FACULTY OF ART AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES
COURSE:
AFRICAN NOVELS
COURSE CODE:
ASSIGNMENT
QUESTION:
NAME: SADIQ SHUAIBU AHMED
UG/16/ENE/004
INTRODUCTION
Africa has produced a number of female authors who were, and still are, able to assert themselves as writers, both on a national and international scale. However, information on the lives and works of these authors are scant. At the same time, Africa is not a monolith and so some have critiqued any idea of "African feminism." There exist differences regionally, ethnically, politically, and in religion, which all work to impact how women conceptualize what feminism and freedom looks like for them. While African women from, for example, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Senegal will have some commonalities, there will be variations in the way they understand gender and gender struggles. Therefore, these varying cultures alter the way these African women experience the world. Thus, one cannot simply merge all woman under an unrealistic expectation of sisterhood, but instead to recognize and respect the differences that exist as a result of these diversities. There is a commonality to the struggles women face across the world since the common factor is male privilege.
Having said that, Zaynab Alkali's first novel, The Stillborn, is one of the examples of novels that can stand against the saying “feminist literature in Africa is nothing but a piece of propaganda” the novel concerned with gender inequality in The Stillborn which entails textual analysis. It highlights the recognition of women and the forms of discrimination, oppression and acts of injustice meted out to women in the Northern part of Nigeria.
The Stillborn sharply criticizes the sexism of traditional Nigerian society and the lack of roots in the new, city-based culture, while at the same time it praises the strength and determination of these three women who choose different paths into unhappiness and must find their own ways out.
I argue and refute the saying that feminist literature is nothing but a piece of propaganda and i use still born as a reference to my refutation with the following reasons which where stated in this novel and are found to be true and has happens not only in Nigeria but in the whole of Africa.
First let looks at the way she reflects her belief that it is essential that women throughout Nigeria even Africa be allowed and encouraged to fulfil their potential, if they are to make an effective contribution to the growth of our nation. In Zaynab’s novel, the character Li, is an example of a young maiden growing up in a Northern rural society, she has a dream to escape from the village to a life of luxury in the city. Li is unhappy and uncomfortable with life in the village. The life which her elder sister and so many other young girls have grown to accept. She shows her resentment in the (p. 3), words to her elder sister Awa.
Awa and other young girls who have not had the opportunity to school outside the local community have accepted the life as proper. Li on the other hand, has been exposed to life outside her village because she has lived a gay and free life in the primary boarding school. So when she came home for holiday, she complained that life in her father’s compound is worse than prison.
When you look at this statement we can recall and agree that this is the one of the major challenges that women faced in Africa whereby they cannot be allowed to go to school and acquire knowledge as their male counterparts because they are regarded as less benefit to the family rather they are considered as just house wives and can only stay at home to take care of the family.
Zaynab illustrates this in her novel, The Stillborn, when Li went out to a dance at night and broke the fence. When her father discovered, he was furious and wanted to beat whoever was responsible for the breakage. After much interrogation, before Li could own up, Sule her elder brother covered for her. He told his father that he was responsible. His father did not beat him, not just because of his age but what he stood for; ‘a male child’
Secondly, Some of the African girls without husband have no social status, besides that they will face mockery and be ridiculed by their neighbours. Life for them has meaning only when they attach themselves to men. Even when they have dreams, they do not work towards realizing their dreams, but wait for a man to help them. Whereby the man does not come, they wait and hope forever. Therefore, they have no identity of their own.
In Zaynab’s novel, The Stillborn, we see this happening in the life of Li and her best friend, Faku. Faku was very happy to tell Li that a man from the city is interested in her. Despite her love for the city, she knows that she can never get there except a man marries her and takes her there. Besides, only in that way will her parents allow her to leave the village. So for as long as she wants to live in the city, she has to marry Garba even if she knows that she does not love him. Besides, the Hausa or Northern maidens in Nigeria are not brought up to see love as relevant to marriage. Rather, they get married so that people do not ridicule them and their families. We noticed this in Faku’s words during the discussion of polygamy between Awa, Garba and Habu (p. 16). We also noticed that Garba was older than Faku; he is in his 30s while she is only a teenager. This is a normal situation in the afican society also in Northern society in particular.
When you take look at the above statement you can agree that this situation happens not only in Nigeria but also happens in other part of africa and it is the real thing that do happens to women and they have no objection towards it but to accept it and comply with it even if they don’t like it but for their own dignity and social status. This is also another reasons to refute the saying that “feminist literature is nothing but a piece of propaganda”
Thirdly, in Buchi’s novel The Second Class Citizen, Buchi tells us about another practice that was common with the Ibo people is treatment of a woman as if she were a property. When a man died, his brother inherits his wife along with the property. Buchi illustrates this in her novel, The Second Class Citizen. We were told that when her father died, her mother was inherited by her father’s brother. With these reasons we can also agree that the beauty of literature is used to imagine the world in which we live and to represent the image of woman correctly, and these stated that this kind of discrimination women faced in Africa also shows that female literature writers do use to state the fact is really happens in Africa and which cannot be regarded far from propaganda but as a real fact.
I also learn that in Ibo society when making decision, the women were not involved, even when the decisions were about them. This also is revealed in the novel, when Ada told Francis of her dream; that they should go to London. Francis and his parents discussed it without asking her consent. They decided that Francis should leave while she remains and continue to work to support the family.
This is another reasons that I can stand with and stand against the saying feminist literature in Africa is nothing but a piece of propaganda. Where by females are not considered to as useful in society or family and can never be regard when seeking advice or giving contribution.
CONCLUSION
Conclusively, this work shows that there are reasons that can be enough to refute the saying feminist literature in Africa is nothing but a piece of propaganda and we believe that those writers use to look at the real image of how life is going on especially to women in Africa also stresses the vehement animosity at the gender discrimination that is often found in the culture of African people. It is realized that, the female child should be educated so that she can be empowered. Also, women can live effective and fulfilling lives when they are empowered especially in African setting in order to be recognized. Zaynab Alkali’s The Stillborn also elaborate the inner development about women who manage to assert themselves despite the oppressive structures of Northern Nigeria and African society, brought recognition to the writer far beyond the borders of her region.
REFERENCES
Aiheva, P. (1998). Practical Approach to Literary Criticism, Nigeria: Publisher Ltd,
Alkali, Z. (1984). The Stillborn, Nigeria: Longman Nigeria Limited,
Bostock, E. (1973). Talking About Women, London: Wayland Publishers,
Emecheta, B. (1984). The Second Class Citizen, Great Britain: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., Glasgow,
Friedan, B. (1963). The Feminine Mystique, Great Britain, Victor Gollancz Limited,
Obbo, C. (1982). African Women, Hutchison & Co. Publishers Limited, 1980
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