Current issue

In 1827, Richard Lander (a European explorer) stated that Alafin (the king of the Oyo Empire) had 2,000 wives. But these women were not necessarily wives; they were wives of past kings, wives of the present king, wives of men in Alafin’s lineage and female slaves and relatives. This article aims at unravelling the strategic roles of women as wives in the palace and society, with a view to explaining the nature of African womanhood. The article examines the roles of women as wives in the precolonial Yoruba society of Southwestern Nigeria. Understanding the roles of these women lends credence to the fact that Yoruba women’s power was manifested in the traditional political system and reflected in the social and economic development of the palace and community. This work contends that the role of women as wives indicates power and powerlessness in the context of gender roles, with nuanced narratives about gender and interconnectedness with patriarchy and masculinity. It is significant as it adds to the knowledge of gender and power dynamics in Yoruba societies before colonialism. Furthermore, it justifies the assertion that African women should be studied based on their realities, devoid of foreign interpretations alien to the peculiar features in Nigerian societies. Therefore, it explains the features of African womanhood. Accounts of European explorers, works of anthropologists and oral traditions complement the historical analysis.