On thursday February 18,2016, the Recreation Ground, Epe was charged with excitement when the Olokun Festival Foundation, the culture promotional arm of Oodua People's Congress championed by Otunba Gani Adams hosted the third edition of Grandmother's Festival.
The event according to Otunba Adams is dedicated to applaud and extol the virtues of women. The carnival like festival was quite educative and entertaining. On the centerstage was Alhaji Shefiu Alao, the fuji music star who Adams described as the king of Yoruba culture based music considering is depth of knowledge on tradition and culture of the Yoruba race dominant in his music. Some cultural troupes also added spice to the event
In the opening speech by Otunba Adams, he said "This festival is held to celebrate our women. They are our mothers and have been empowered by the Almighty with special spiritual authority to oversee the affairs of men in the world. "
"Though, as a result of ignorance, some people have wrongly labeled women as the weaker sex. But nothing can be farther from the truth this shallow argument. The truth is that women are stronger than their men counterpart, especially in spiritual matters."
"If you look very well, you would see that most successful societies in the world are those that give women a special preference in the order of importance. It is therefore not surprising that there is visible prosperity in countries like the USA and UK, where women are treated with much respect."
"Unknown to ignorant people, women form part of the instruments God uses in carrying out his plans for humanity. For example, if you see anybody that is tormented by witches, it is because God allows it to happen, either as a punishment for that person or to teach some lessons which may never have been learnt if that thing did not happen"
Below is the speech of the guest lecturer
ROLE(S) OF WOMANHOOD IN TRADITIONAL YORUBA RELIGIONS AND SOCIETIES: A CRITICAL RESPONSE
DANOYE OGUNTOLA-LAGUDA, PhD
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIONS AND PEACE STUDIES,
LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO
INTRODUCTION
The general perception concerning womanhood in Africa is that women are suppose to belong to the kitchens and home where they are to make babies after warming the bed of men. This is true in the opinion of western scholars on African notion of womanhood. They see nothing positive emerging from the black continent. The basic thinking is that African women are witches, housewives, petty traders, child bearers, potters and farmers who contribute nothing to the growth and development of the nation and their immediate society. Therefore they cannot be celebrated. The question therefore is: Can these claims be true? My sincere response is NO. My intention in this presentation is to respond to the critical question of who is a woman. Or put in another way, what is womanhood? I shall locate my response(s) to these questions within Yoruba Traditional Religion (YTR) by analyzing the traditional concept of womanhood. I will then proceed to discuss the modern concepts of womanhood within the post modern theory of feminism. The presentation shall conclude with the roles of women in traditional religions and societies with particular emphasis on the Yoruba people. However, we need for academic purpose understand the basic concepts of Traditional Religion and its practices in typical Yoruba society like Lagos.
DANOYE OGUNTOLA-LAGUDA, PhD
DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIONS AND PEACE STUDIES,
LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, OJO
INTRODUCTION
The general perception concerning womanhood in Africa is that women are suppose to belong to the kitchens and home where they are to make babies after warming the bed of men. This is true in the opinion of western scholars on African notion of womanhood. They see nothing positive emerging from the black continent. The basic thinking is that African women are witches, housewives, petty traders, child bearers, potters and farmers who contribute nothing to the growth and development of the nation and their immediate society. Therefore they cannot be celebrated. The question therefore is: Can these claims be true? My sincere response is NO. My intention in this presentation is to respond to the critical question of who is a woman. Or put in another way, what is womanhood? I shall locate my response(s) to these questions within Yoruba Traditional Religion (YTR) by analyzing the traditional concept of womanhood. I will then proceed to discuss the modern concepts of womanhood within the post modern theory of feminism. The presentation shall conclude with the roles of women in traditional religions and societies with particular emphasis on the Yoruba people. However, we need for academic purpose understand the basic concepts of Traditional Religion and its practices in typical Yoruba society like Lagos.
African Traditional Religion in Lagos
African religion is, just like any other things that emerge from Africa which has been labeled by early European writers (such as Emile Ludwig, A.B. Ellis, P.A. Talbot, Leo Frobenius) with degrading terminologies. Some of these terms that have now been jettisoned include, primitive, native, tribe, savage, ancestor worship, animism among others. These submissions might have come out of their ignorance which could be a product of the problems that have often retarded objective study of African Religion. These include the secret nature of African Religion, the demography of African continent, lack of written scriptures and dearth of depository (of “sources”) of African Religion. In spite of this situation, scholars such as Talbot, Parrinder, Ellis, Smith, etc made notable contributions to the development of the formal curriculum for the study of African Religion.
African religion is, just like any other things that emerge from Africa which has been labeled by early European writers (such as Emile Ludwig, A.B. Ellis, P.A. Talbot, Leo Frobenius) with degrading terminologies. Some of these terms that have now been jettisoned include, primitive, native, tribe, savage, ancestor worship, animism among others. These submissions might have come out of their ignorance which could be a product of the problems that have often retarded objective study of African Religion. These include the secret nature of African Religion, the demography of African continent, lack of written scriptures and dearth of depository (of “sources”) of African Religion. In spite of this situation, scholars such as Talbot, Parrinder, Ellis, Smith, etc made notable contributions to the development of the formal curriculum for the study of African Religion.
Features and Characteristics of ATR
There are basic characteristics of African Religion that set it apart from other religions on the continent especially Christianity and Islam. African Religion has no founder that could be pointed to as the source or origin of its theology and philosophy. It is a religion that developed out of the culture and traditions of the people. It lacks basic written scriptures such as Quran, Bible, Veda or Upanishad. It relies heavily on oral scriptures that are embedded in the mind and memory of the people. Oracular divinities are available to guide the people on tenets, doctrines and theology of African Religion when consulted. African Religion is also non-evangelical. The patrons of its theology do not engage in conversion process. They contest no space with other religions on the continent. However, because many Africans on the continent and even in its Diasporas were born into the religion, they use its ethics, and values for their political, economic and social engagements.
There are basic characteristics of African Religion that set it apart from other religions on the continent especially Christianity and Islam. African Religion has no founder that could be pointed to as the source or origin of its theology and philosophy. It is a religion that developed out of the culture and traditions of the people. It lacks basic written scriptures such as Quran, Bible, Veda or Upanishad. It relies heavily on oral scriptures that are embedded in the mind and memory of the people. Oracular divinities are available to guide the people on tenets, doctrines and theology of African Religion when consulted. African Religion is also non-evangelical. The patrons of its theology do not engage in conversion process. They contest no space with other religions on the continent. However, because many Africans on the continent and even in its Diasporas were born into the religion, they use its ethics, and values for their political, economic and social engagements.
P.A. Talbot, writing about African Religion in Nigeria, informs that “The religion of the inhabitant of southern province of Nigeria would appear to be compounded of four main elements; viz polytheism, anthropomorphism, animism and ancestor worship” (Talbot: 1973). Although we might agree with Talbot that there are elements of anthropomorphism, polytheism (with regards to the pantheon) and animism in African Religion, it will be wrong to refer to it as ancestor’s worship as this only form one of its major beliefs. The Belief System in African Religion could be broadly categorized into two: Major and Minor Beliefs. The former gives meaning and value to the latter. These are: Belief in God, Divinities, Ancestors, Spirits, Magic and Medicine. The minor beliefs are derived based on the major beliefs. These include but not limited to belief in death, life after death, judgment day, morality, good work, social interactions, respect for human life etc.
As suggested by Paul Talbot, for any theistic religion to qualify as religion, it must have God as the Supreme Being at the centre and in fact God should be the focal point of such traditions. Thus, African Religion is based on the acceptance of the existence of Supreme Being that controls the affairs of all creatures having created them just like He created every other thing. However, some western scholars are convinced that Africans have no concept of God.
A.B. Ellis claimed that Africans borrowed the concept of God from Christian and Muslim missionaries that visited the continent to propagate their own traditions. Emile Ludwig, one of these scholars posits: “How can untutored Africans conceive of God? How can this be? Deity is a philosophical concept which savages are incapable of framing” (Kayode: 1984, 34).
As suggested by Paul Talbot, for any theistic religion to qualify as religion, it must have God as the Supreme Being at the centre and in fact God should be the focal point of such traditions. Thus, African Religion is based on the acceptance of the existence of Supreme Being that controls the affairs of all creatures having created them just like He created every other thing. However, some western scholars are convinced that Africans have no concept of God.
A.B. Ellis claimed that Africans borrowed the concept of God from Christian and Muslim missionaries that visited the continent to propagate their own traditions. Emile Ludwig, one of these scholars posits: “How can untutored Africans conceive of God? How can this be? Deity is a philosophical concept which savages are incapable of framing” (Kayode: 1984, 34).
The positions of the European writers was informed mainly by the apparent fanatical devotion of Africans to the divinities, the absence of obvious place of worship (such as cathedrals of the Christian’s west and minarets of the Muslim), lack of written revelation of God etc. However, a good understanding of African culture will reveal that Africans worship the Supreme Being through Divinities as a mark of honour, fear and respect. Further, the transcendental nature of God makes it impossible for him to be confined to space since he is also Omnipresent. It is obvious that some of the degrading comments made on the African concept of God is due mainly to the presumptuous notion of the early writers (arm chair and traveler scholars) who are used to monotheistic religion like Judaism, Christianity and Islam. To the people, God is a reality that is invisible but whose greatness is incomparable to any other being. Some of the attributes of God are: transcendence, judge, creator, benevolence. The belief in God is the bedrock upon which African Religion rests.
The belief in Divinities emanated from African conviction that God in the creation process created some incorporeal beings to assist him in the theocratic governance of the world. They are conceived as children, messengers, agents and lieutenants of God. It should be noted that the belief in the divinities even though a common feature in African relation varies from one society to another even in the terms use in calling or referring to them. The Yoruba of Nigeria refer to them as Orisa, while Akans of Ghana call them Abossom. Africans use the divinities as media through which God can be reached. Consequently in their worship system the divinities play prominent roles. The relationship that exists between the divinities and the Supreme Being is a manifestation of African social orientation and culture where old age and authority are venerated. Africans find it difficult, if not impossible, to approach God directly, but rather through intermediaries – Divinities.
The belief in Divinities emanated from African conviction that God in the creation process created some incorporeal beings to assist him in the theocratic governance of the world. They are conceived as children, messengers, agents and lieutenants of God. It should be noted that the belief in the divinities even though a common feature in African relation varies from one society to another even in the terms use in calling or referring to them. The Yoruba of Nigeria refer to them as Orisa, while Akans of Ghana call them Abossom. Africans use the divinities as media through which God can be reached. Consequently in their worship system the divinities play prominent roles. The relationship that exists between the divinities and the Supreme Being is a manifestation of African social orientation and culture where old age and authority are venerated. Africans find it difficult, if not impossible, to approach God directly, but rather through intermediaries – Divinities.
The belief in Ancestor also form an integral part of the belief system in African religion. This is based on the philosophy of the people that death is not often the end of human existence. Also there is the possibility of life after death. Based on these beliefs the cult of the ancestor emerged. Africans beliefs in their ancestors who they contend are still relevant to their well being here on earth. Consequently, the general belief that communion and communication are possible between the death and the living and the former has the power to influence or molest the latter. However not all that die will become ancestors. For anyone to qualify for the honor s/he must die at good old age, procreate; contribute to the growth and development of the society. They must also die peacefully and not due to the wrath of any divinity or antisocial activities. The prominence given to ancestors in the African religion has made scholars such as Talbot to erroneously conclude that the religion could be called ancestral worship.
The last two of the major beliefs are spirits and magic and medicine. The former are incorporeal beings that are conceived to have supernatural powers that could aid human aspirations and agitations. The spirits uses natural phenomena as their abode. These include hills, mountains, trees, rocks, or oceans etc are some of the natural habitat. The attempt to control nature to do man’s will may have informed the African belief in magic. Medicine on the other hand demonstrates the appreciation of natural objects to confront the challenges posed by ailments to man. These ailments could be physical or spiritual. Herbal formulae could be used to cure or prevent the “physical” ailments while metaphysical ailments need intervention of spiritual agents like the divinities and ancestors as well as diviners for efficiency. Interestingly, it is these pharmaceutical products that are now being used as tools for negotiation for space by patrons of African Religion in pluralistic environment like Lagos. The belief system in ATR necessitated the worship of God through the media of the divinities. And these worships are sometimes express within groups.
The last two of the major beliefs are spirits and magic and medicine. The former are incorporeal beings that are conceived to have supernatural powers that could aid human aspirations and agitations. The spirits uses natural phenomena as their abode. These include hills, mountains, trees, rocks, or oceans etc are some of the natural habitat. The attempt to control nature to do man’s will may have informed the African belief in magic. Medicine on the other hand demonstrates the appreciation of natural objects to confront the challenges posed by ailments to man. These ailments could be physical or spiritual. Herbal formulae could be used to cure or prevent the “physical” ailments while metaphysical ailments need intervention of spiritual agents like the divinities and ancestors as well as diviners for efficiency. Interestingly, it is these pharmaceutical products that are now being used as tools for negotiation for space by patrons of African Religion in pluralistic environment like Lagos. The belief system in ATR necessitated the worship of God through the media of the divinities. And these worships are sometimes express within groups.
Idowu describes a typical worship mo of God (Olodumare) among the Yoruba of Nigeria as follows:
The ritualistic worship offers to Him takes place in the open. The worshippers make a circle of ashes or white chalk and the circle symbolizes eternity libation of water in poured on the circle. At the centre of the Circle, kolanut is placed on white cotton by a priest. He takes the kolanut and slips it and holding the values firmly between the hollows of his palms; he stretches them up and prays to Olodumare offering the kolanut. The priest then cast the kolanut values within the circle. Often a white fowl or pigeon is offered in the same way (Idowu: 1996, 123)
The chief priest is in charge of this ritual that is performed every morning on behalf of Oni of Ife and all Yoruba people. This process is however “dying” out as the Yoruba societies are now becoming cosmopolitan and sophisticated. However, there are still private worship, communal worship, group worship etc. The conditions of worship are clear to all adherents of the religion. Ceremonial cleanliness and purity of heart are very necessary condition for worship. During worship worshippers seeks forgiveness of sin and protection from God and his agents. They also seek material and spiritual blessing. Thus, it is observed, that the process of worship in African religion is to show devotion to God through adoration, admiration and love for His role in their lives. The process of worship involves invocation salutations, prayers for forgiveness of sins and materials as well as spiritual blessings. Women are involved in the practice of the religion of their fore bearers in all ramifications. This is an observation that is based on the study of the involvement of female gender in the liturgies, doctrines, ethics and morality of African
Religions in Lagos.
In Lagos South-West Nigeria, there are three dominant religions. These are: Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion (ATR). These three religious traditions and epistemologies engage women in their rituals, liturgies, doctrines and ethics.
However, the engagements of the women in these traditions are more obvious in Islam and Christianity. In Christianity, for example, women are involved in the choir (song ministries) of many denominations. Some are ordained as pastors and given leadership responsibilities in the church. In three churches visited by this writer during the course of my study of women involvement in Religion in Lagos (2014) there are women Organizations and Associations. At All Saints Church, Yaba (a parish of Anglican Communion), Women Associations such as Young Women Christian Association(YMCA), Christ Women Fellowship (CWF) and Mothers Union(MU) to mention a few are visible on guide. The formation of the Women Associations is to engage this gender in church activities and also to give them opportunity to look inward.
Interaction with some women in the church shows that they are happy with church activities. In fact, All Saints Church organizes social events for female members to assist them in economic and social engagements that will enhance the viability in the society as a whole. Seminars, workshops and vocational trainings are organized in this regard.
Islamic groups in Lagos engage their women in Tafsir retreats and skill acquisition programs are put in place to empower women. NASFAT, QUAREEB and NADFATS, to mention a few of such Islamic Pentecostal groups are very active in such empowerment programmes. For example women are part of the employees at a beverage manufacturing company of the group. The point we are making here is that in all religious in Nigeria engage women in all their activities. It is therefore not correct to claim that women in Lagos and by extension Nigeria(and African) have negative perception and understanding. We shall now examine the involvement of women in African Traditional Religion (ATR).
Women in Traditional Religion and Society
A typical African society is made up of male and female gender. And it normal that every member of such society has roles to play in its social, economic, religious and political engagements. It should be stated here that our society is patrilineal. That is it dominated by men and women only play second fiddle. This may be the reason why the political, economic and religious status of women is viewed with contempt and scorn. In Yoruba tradition, women are to be their husband helpers. They are “to be seen but not heard” According to Dopamu and Awolalu(1979: 288) “Traditionally, in every home, the man is the head; he owns not only the house but also all that is contained therein, including the women” The implication of this quotation is that women form part of man’s wealth and a man can use his wealth as he deem fit. In some Yoruba societies (like Egabado land) women are not allowed to eat on the same table and time with their husband. They are also to kneel down when they talk and serve food and drinks to their spouse. A woman during her monthly period may not prepare food for her husband as she is considered to be impure. Such impurity may reduce the medicinal power of their husband. In opinion, in many traditional worship setting, women “assumed” impurity has led to discrimination as men presides over worship and liturgies of groups while women play subsidiary roles. This is the case in Osugbo, Amukala, Ogboni and Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. The exceptional case in my experience is in Ijinla Fraternity (Awo Opa) where women have their own spiritual enclave and have leadership roles as expressed in the offices of Iya Agan and Adurofo. According to Arinze (1970:73), writing about the Anang Ibibio;
Women are entirely excluded from being Eze-Alusi (the spirit chief). They are not allowed to enter the innermost parts of the shrine and are forbidden to touch certain idols……Possible local exceptions could be found when it is only a question of family cult of the spirits. Thus elderly women could at times make sacrifice directly to their personal chi behind the holes in their house.
This is clear demonstration of restrictions placed on women in Ibibio communities in South East Nigeria.
In Yoruba land, women are often seen and conceived as a gender that cannot keep secrets as they gossip a lot. As a result women are always secluded or restricted in religious rituals that required secrecy. On such occasions only men are allowed to participate in such rituals. Among such rituals and festivals that exclude women in Yoruba land are: Oro, Egungun (limited restrictions), Agemo, Eluku among others. The general saying in the Oro cult is: Bi obirin fi oju kan oro, oro agbe (if a women sees oro, oro shall devour or kill her). Based on the above we can argue that men in Yoruba societies use their physical power and social position(s) and assumed spiritual superiority to suppress women in religious participation. However, scholars’ observations over the years are that there are more women in religious congregations than men. Further they are more pious and zealous than men in religious engagements as they carry more of the domestic problems than their male counterparts. In the opinion of Dopamu and Awolalu:
She carries pregnancies for nine months and she is hedged round with innumerable taboos. She knows the problem she encounters before, during and after child birth and the different crises she faces from the teething period of her baby to adolescence…..she depend on consulting the diviners and medicine men, offering prescribed sacrifices, taking the prescribed herbs and doing all that was necessary to be done to relate well to the ancestral spirits
These discriminating tendencies against women in our clime perhaps could be the reason why people think that women in our understanding and conception are mere figures and numbers without value. Scholarship in the west (America and Europe) considered African women as negative elements that deride social value(s) of the society as they engage in gossips, witchcrafts and other wicked acts that are derogatory and hinder human developments and growth. In spite of the discriminatory attitude of men to women in our societies in Nigeria especially in religious matters, women still play significant roles in Yoruba land both in religious and social-economic engagements. We shall now highlight and discuss these roles.
The chief priest is in charge of this ritual that is performed every morning on behalf of Oni of Ife and all Yoruba people. This process is however “dying” out as the Yoruba societies are now becoming cosmopolitan and sophisticated. However, there are still private worship, communal worship, group worship etc. The conditions of worship are clear to all adherents of the religion. Ceremonial cleanliness and purity of heart are very necessary condition for worship. During worship worshippers seeks forgiveness of sin and protection from God and his agents. They also seek material and spiritual blessing. Thus, it is observed, that the process of worship in African religion is to show devotion to God through adoration, admiration and love for His role in their lives. The process of worship involves invocation salutations, prayers for forgiveness of sins and materials as well as spiritual blessings. Women are involved in the practice of the religion of their fore bearers in all ramifications. This is an observation that is based on the study of the involvement of female gender in the liturgies, doctrines, ethics and morality of African
Religions in Lagos.
In Lagos South-West Nigeria, there are three dominant religions. These are: Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion (ATR). These three religious traditions and epistemologies engage women in their rituals, liturgies, doctrines and ethics.
However, the engagements of the women in these traditions are more obvious in Islam and Christianity. In Christianity, for example, women are involved in the choir (song ministries) of many denominations. Some are ordained as pastors and given leadership responsibilities in the church. In three churches visited by this writer during the course of my study of women involvement in Religion in Lagos (2014) there are women Organizations and Associations. At All Saints Church, Yaba (a parish of Anglican Communion), Women Associations such as Young Women Christian Association(YMCA), Christ Women Fellowship (CWF) and Mothers Union(MU) to mention a few are visible on guide. The formation of the Women Associations is to engage this gender in church activities and also to give them opportunity to look inward.
Interaction with some women in the church shows that they are happy with church activities. In fact, All Saints Church organizes social events for female members to assist them in economic and social engagements that will enhance the viability in the society as a whole. Seminars, workshops and vocational trainings are organized in this regard.
Islamic groups in Lagos engage their women in Tafsir retreats and skill acquisition programs are put in place to empower women. NASFAT, QUAREEB and NADFATS, to mention a few of such Islamic Pentecostal groups are very active in such empowerment programmes. For example women are part of the employees at a beverage manufacturing company of the group. The point we are making here is that in all religious in Nigeria engage women in all their activities. It is therefore not correct to claim that women in Lagos and by extension Nigeria(and African) have negative perception and understanding. We shall now examine the involvement of women in African Traditional Religion (ATR).
Women in Traditional Religion and Society
A typical African society is made up of male and female gender. And it normal that every member of such society has roles to play in its social, economic, religious and political engagements. It should be stated here that our society is patrilineal. That is it dominated by men and women only play second fiddle. This may be the reason why the political, economic and religious status of women is viewed with contempt and scorn. In Yoruba tradition, women are to be their husband helpers. They are “to be seen but not heard” According to Dopamu and Awolalu(1979: 288) “Traditionally, in every home, the man is the head; he owns not only the house but also all that is contained therein, including the women” The implication of this quotation is that women form part of man’s wealth and a man can use his wealth as he deem fit. In some Yoruba societies (like Egabado land) women are not allowed to eat on the same table and time with their husband. They are also to kneel down when they talk and serve food and drinks to their spouse. A woman during her monthly period may not prepare food for her husband as she is considered to be impure. Such impurity may reduce the medicinal power of their husband. In opinion, in many traditional worship setting, women “assumed” impurity has led to discrimination as men presides over worship and liturgies of groups while women play subsidiary roles. This is the case in Osugbo, Amukala, Ogboni and Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. The exceptional case in my experience is in Ijinla Fraternity (Awo Opa) where women have their own spiritual enclave and have leadership roles as expressed in the offices of Iya Agan and Adurofo. According to Arinze (1970:73), writing about the Anang Ibibio;
Women are entirely excluded from being Eze-Alusi (the spirit chief). They are not allowed to enter the innermost parts of the shrine and are forbidden to touch certain idols……Possible local exceptions could be found when it is only a question of family cult of the spirits. Thus elderly women could at times make sacrifice directly to their personal chi behind the holes in their house.
This is clear demonstration of restrictions placed on women in Ibibio communities in South East Nigeria.
In Yoruba land, women are often seen and conceived as a gender that cannot keep secrets as they gossip a lot. As a result women are always secluded or restricted in religious rituals that required secrecy. On such occasions only men are allowed to participate in such rituals. Among such rituals and festivals that exclude women in Yoruba land are: Oro, Egungun (limited restrictions), Agemo, Eluku among others. The general saying in the Oro cult is: Bi obirin fi oju kan oro, oro agbe (if a women sees oro, oro shall devour or kill her). Based on the above we can argue that men in Yoruba societies use their physical power and social position(s) and assumed spiritual superiority to suppress women in religious participation. However, scholars’ observations over the years are that there are more women in religious congregations than men. Further they are more pious and zealous than men in religious engagements as they carry more of the domestic problems than their male counterparts. In the opinion of Dopamu and Awolalu:
She carries pregnancies for nine months and she is hedged round with innumerable taboos. She knows the problem she encounters before, during and after child birth and the different crises she faces from the teething period of her baby to adolescence…..she depend on consulting the diviners and medicine men, offering prescribed sacrifices, taking the prescribed herbs and doing all that was necessary to be done to relate well to the ancestral spirits
These discriminating tendencies against women in our clime perhaps could be the reason why people think that women in our understanding and conception are mere figures and numbers without value. Scholarship in the west (America and Europe) considered African women as negative elements that deride social value(s) of the society as they engage in gossips, witchcrafts and other wicked acts that are derogatory and hinder human developments and growth. In spite of the discriminatory attitude of men to women in our societies in Nigeria especially in religious matters, women still play significant roles in Yoruba land both in religious and social-economic engagements. We shall now highlight and discuss these roles.
Women in Worship:
John Onaiyekan(1983:35) writing about the Owe people of Kwara state, Nigeria mentioned the role of women in the traditional religion of the people. Even though the religion is dominated by men, Onaiyekan observes that:
Women who are initiated into an esoteric and deeply religious society, involving periodic and authentic spirit possession. They are considered the ‘wives’ of the ebora and unlike other women who have no active in the ebora cult, they have some specific part to play in the worship of the ebora(35)
In the Atinga cult in Ojo Local government, women play prominent roles in the liturgies of the group. They are known as Aberewa and go into spirit possession during worship. Female deities are also noticeable in the cult. They include; Juru, Sheshereshe mammy and Akonshi among others. It should also be noted that most water spirits in Yoruba pantheon are female deities. They include Osun, Oya, Olokun and Olosa. The leaders of worship in their cults as obvious in the case of Osun- Osogbo are women. Similarly Dopamu and Awolalu(1979: 292) identified in Osi-Ekiti women actively participates during the annual Olua festival- fertility worship. In this case women are the leaders. During the Oke Ibadan festival, the Aboke(a male) normally dress like a woman. This arguably signifies that the priest is symbolically a female. In some prominent traditional groups there are liturgical roles for women as earlier mentioned. Such is the case of Adurofo and Iya Agan. The two leads worship among women in their conclave.
Women as Medium:
In some parts of Yoruba land women play the role of spirit medium. They experience spirit possession and therefore act as link between human beings and the celestial world. They acts in this instance as mouth pieces for the deities that possess them. Under such ecstatic moments (during dances, music and drumming) women perform feats that they cannot perform under normal circumstances with spirit possession. Through these media spiritual messages are delivered to devotees from the spirit world. This is also the case during healing rituals in the Atinga cult earlier mentioned.
Women as Diviners and Healers:
In recent time women are very active in the application of traditional healing methods and processes. So set up healing home and traditional clinics and centres for the cure of numerous diseases. Such was the case of Mama Leader (Mrs. Adenike) in Shomolu area of Lagos. She sells fertility drugs for both women and men with remarkable patronage between 1980 and 2005. Such therapeutic medicines alleviate psychological and physical discomforts that people may have in area of common ailments. Some of such women in this regard utilize a combination of divination and healing to bring assurance to the disturbed persons and restoration of health to the invalid. They consult oracles, prescribe sacrifices and give herbs to their clients and patients. At popular Oyingbo, Jankara and Shomolu markets, we have women that are involved in the sale of herbs, roots, barks and leaves. They also engage in gynaecology and obstetrics services.
Women in Special Services:
Writing about the roles of women in the worship of Orinlase in Ilawe- Ekiti, T.A. Ilesanmi(1996:5) observes that women engaged in cleaning services, singing and dancing during worship. In his words:
Women are spice of religion. They are more sentimental than men folk, committing themselves unreservedly to all the demands of liturgy, especially where there is no prohibition for their taking any role in the religious drama. They put up their best in dress, in body decoration, in recitation, chanting and singing, in choreography, twisting their bodies in a warm boneless fashion to raise their spirit high to the level of the divine……
The above is a clear manifestation of the roles of women in traditional religion and the society
ConclusionJohn Onaiyekan(1983:35) writing about the Owe people of Kwara state, Nigeria mentioned the role of women in the traditional religion of the people. Even though the religion is dominated by men, Onaiyekan observes that:
Women who are initiated into an esoteric and deeply religious society, involving periodic and authentic spirit possession. They are considered the ‘wives’ of the ebora and unlike other women who have no active in the ebora cult, they have some specific part to play in the worship of the ebora(35)
In the Atinga cult in Ojo Local government, women play prominent roles in the liturgies of the group. They are known as Aberewa and go into spirit possession during worship. Female deities are also noticeable in the cult. They include; Juru, Sheshereshe mammy and Akonshi among others. It should also be noted that most water spirits in Yoruba pantheon are female deities. They include Osun, Oya, Olokun and Olosa. The leaders of worship in their cults as obvious in the case of Osun- Osogbo are women. Similarly Dopamu and Awolalu(1979: 292) identified in Osi-Ekiti women actively participates during the annual Olua festival- fertility worship. In this case women are the leaders. During the Oke Ibadan festival, the Aboke(a male) normally dress like a woman. This arguably signifies that the priest is symbolically a female. In some prominent traditional groups there are liturgical roles for women as earlier mentioned. Such is the case of Adurofo and Iya Agan. The two leads worship among women in their conclave.
Women as Medium:
In some parts of Yoruba land women play the role of spirit medium. They experience spirit possession and therefore act as link between human beings and the celestial world. They acts in this instance as mouth pieces for the deities that possess them. Under such ecstatic moments (during dances, music and drumming) women perform feats that they cannot perform under normal circumstances with spirit possession. Through these media spiritual messages are delivered to devotees from the spirit world. This is also the case during healing rituals in the Atinga cult earlier mentioned.
Women as Diviners and Healers:
In recent time women are very active in the application of traditional healing methods and processes. So set up healing home and traditional clinics and centres for the cure of numerous diseases. Such was the case of Mama Leader (Mrs. Adenike) in Shomolu area of Lagos. She sells fertility drugs for both women and men with remarkable patronage between 1980 and 2005. Such therapeutic medicines alleviate psychological and physical discomforts that people may have in area of common ailments. Some of such women in this regard utilize a combination of divination and healing to bring assurance to the disturbed persons and restoration of health to the invalid. They consult oracles, prescribe sacrifices and give herbs to their clients and patients. At popular Oyingbo, Jankara and Shomolu markets, we have women that are involved in the sale of herbs, roots, barks and leaves. They also engage in gynaecology and obstetrics services.
Women in Special Services:
Writing about the roles of women in the worship of Orinlase in Ilawe- Ekiti, T.A. Ilesanmi(1996:5) observes that women engaged in cleaning services, singing and dancing during worship. In his words:
Women are spice of religion. They are more sentimental than men folk, committing themselves unreservedly to all the demands of liturgy, especially where there is no prohibition for their taking any role in the religious drama. They put up their best in dress, in body decoration, in recitation, chanting and singing, in choreography, twisting their bodies in a warm boneless fashion to raise their spirit high to the level of the divine……
The above is a clear manifestation of the roles of women in traditional religion and the society
In this presentation, I have examined the roles of women in religion and society using basically the Yoruba examples. It is clear from our discussion so far that the Yoruba people do not conceived women as negative and repulsive member of the society like some people in the West wants us to believe. We observed that women are very important and instrumental to the survival and continuity of the society through procreation. Although our cosmology, cosmogony and theology suggest that women play supporting role(s) for men, their spiritual and social and economic values cannot be over emphasized. Even in modern conception of feminism (womanhood), it is clear that women are still trying to block the gap in the space between them and their male counterparts. In the post colonial Nigeria the roles of women in our society are very minimal. However as observed in recent times women such as Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Senior Special Assistant to the President(SSA) on Foreign and Diaspora affairs, Minister for Finance among others are doing great in their engagements. In the immediate past administration women were also prominent in our political clime. Even in agitations women are not left out. I wish to end here by saying that the Yoruba nation need to encourage our women to come to the fore to contest for political “spaces” with their male counterparts. In the current war on corruption by the current administration NO woman have been taken to court for stealing our “common wealth”. It is therefore very important to join the United Nations (UN) and Odua People’Congress (OPC) to celebrate womanhood as we do today. The government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Federal and states) should set aside a day to celebrate the female gender.
additional report via nigeriaireporte
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