Has Feminism Changed Women’s Realities in Africa? An Interrogation of the Poems of Ogundipe and Shire
Journal of Education, Humanities & Science (JEHS),
Vol. 11 No. 3 (2022): ndomba
Abstract
African feminist movements of the 1960’s marked the starting point of debates from
the origin of feminism in Africa to its impact on women and the society at large.
Literature has from the go been used as a vehicle to reflect the life and its vicissitude
on African women. African women writers have used literature as a platform to
challenge and re-imagine gender relations within their societies and the continent as a
whole. Yet, the question arises: despite half a century’s worth of literary production,
has the reality of women, as reflected in literature, changed? This paper thematically
interrogates the collection of poems by Molara Ogundipe-Leslie, Sew the Old Days and
Other Poems published in 1985, in comparison to Warsan Shire’s Teaching My Mother How
to Give Birth of 2011. Both poets are renowned for depicting current issues faced by
women and their struggles in patriarchal systems. A thematic analysis allows for the
inference of change: do these poets address the same struggles, or has almost thirtyyear difference brought about discernible changes?
Keywords
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)BibTeX
- Ekpa, A. A. 2000. Beyond Gender Warfare and Western Ideologies: African Feminism for the 21st
- Century. In Ernest Emenyonu (Ed.), Goatskin Bags and Wisdom: New Critical Perspectives on African
- Literature. (Pp. 27–38). Africa World P.
- Friedrich-Ebert, S. 2017. Feminism in Africa: Trends and Prospects: Report of the International Workshop
- on Political Feminism in Africa. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/ mosambik/ 13795.pdf.
- Guy-Sheftall. 2003. African Feminist Discourse: A Review Essay. Agenda: Empowering Women for
- Gender Equity, 58: 31–36.
- Kolawole, M. M. 2002. Transcending Incongruities: Rethinking Feminism and the Dynamics of
- Identity in Africa. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, 54: 92–98.
- Mangena, O. 2003. Feminism (Singular), African Feminisms (Plural) and the African Diaspora. Agenda:
- Empowering Women for Gender Equity, 58: 98–100.
- Nfah-Abbenyi, J. M. 1997. Gender in African Women’s Writing; Identity, Sexuality and Difference. Indiana
- University Press.
- Norwood, C. 2013. Perspectives in Africana Feminism; Exploring Expressions of Black Feminism/
- Womanism in the African Diaspora. Sociology Compass, 7/3: 225–236.
- Ogundipe-Leslie, M. 1985. Sew the Old Days and Other Poems. Evans Brothers Limited.
- Ogundipe-Leslie, M. & D. Assiba. 2001. African Literature, Feminism and Social Change: Interview By
- Irene Assiba D’almeida. Matatu: Journal for African Culture and Society, 23(24): 307 – 322.
- Shire, W. (n.d). Home. Facing History & Ourselves. https://www.facinghistory.org/standing-up-hatredintolerance/warsan-shire-home.
- Shire, W. 2011. Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth. Flipped Eye Publishing
References
Ekpa, A. A. 2000. Beyond Gender Warfare and Western Ideologies: African Feminism for the 21st
Century. In Ernest Emenyonu (Ed.), Goatskin Bags and Wisdom: New Critical Perspectives on African
Literature. (Pp. 27–38). Africa World P.
Friedrich-Ebert, S. 2017. Feminism in Africa: Trends and Prospects: Report of the International Workshop
on Political Feminism in Africa. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/ mosambik/ 13795.pdf.
Guy-Sheftall. 2003. African Feminist Discourse: A Review Essay. Agenda: Empowering Women for
Gender Equity, 58: 31–36.
Kolawole, M. M. 2002. Transcending Incongruities: Rethinking Feminism and the Dynamics of
Identity in Africa. Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, 54: 92–98.
Mangena, O. 2003. Feminism (Singular), African Feminisms (Plural) and the African Diaspora. Agenda:
Empowering Women for Gender Equity, 58: 98–100.
Nfah-Abbenyi, J. M. 1997. Gender in African Women’s Writing; Identity, Sexuality and Difference. Indiana
University Press.
Norwood, C. 2013. Perspectives in Africana Feminism; Exploring Expressions of Black Feminism/
Womanism in the African Diaspora. Sociology Compass, 7/3: 225–236.
Ogundipe-Leslie, M. 1985. Sew the Old Days and Other Poems. Evans Brothers Limited.
Ogundipe-Leslie, M. & D. Assiba. 2001. African Literature, Feminism and Social Change: Interview By
Irene Assiba D’almeida. Matatu: Journal for African Culture and Society, 23(24): 307 – 322.
Shire, W. (n.d). Home. Facing History & Ourselves. https://www.facinghistory.org/standing-up-hatredintolerance/warsan-shire-home.
Shire, W. 2011. Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth. Flipped Eye Publishing