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EVAIA: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS AND VALUES Volume 1, Number 1,  May, 2020 

 

Orji and Ekemezie                                                                                                                                                  Page 154 

 

FEMINISM: TOWARDS RESTORING THE DIGNITY OF IGBO 

WOMEN 

 

 

Orji, Francisca I. & Ekemezie, Uchenna G. 

Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu, Anambra State  

Email: orjifrancisca1@gmail.com; drekemezie@asubeb.gov.ng 

 

Abstract 

Women over the years have engaged in feminism activities against men and 

the society in general. This has brought untold consequences to the family and 

society we found ourselves today. In their fight against men oppression, they 

have thrown their roles in the family and society to the background and in 

exchange pursue power, fame, authority, and money instead. The biological, 

cultural and physiological roles of the women add value to our existence and 

these roles can be passed-on or transmitted irrespective of the status of 

women. Igbo women should see “dos” and “don’ts” hung on their neck as a 

means of enhancing sustainable and eternalizing woman dignity which helps 

every Igbo woman to understand the essence of motherhood as the significant 

roles in the home, such as caring for the children, home upkeep, cooking for 

the family, moral training of the children etc lie in the mothers. 

 

Keywords: Restoring, Dignity, Roles, Status, Igbo concept of a woman. 

 

Introduction 

Although, it is common to discuss women in the developing world as a unified 

group, this oversimplification ignores the complexity that characterizes 

developing countries. Old values, challenged by new values, continue to 

influence relations between men and women among themselves. In some 

Islamic Societies, some women insist on wearing a veil and yet others reject 

veiling. However, throughout the developing world, women are the principal 

initiators of changes that will improve their lives. Modernization and 

globalization are eroding cultural boundaries and weakening the control that 

some men, the government and some women exercise in an effort to maintain 

the status quo. According to Payne and Nassar (2006), access to education and 

economic opportunities has enabled many women in Asia, Latin America and 

Africa to develop a decree of social and financial independence that most 

women in the United States and other industrialized countries enjoy. Elias 

(2004) stated that the UN Development program created the gender 

empowerment measure (GEM) to focus women’s participation in economic 

and political activities. It also concentrates on gender disparities in 

government and economic opportunities. Global changes have not affected all 

women in the same way. Development has, in some cases helped to widen 

economic and social gaps among women. He however noted that rural women 



EVAIA: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS AND VALUES Volume 1, Number 1,  May, 2020 

 

Orji and Ekemezie                                                                                                                                                  Page 155 

 

and urban women do not necessarily face the same problems or opportunities. 

Furthermore, George (2003) explained that each country has its own traditions 

and policies relating to women. The differences make it difficult to generalize 

about women in developing areas. Nonetheless, there is wide spread 

agreement that women throughout the developing world are bringing about 

economic, social and political change, but the change should not be used to 

erode the value of women in the family and society which gives dignity to 

womanhood 

 

Roles of Women 

The roles of women can be looked at from biological, cultural and 

psychological perspectives. The most important and enduring consequences of 

industrialization for women has been the emergence of the modern role of 

house wives Payne and Nassar (2006). There is a mingle between biological 

and cultural role of women. Women are disadvantaged by their biology. 

Stromquist and Nelly (1998) stated that menstruation, the menopause and 

child birth are all physical burdens for women, but pregnancy and 

breastfeeding have the most serious social consequences. At these times, when 

women are pregnant or looking after infants, they are dependent on males for 

physical survival. Women dependence on men is increased by the long period 

during which human infants depend compared to the infants of other species. 

The interdependence between mother and child, and in turn their dependence 

on men, has been found in every society and it has influenced the psychology 

of every human being. Dependence on men produced unequal power 

relationships and power psychology. Ortner in Haralambos and Holborn 

(2000), argues that women are universally defined as closer to nature because 

their bodies and physiological functions are more concerned with the natural 

processes surrounding the reproduction of the species. (Payne and Nassar) 

these natural processes include menstruation, pregnancy, child birth and 

lactation processes for which the female body is naturally equipped. 

 

Women’s role is linked to the family; the family itself is regarded as closer to 

nature compared to activities and institutions outside the family. Thus 

activities such as politics, warfare and religion are seen as more removed from 

nature, as superior to domestic tasks, and therefore as the province of men. 

Oakley’s conclusions in Haralambos and Holborn (2000) stipulate that gender 

roles are culturally rather than biologically determined. The mother role is a 

cultural construction. In fact, women’s role in the society and community is a 

combination of biological and cultural factors. Women are universally 

oppressed and devalued. It is not biology that ascribes women to their roles 

and status in society, but the way to which every culture defines and evaluates 

female biology. 

 



EVAIA: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS AND VALUES Volume 1, Number 1,  May, 2020 

 

Orji and Ekemezie                                                                                                                                                  Page 156 

 

John Bowlby in Haralambos and Holborn (2000) examined the role of women 

and, in particular, their role as mothers, from a psychological perspective. He 

argued that a mother’s place was in the home, caring for her children, 

especially during their early years. Bowlby conducted a number of studies of 

juvenile delinquents and found that the most psychologically disturbed had 

experienced separation from their mothers at an early age. Many had been 

raised in orphanages, and as a result had been deprived of maternal love. They 

appeared unable to give or receive love and seemed compelled to adopt a 

career of destructive and anti-social relationships. He therefore concluded that 

it was essential for mental health that the infant and young child should 

experience a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with his mother. 

Bowlby’s arguments imply that there is a genetically based psychological 

need for a close and intimate mother-child relationship. Thus the role of the 

mother is firmly attached to the female. There is also socio-biological 

perspective of women’s role. Although all the arguments allow some variation 

in the way gender roles are played, none holds out much hope for those who 

seek to abolish them. 

 

Status of Women 
All members of society occupy a number of social positions known as 

statuses. Statuses are culturally defined, despite the fact that they may be 

bases on biological factors such as sex. Some statuses are relatively fixed and 

there is little individuals can do to change their assignment to particular social 

positions. Each status in society is accompanied by a number of norms that 

define how an individual occupying a particular status is expected to act. 

Thus, the status of a wife is accompanied by the role of a wife. 

 

Stromquist and Nelly (1998) explained that, women naturally have a lower 

status than that of men in most societies, including those in the industrialized 

world. Status refers to one’s position in the social, economic and political 

hierarchy. According to them, men are generally regarded as occupying a 

higher place than women occupy in the social system. These positions are 

largely socially constructed primarily by men. This means that society use 

subjective standards to determine who will have a higher or lower status. 

These standards are subjected to change as societies change. Tradition, 

religion, political and social beliefs, and economics determine status. Women 

in societies where religion does not play a dominant role generally have a 

higher status than women in countries where social relations are based on 

religion. As societies become more industrialized and as women are economic 

position is strengthened, the gap in status between men and women narrows.  

 

Traditional Igbo Concept of a Woman 

Igbo people in the past held Igbo women in a very esteemed and high position 

hence, the “dos” and “don’ts” hung on her neck. These “dos” and “don’ts” 



EVAIA: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS AND VALUES Volume 1, Number 1,  May, 2020 

 

Orji and Ekemezie                                                                                                                                                  Page 157 

 

were designed to enhancing sustaining and eternalizing women dignity which 

helps every Igbo woman to understand the essence of motherhood and the 

significant roles in the home that lie on them Udechuwku (2015). 

Unfortunately, because of the coming of the white men with their culture and 

civilization, there have been negative assumptions of Igbo people’s view 

about the Igbo woman. Consequently, most present-day Igbo women have 

neglected their duties as mothers, and are only after the positions to be shared 

with their male counterparts. 

 

Udechukwu (2015) also explained that over the years, people in various facets 

of the society have been entangled with much hues and cries concerning the 

falling standards of moral attitudes in the contemporary Igbo society. When 

one sits to give deep thought to this ugly situation, it is found that there is 

visible parameter that could be useful for substantiating the assertion. The 

parameter includes the increasing incessant violent crimes and some other 

unwholesome behaviors that are exhibited by the citizenry, it was only when 

the woman activists started preaching the dangerous sermon – “that what a 

man can do, a woman can do it better” that the traditional Igbo concept of 

women crumbled. 

 

Effects on the Family 

The family institution is regarded as the bedrock and cornerstone of society 

from which every individual developed his or her self concept through the 

acquisition of a set of socially constructed norms and behaviors that essential 

for survival. Women are often regarded as the mother of all living. Women by 

nature are programmed to reproduce and care for children and they are very 

essential to the well being of the children. Thus, a woman’s role and position 

in the family can be characterized as expressive in that she provides warmth, 

security and emotional support to the family. Her role is essential and 

effective in the socialization of the young children. It was observed that as the 

women’s movement turned fanatical and ugly in the 1960 and 70 the focus 

began to shift from reform and equal opportunity to hatred and abuse of men. 

Based on Gottfried (2001) theory, it was discovered that the feminist leaders-

humorless, militant, pugnacious, and angry with their particular lot in life, 

launched programs that were anti-God, anti-capitalism, anti-family, anti-birth, 

anti-heterosexual and fostered a virulent hatred of anything having to do with 

males. They no longer wanted to equalize the status of women, but instead 

wanted to irreversibly alienate women from men and vice versa. Home and 

traditional family values are no longer accepted answers to the questions, 

“Who am I?” and “What am I here for?” The pre-eminent purpose for some 

women has become their careers, and they decided against the value of home 

and family. This has resulted to divorce, abortion, lesbian rights and all 

worthless practices among women which to them are preferable to their duties 

and values to the family and society. Gone are concerns about equal pay, 



EVAIA: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS AND VALUES Volume 1, Number 1,  May, 2020 

 

Orji and Ekemezie                                                                                                                                                  Page 158 

 

assertiveness, and expressing one’s individuality. In their place are women 

ensconced in bitterness, hatred and resentment. They certainly do not want 

males to be able to exercise any control over them. They don’t need men to be 

happy. With men being precluded from the ultimate decision-making process 

regarding the future of life in the womb, they are reduced to their proper 

inferior role. Women were liberated from the home, liberated from their 

authority. Children were liberated from limits, from rules, even their parents. 

And the entire population was liberated from moral and ethical standards. Yet 

it turns out that those things were precisely what held society together. 

“Family values” have been so scorned that the societies are left with neither 

families nor values. Militant feminists and extreme feminism have been a 

force for social evil as it has destroyed much. Gay marriage is equally linked 

to this too. 

 

Conclusion 

Women should go back to bases to restoring particularly the dignity of Igbo 

women. Women’s roles are assigned to them by God and described by the 

society they find themselves. It is not men’s oppression on them nor their 

suppression and taking advantage of them. Failing in these roles means 

disobedience to God the creator of all things. Most surprisingly, some of these 

women struggles are organized under church(es). what an irony? 

 

Women’s struggles for human rights often position them in opposition to 

family and social networks where their roles and rights have been defined. 

However, because of the sanctity of the family; they should not choose to seek 

empowerment and freedom which sets them against their kin. It is crucial to 

find ways for women to be protected as individuals against abuses. Doing so 

should not mean that the family will be undermined as an important social 

institution. Family is the place where individuals learn to care, to trust and to 

nurture each other. The law should protect and privilege that kind of family 

and no other. 

 

 

REFERENCES 

Elias, J. (2004) Fashioning inequality. Burlington, Vt: Ashgate. 

 

George, E. (2003). ”Eurafricans in Western Africa: Commerce, Social Status, 

Gender, and Religious Observance from the sixteenth to the 

eighteenth century”. West African Studies. Athens. Ohio University 

Press. 

Gottfried, P. (2001). Trouble with feminism.LewRockwell.com. 

 

Haralambos, M. &Holborn, M. (2000).Sociology. Themes and perspectives 

5th Ed, London: Collins Educational Publishers. 



EVAIA: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHICS AND VALUES Volume 1, Number 1,  May, 2020 

 

Orji and Ekemezie                                                                                                                                                  Page 159 

 

Payne, J.R. &Nassar, J.R.(2006). Politics and Culture in the developing 

world.The impact of globalization. Illionis, U.S.A. Pearson Longman. 

 

Stromquist, & Nelly, P. (1998) “Roles and statuses of women” In Nelly, P. 

Stromquist, ed. Woman in the Third World. New York. Garland 

Publishing. 

 

Udechukwu, G. I. (2015). Women and Politics: The Igbo example. Nkpor: 

Brystevand Publishers.  

 


