love.

Omotayor123:
Hmmm... I often feel pity for barren women And I pray God give them fruit of the womb soonest!

Their eyes they see in this African setting.

Yeah. Africa and her archaic thoughts.

Freemanan:
It is a pace that has been set sir. Most men now believe that if a concubine can conceive, then authomatically, she must be made permanent as a wife. Funny thing is this practice Seems to trample on love, these men sometimes receive pressure from Parents and family so They sometimes act on that and damns love.

I am not arguing whether it exists or not...just that it is not a general thing...it rather depends on individuals...

Whynotthetruth:
I am not arguing whether it exists or not...just that it is not a general thing...it rather depends on individuals...

Yes. Africa makes it an unbalanced equation... like 89 to 11...