The Igbo Woman…🤩
… (My response to the viral topic on Igbo Women)
IGBO WOMEN are known to be so kind and caring. They deeply love, support and take care of their husbands, children and relations. They do not just take care of their own biological children; they also take care of other children around them especially those that are kept within their care.
In the Igbo traditional society, a mother sees every child in sight as her child. Igbo women seem to be more caring than their men. Igbo mothers are quite accommodating, emotional and hospitable and have stronger bond with their children. They are extremely caring, nurturing and good cooks.
Economic and Supportive Role: No man can raise a legitimate family in the Igbo custom without a woman. Before it becomes a family, there shall be one or more women who shall be foundational in the establishment of the household. In the olden days, Men who want to be rich and influential marry two or more wives in order to raise many children who will support in farm work and other economic activities. An individual with large family, coveted social or traditional titles and large yam ban is considered to be successfully wealthy in Igbo traditional society.
In Achebe’s Novel, Things Fall Apart… The intimidating success of Nwakibie was made possible by the contributions of his numerous wives, who primarily gave birth to his children, nurtured them and greatly contributed to the economic activities that helped to enhance his high towering status in the society. It is in this light that the people would always say that “beside/behind every successful man, there is a woman”. Women in this regard help in the reproduction of children that form the bulk of workforce of the family which helps a man to attain enviable economic and social status in Igbo traditional societies.
IGBO WOMEN also contribute to the economic wellbeing of their families by engaging in honest means of livelihood. In villages, Women are deeply involved in the agricultural practices as they plant crops, tend animals and weed the farms as at when due. In the cities Igbo women are taken up careers and beating their male counterparts in male dominated profession like Law, Engineering and Medical fields.
IGBO WOMEN are not lazy or indolent; they are trained by their mothers to work hard and support their family. Igbo women can also fend for themselves and their children when their husbands seem not to be working hard enough or providing for the family. Igbo women support their husbands and contribute immensely to the economic wellbeing of their families.
Bridge Building Roles: Women in the Igbo traditional society are bridge builders. They connect one family, kinship and community to another through marital relationships. People who want to form allies or become part of a certain community or family do this through marriage relationships. As the Igbo would say “ogobuikwu” (in-law is kinsman). For political, economic, social or religious reasons a man may decide to go into a particular kindred or family and marry so that he can become part of the family. The family of the woman or the woman herself can also accept to marry a particular man of her choice for similar reasons.
Another important role of women in Igbo culture is their supportive role of providing succor and solace to their children through maternal family background. Though Igbo women are married out to other families and societies, they are still integral members of their nee and birth families. They are the great UMUADA of the Igbo traditional culture. The position of the woman as a member of her family of origin is not just recognized for ages, but extended to their children irrespective of where their mother got married and gave birth to them. There is an Igbo adage that says “Osochuwanwataebe a muruya, yaagbagaebe a murunneya” (if a child is being hunted among his kinsmen he runs to his maternal kinsmen).
Igbo largely traces patrilineal decent, but in a situation a person’s life is threatened or at risk among his kinsmen, he seeks refuge and safety with his maternal kinsmen. In Igbo land, it’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s hut.
A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland. In his motherland, He will be supported with the basic necessities of life for survival. He and his household will be happily welcomed, given lands and treated like one of them. He will not experience any form of discrimination or prejudice from his maternal people. Rather, his mother’s kinsmen will help him to build for himself and his family. This underlines the meaning of the Igbo name “Nneka” (mother is supreme).
The place of the mother in the Igbo religious culture is of fundamental value. This is a position that man cannot afford except on the basis of maternal relationship. It is in this light that it is reiterated that “because womanhood is associated with life, sympathy, protection and affection, a woman is looked upon as the final refuge whether she is alive or dead”. Like a hen protects its chicks against all forms of harm, irrespective of the place and position of their father, so does a mother protect her children in Igbo traditional culture. A woman’s role as a mother is institutionalized in Igbo traditional society and a man is naturally protected by it.
Therefore, IGBO WOMEN build bridges and bring succor especially to their children when their paternal kinsmen fail them. I can go on and on and on but let me stop here.
My name is AWELECHUKWUKAUMEMMA and I am a very PROUD IGBO WOMAN. 🤩🥰😍
#AweleChukwukaumemma💞#ProudlyIGBO🥰
