AFRICAN FEMALE WRITERS AND THE RISE OF FEMINISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

written by Andrew Patience (AP)

In Africa, there has been a popular misconception over the years about ‘feminism’. It had often been regarded as a western concept, but African women, particularly writers have continuously redefined this concept to suit their own purposes. This in turn is influencing African women and women around the globe.

Feminism like any other human concept has a history. Traditionally, it could be divided into three waves. The first wave of feminism dates back to the nineteenth and early parts of the twentieth century. This does not mean that feminism or the feminist movement did not exist prior to this time.

In Africa, the rise of feminism dates back to the early twentieth century with the rise of women like Adelaide Casely-Hayford, the Sierraleonian women right activist referred to as the ‘African Victorian feminist’, with other women such as Charlotte Maxeke of South Africa, Huda Sharaawi of Egypt who established the ‘Egyptian Feminist Union’ in 1923, Lilian Ngoyi, Margaret Ekpo and Nigeria’s Funmilayo Anikulapo-Kuti amongst others. These women fourth against colonialism, patriarchy often through protest.

Modern feminism was coagulated during the landmark UN decade for women in

1975-1985 which resulted in feminist activism and scholarship spreading across the continent. Since then, African feminism has developed in policy, legislation, scholarship and also in the cultural realm. Feminism in Africa has to do with grassroots or cultural activism as well as intellectual activism with issues relating to poverty reduction, violence prevention and reproductive rights as well as lifestyle, popular culture, equality of the sexes, media, art and culture.

Today, African feminist scholars, activists, artists, politicians and particularly writers are at the forefront of using activism, knowledge and creativity in changing issues and situations that affects African women negatively.

In Africa, one cannot talk about feminist writers without going back to history to study the first African feminist writer, Mariama Ba of Senegal. She is the author of ‘So Long a Letter’ and Scarlet Song. Her book ‘So Long a Letter’ has been regarded by scholars as the first truly African feminist book as it describes the woman’s condition in an African and Muslim society. The book explains the place of women in society, the effect of polygamy on women and the clash between modernism and traditions.

Mariama Ba, at an early age observed in her society how women were unequally treated and how they were just used as tools to satisfy and work for their husbands who have not just them but other wives. She began to question some of these things. She struggled to go to school because the society she found herself did not believe that a girl child should have any form of formal education. She later got married to a member of parliament but divorced him and she was left to cater for their nine children. Her frustration with the fate of African women and her perception of it was what motivated her to write her first book ‘So Long a Letter.’ Mariama Ba felt that African people should reduce the deleterious impact of their culture. Her works have inspired lots of female writers in Africa and she for created a platform for other female writers to air out their displeasures about society by using the art.

In the twenty first century, writers such as the Egyptian novelist, essayist and physician Nawal El-Saadawi have done greatly in addressing issues affecting women in North Africa. Her works majors on the oppression of women and desire for self expression, paying particular attention to the practice of female genital cutting which has caused so much damage to a good number of female children. Her books have been banned in Egypt and some other Arab countries. Yet her persistence and determination has not reduced in any way as she continues to write books and articles addressing various negativisms against women in Africa. In her book ‘Women at Point Zero’ Nawal El-Saadawi writes ‘‘They said, ‘‘You are a savage and dangerous woman.’’ I am speaking the truth and the truth is savage and dangerous.’’

Another African writer who is using her art, articles, interviews and paper presentations in addressing feminist issues in Africa, particularly Nigeria is the young novelist and poet Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She also feels that the concept of feminism has been misunderstood; she uses her observance of society and personal experiences in addressing feminist issues. According to her, a feminist is ‘‘A man or woman who says yes, there is a problem with gender as it is today and must fix it and must do better.’’

Adichie in buttressing her point as a feminist decided she would preferred to be addressed as a ’miss’ and not a ‘Mrs’ although married. She feels that what is regarded as culture or norms has affected how
women see themselves in Nigeria, she went on to argue that the issue of virginity should not be overemphasised to just the female child but also to the male child.

She identified the wrongs that have become rights in the Nigerian society simply because few people have been able to challenge these wrongs. She gave a practical example of how she and a male friend called Loiu went to an establishment in Lagos and a man offered to park her car and afterwards, she offer him tip. But the man turned to Loiu and said ‘Thank you sir.’ Loui turned to Adichie and asked ‘why is he thanking me, I didn’t give him the money.’’ Realization dawned on Loiu that the man thought ultimately that Adichie’s money must have come from a man.

Her works have gained recognition internationally and she has continuously and tirelessly talked about women liberation and equality of the sexes in Africa.

Another writer worthy of note is the poet with roots in Uganda’s mountain, Jessica Horn. Horn has committed her creative and professional life in exploring the experiences of women and advocates
for the respect of women rights. As a women right consultant, Jessica Horn is a founding member of ‘African Feminist Forum and lead author of the BRIDGE cutting Edge Pack on Gender and social movement. Also as co-editor of ‘Our Africa on open Democracy 50.50,’ she has written several articles in spreading her message and beliefs of how women should be seen, treated and respected in society. She is of the opinion that the real catalyst for women liberation is not by force or discourse but by the revolutionary power of love.

One may ask, what is the relationship between literature and feminism? Literature is a tool for self expression and with the liberation of some sort of women to study any course of their choice has helped
in exposing and enlightening women of their intellectual capacities, creativity and confidence in addressing issues that affects their total liberation in one way or the other.

Women have now been allowed to participate in governance and other sectors of the society while some have chosen to become writers, sharing their experiences, creativity in fiction and maximising their intelligence towards positive contributions in society. It is therefore no surprise that many African female writers are using the medium to seek and pursue their own purposes in the equality of the sexes and the total liberation of the female gender from any form of society’s subjugation over them.