Feminism In Distress: Africa in View

The new definition of feminism; the extinction of man.

From ancient times, women have always fought for their rights. Therefore, feminism is not a new concept.

From the colonial era down to this age, there has been a continuous call for equal opportunities to both genders. This doesn't mean that feminism started during the colonial era in Africa. It runs down to the eighteenth and nineteenth century where women from groups for promotion of woman's dignity and fight against women's abuse. Most of these groups are indigenous to different ethnic groups in Africa. For example, in Igbo land, daughters from the same kindred form the bulk of the group called UMUADA while women married to the same community are NWUNYEDI.

The fight for the equal rights of man and woman, however,grew intense after the independence of many African countries. Women came out en masse to curb the excesses of their male counterparts.

They questioned structures and systems imposed by culture, religion or man. 

Most of these women came through literature to tell stories about the oppression of women and the best way to stop the menace. One can say that the mother of African feminist literature is Flora Nwapa, the first female writer in Nigeria. However, the feminist movement became so fierce with the introduction of the likes of Buchi Emecheta,Mariama Ba, Bessie Head, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and other distinguished African feminists. These women has played a very huge role in bringing the dream of the African woman to life. African women gained opportunities in workplaces, politics, religion and different endeavours of life.

It is important to note that feminism didn't just exist in public spaces. It lived in families where women were treated like rags. In my novel, Shattered Dreams, the father of the protagonist,Chidiuto, is forced to marry a second wife due to his wife,Chika's inability to have a second child. On the wedding night, Chika couldn't sleep because of the moans and groans coming out of the room of Chidiuto and his newly wedded wife. However, when she manages to sleep, she feels a hand tearing the wrapper hanging loosely on her waist. When she manages to free herself from this hand, she discovers it is the groom and her supposed husband, Chidiuto, who is ready for another sex scene for the night. Chika, who is visibly angry,warns her husband to desist from seeing her as a sex object. "If this was how your ancestors lived, their mothers wouldn't live to breastfeed their new babies", she said. Despite pleas from the sexually active Chidiuto, Chika secures the knot of the wrapper tightly on her hips before going to bed.

Mainly, the motive of feminism was to remove the restrictions and stereotypes placed on women.

However,it is shameful to say that in this generation, there is a shift in the ideology of feminism in Africa. It is quite unfortunate that we keep bringing in ideas into our culture as Africans and at the end of the day, it will be catastrophic to our culture. And it will be another way of depicting the already "corrupt" Africa on the global stage.

It is quite unfortunate that the definition of feminism has changed overnight. The new definition of feminism; the extinction of man. 

With the use of social media, women now parade themselves as "social media feminists", thereby, propagating ideas that even Adam and Eve never thought about. Why won't they propagate ideas that contradict the African culture when everyone is producing contents? In a world where content creation equates financial stability, everyone wants to remain relevant and creative at the same time. And propagating empty feminist ideas is one of such ways.

Young girls rant on social media. They talk about how they will never stoop low to marry a man who is financially unstable. He must have houses, connections to political leaders, own latest luxury cars and yes, must also come from a widely connected and financially stable family. The amazing part is when they say that they will never contribute to family expenses, especially when the man becomes financially incapable. Of what use is your feminism when you cannot obey the principles of equality when you cannot support the man? What is the role of the woman in the family? Helper. However, these girls and women have chosen to be the dictators in their home.

And do you know that women have placed a rule on sexual activities? Firstly, any man they come in contact with must have a penis that is longer than a six inches nail. And this man must be able to last for a hundred hours! Sexual intercourse, which is supposed to be a union of hearts,has been limited to a one man activity. And there are many versions of this "feminist" idea on social media.

The scary part of all these feminist ideas is the dissolution of the institution of marriage. Now, young girls parade themselves as single mothers. They claim that marriage shouldn't be ideal for this generation. So, they stay single and have babies through whatever means within their reach.

Talking about single motherhood, I'm not trying to say that it is bad. Of course, there are people who remain single due to issues beyond their control. My problem is when this is used as a means of shaming men.

There is a growing trend of divorce cases in the world. Women get into marriage and seek for a divorce just to get payment for damages and child assistance.

 Whenever this issue of the change in feminism is raised,these girls drop quotes from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's viral Ted talk,"We Should All Be Feminists". However, they forget that the same Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie spoke against women who use feminism to judge wickedness.

Someone said and I quote,"if nothing is done about all this so-called civilization in the world,in the next thirty years,it will be a sin to be sane in an insane world".

If these "feminist" ideas keep flying, the next generation will be a disaster.

The real definition of feminism needs to be resurrected, which is, the equality of man and woman.

Chidera Onuoha,

Author of Shattered Dreams.

Nsukka, Nigeria.