SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF FEMINISM IN IKA NATION OF DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Ika communities are culturally patriarchal and so, have had traditional practices that are discriminatory against women. The research seeks to examine the socio-cultural aspects of feminism in Ika nation of Delta State, Nigeria. Women grew up to meet these entrenched cultural norms and beliefs and ignorantly accepted them as natural. With education and modernisation, however, it became clear that some traditional practices are burdensome to women in Ika nation. The persistent patriarchy and ingrained cultural practices continue to hinder progress in the nation. Through a combination of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, and using Cultural Relativism as the theoretical framework, the study finds out that only some of the unfavourable cultural norms against women have been abolished, while some others like female genital mutilation, right to inheritance and access to full political participation and to economic
resources have to be completely addressed to better the lives of Ika women. The study concludes that through advocacy, improved girl child education, women access to land and property inheritance as well as access to financial resources, Ika women would be freer from masculine domination. The article recommends that Ika feminists should fight for equal opportunities for all irrespective of gender in order to ensure increased growth in the land.