Study Session 14:

The Contribution of Nigerian Women to National Development since

Independence

14.1 Introduction

In this study session, you will learn about the roles which Nigerian women have played
in national development. Until recently, Nigerian women were not accorded any place
in Nigeria’s history. However, with the declaration of the United Nations Decade for
Women 1975 – 1985, interest in women’s development was heightened. Nigerian
women have, in time and space, and under changing conditions, made vital
contributions to societal development. Our aim in this session therefore, is to highlight
the contributions of women to national development.

Learning Outcome for Study session 14

At the end of this session, you should be able to:

 Assess the role Nigerian women have played in national development.

 Highlight the factors that have contributed to women’s development in Nigeria.

14.2: Women and their Contributions to National Development

Since independence, Nigeria women with a heritage of constructive participation and

contribution to societal development, continued in their various ascribed and achieved
roles to contribute to national development. Independent Nigeria subscribed to the
concept of the equality of all and non-discrimination on any ground whatever.
However, developments since independence led to even more marginalization of
women especially in the political sphere.
After independence, mass political action by women dwindled. The acrimonious
politics of the post-independence era, the bitter rivalries of the ethnic-based and
personality dominated political parties and the paternalistic nature of their organization
were detrimental to women’s participation. Above all, these developments split the
women into opposing camps so that mass action became impossible. Some women
continued to play important roles in the women’s wings of the major political parties
and a few even won elections to the different parliamentary Houses. However, as
party and ethnic allegiances took precedence over gender solidarity, women lost the
power of their collective action. The marginalization of women in politics then began.
This situation was aggravated by the imposition of military rule in 1966 and the
abolition of political activities which accompanied military rule. Despite the political
setback experienced at national and state levels, women’s political relevance increased
at community levels where women were organized and mobilized for community
development. In this way, countless women’s organizations contributed to the building
and running of community schools, maternity homes and hospitals, motherless babies’
homes, roads, and markets.

The international fight of feminists for women’s emancipation has had its effects on
Nigeria. The Declaration of an International Decade for Women 1975 – 1985 and the
consequent debates on women’s status and problems world-wide also had
consequences in Nigeria. The problems of the Nigerian women were also discussed
intensively, thus, creating awareness. The then military government under General
Olusegun Obasanjo made a tentative attempt to give the Nigerian women a chance in
the politics of transition which was going on at the time by appointing a few women
into the Constituent Assembly and the Local Government Councils. Nevertheless, in
spite of the many women in the Officer cadre of the Nigerian military, no women were
ever appointed state governor.

Women participated actively in the civilian politics of 1979. However, women were
poorly represented in the ruling bodies of all the parties. They were once again pushed
to the women’s wings of the political parties to continue to act as voter-catchers. Only
4 out of 475 candidates who contested for Senate seats were women and none was
successful. Only two women were elected to the Federal House of Representatives
and only five women made it to the state Houses of Assembly. Thus, once again,
women did not have adequate representation and could not influence matters in their
favour. Although, now living under a civilian regime, the political lethargy which had
gripped women during the long years of military rule prevented the effective
development of organized women participation. The clientele and reward system,
established by the major political parties between 1979 and 1983 were financially very
rewarding to those who had access. Women leaders, the veteran agitators of old,
became more interested in their personal gains than in demanding social and
economic justice for their women folk and the society at large. Instead, they became
adept in organizing women to sing the praises of members of the ruling parties. In
this way, a few women were actively involved in the institutionalized corruption and
large-scale defrauding of the Nigerian nation which was the general norm in the
Second Republic. With the demise of that inglorious republic in 1983, women once
again retreated to the backwaters of national politics.

The Babangida Administration did a lot to foster the cause of the Nigerian women and
enhance the image of Nigerian womanhood. For instance, for the first time, a female
Vice-Chancellor, in the person of Grace Alele-Williams, was appointed. Women
ambassadors were appointed and all military Governors were directed to appoint at
least one woman into their cabinets. The cause of women was further enhanced with
the inauguration in 1987 of the Better Life Programme for Rural Women by Mrs.
Maryam Babangida. For many women, Mrs. Babangida provided an example of how
well-placed women could use their positions to the benefit of their fellow women. The
Better Life programme also had a propaganda effect of creating awareness to the
problems of women. It made women to be more aware of the available options. Apart
from this, it brought the wives of Military Administrators and Local Government
Chairmen into the role of the leaders of grassroots women even if they had no aptitude
for or interest in such roles. However, the aims of alleviating poverty and increasing
the economic power of women were not achieved. A major defect of the Better Life
Programme was that it completely ignored the articulate members of the Nigerian
womanhood – the urban middle class women. It has been proven elsewhere that the
success of women as a political and economic class depends mainly on the activities
of this class of women.

Perhaps due to the degree of sensitization which was carried out under the Better Life
Programme, women became more assertive and ambitious and this was displayed in
their keen participation and competition for offices during the abortive transition
politics of the Babangida Administration. Indeed, for the first time women indicated
interest to vie for the highest office – the presidency. Successes were, however,
modest.

The Family Support Programme established by the succeeding First Lady, Mrs. Maryam
Abacha in 1995, also improved the economic conditions of families. These include the
construction of hospitals, supply of drugs, opening of vocational centers and giving
sporadic help to the needy. Nevertheless, the Family Support Programme would never
develop into a mass action and it was doubtful whether it could substantially contribute
to the reduction of economic distress among the millions of needy Nigerian families.
Nevertheless, the programme contributed, even if in a limited way, to the
improvement of life in those areas affected. Be that as it may, the Family Support and
Better Life Programmes represent avenues through which women attempted to
participate in national development under military regimes.

The contributions of women to the development of the political culture since

independence have been minimal due to the fact that military rule discourages politics
generally and women’s politics in particular. Thus, only very few women have been
able, by achievement and ascription, to make meaningful contributions to the political
culture of the Nigerian nation. Women have thus confined themselves to roles in
community development and spheres other than politics. Indeed, in the days of
economic distress as experienced in the country in the late 1980s and 1990s, the
women took up more responsibilities in the home, since many men lost their jobs or
their incomes became too small. Women have had to greatly augment family incomes
through their earnings.

Since independence, women have made a lot of progress in the field of education.
From the 1970s there was an education boom. By the late 1980s, over 42 percent of
those enrolled in the primary schools were female pupils. Female students constituted
38 percent enrolment in the secondary schools and about 27 percent in the tertiary
institutions. This shows a phenomenal increase in participation when one remembers
the humble beginnings in the 1940s. Education has given more women the ability to
contribute more effectively to national development.

With education there was the emergence of informed motherhood; women became
less superstitious, more hygienic, more aware of better feeding methods and with a
high value for education. Thus, even in their ascribed roles and as enlightened care-
givers in the family, the quality of upbringing given to children improved tremendously.
This is why infant mortality in such families became generally lower than in the rest.
It is generally believed that the education of women is the foundation of a healthy
and prosperous society since the quality of women determines the quality of future
generations. Indeed, this fact was recognized even in the pre-colonial times. It was
for this reason that Uthman Dan Fodio repeatedly castigated the Hausa aristocracy for
not educating their women folk. Educated women have spearheaded the improvement
of the living standards in their homes and communities. They have contributed
financially to the feeding, clothing, housing and education of members of their
families. This phenomenon of women contributing financially to the upkeep of the
family is, however, not limited to the educated class as others have also played roles
within the household which have gone beyond motherly ones.

The post-independence economy was a continuation of the colonial economy in which

women continued playing vital roles in production, processing and distribution. The oil
boom of the 1970s introduced a new dynamism into the Nigerian economy. The oil
industry, though male-dominated, had spread effects, which resulted in more job
opportunities for women both in the public and private sectors. Women have since
entered into almost all fields of endeavours where some have excelled. The number
of women in the professions, apart from teaching and nursing, still remain small but
there is hope for the future. Education has thus enabled women to make lasting and
meaningful contributions to national development.
Furthermore, just like in the pre-colonial and colonial periods, women’s contribution
in the agricultural field continued to be very decisive for national growth. Women
continued to supply over 70 percent of the labour force in the agricultural sector. It is
not an over-statement to say that Nigeria owes the survival of the agricultural sector
to women’s enterprise. In the 1970s when men had abandoned agriculture to seek
easier and more lucrative employments in other sectors of the economy, rural women
carried on the production of food crops. Even though the cash crop economy had
completely declined, there was a steady growth in food crop production. Subsequent
agricultural revitalization programmes such as the Operation Feed the Nation and
Green Revolution recognized women as the cornerstone of agricultural production who
must be mobilized to ensure success.

Likewise, women’s contribution to the distribution process continues to be immense,

women continue to dominate the markets both as buyers and sellers. Without them,
the distributive trade of the country would have totally broken down. They travel long
distances to buy food stuffs for further sale in local markets. Though men have now
entered the food trade due to its profitability, they have been unable to displace
women. Women also trade in textiles, clothing, household wares, cosmetics, stationary
and jewellery. Apart from this, women provide vital services in the so-called informal
sector. Their field of endeavours include hair dressing, sewing, beer brewing,
traditional textile manufacture, pottery, basketry, mat, sweets and soap making,
cosmetics production and so on. Thus, women have provided goods and services at
affordable prices. They have provided jobs thereby contributing to the reduction of
unemployment levels. Though many of the activities of women in the informal sector
are never reflected in the gross national product, it cannot be denied that a women-
dominated informal sector exists and that comfortable living has been made in this
sector.

Though women have made valuable contributions to the development of the Nigerian
nation, yet they are burdened with prejudices emanating from culture which deter
them from making even more significant contributions. Women are always the first to
bear the consequences of economic and political degeneration. In Eastern Nigeria,
women bore the brunt of the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970. They lost
their homes, became refugees, suffered rape, untold hardships, deprivation, hunger
and the devastating psychological agony of watching their children die of hunger. Yet
they still had to keep their families somehow together, raise the children and hope for
the return of their menfolk. Where they did not return, women had to bring up their
children almost single-handedly. Women were the first to face the effects of the
Structural Adjustment Programme of the 1980s. First of all, women were the first to
be laid off their jobs as companies faced liquidity problems. Also they suffered a lot as
their housekeeping budgets declined even in the face of rising inflation. Consequently,
they turned into “survival artists” in order to feed their families adequately. In fact,
the dwindling in trade due to poor purchasing power experienced in the 1980s was
devastating to the army of women traders who lost their incomes.

Women have also been exposed to hardships in the family sphere. In case of divorce
and death of their husbands, women have suffered tremendously as the laws which
should protect their interests are not effectively upheld. Although there are laws –
religious, traditional and common - for the regulation of such issues, more often than
not, many women are robbed of everything including those properties they acquired
by themselves. In the case of untimely death of their husbands, women are usually
accused of hideous crimes such as murder, witchcraft and adultery and thrown out of
their family home. Another important problem deserving mention is the problem of
“house-girlism”, which sometimes border on slavery. More often than not, these girls
are inhumanely exploited labour-wise and sexually robbed of opportunities of personal
improvement. The problem of marriage of under-aged girls is still prevalent
throughout the country.

Apart from denying the girls of opportunities to acquire education and skills necessary
for modern unformed motherhood, underage marriage has grievous health
consequences arising from childbirth – consequences detrimental to national
development. For instance, in Northern Nigeria where underage marriage is more
rampant, the occurrence of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) has reached endemic
proportions. Often men abandon their underaged wives suffering from VVF and never
show up again in the hospitals. The government then bear full responsibility for men’s
misdemeanor. Thus, resources which would have been used for the provision of
general amenities are diverted to perennial treatment of women diseases that could
easily have been avoided. The problem of maternal mortality is still prevalent in the
country due to lack of adequate facilities and enlightenment.

Illiteracy is also a major problem facing women. Some parents still consider the
education of women unnecessary even after overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Lastly, some women suffer the curtailment of their personal freedom because they
are secluded in purdah. All these problems need to be addressed.

There is need, therefore, for Nigeria to seriously look into the problems of women with
a view to affectively solving them. There is need for clear laws to abolish certain
obnoxious practices against women, set limits and establish known centers where
women in distress could seek help and protection. The Family Support Programme,
spearheaded by Nigeria’s former First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Abacha, would have been
considered a huge success if it facilitated the creation and implementation of the
necessary laws, which would have clearly regulated the affairs of women in the family
sphere.

There are, however, signs that women have taken up the fight for their own rights
and upliftment and to create enabling conditions in which to make more meaningful
contribution to national development. The establishment of the Women’s Commission
by the Babangida Administration, and, above all, the creation of the Women’s Ministry
by the Abacha Administration show that government is beginning to show more
concern for the plight of the women folk.

The 1990s had witnessed the formation of many women organisations all with the aim
of promoting the betterment of women’s socio-economic and political conditions, to
enable them contribute more meaningfully to national development. Some of such
societies, like the Nigerian Council for Women’s Societies have been hijacked by
privileged women for self-aggrandisement and they have turned them to ineffective
jamboree organisations for fashion parade. Nonetheless, since the Beijing Conference
of 1995, there has been a resurgence of the campaigns for the emancipation of women
and the improvement of their social status. The current slogan used internationally is
“empowerment”. Like women all over the world, Nigerian women are now calling for
decisive, not placatory actions to increase women’s power and participation in all
spheres of life. Women are mobilizing other women to take the available opportunities
to improve themselves.

It is hoped that with their empowerment women will have the capacity to make, on
equal footing with the men, more significant contribution to national development. But
women development cannot take place in isolation. The state of the nation and
especially the state of the economy determines the levels and quality of women’s
contribution. So the question of addressing the problem of the nation’s economy still
remains relevant to the question of women empowerment. A better economy
necessarily leads to an improvement in all facets of life -education, housing, health,
nutrition and employment. Such improvements will create more conditions and
opportunities for qualitative women participation in all facets of life. Thus, a fight for
women empowerment in the Nigerian context is also a fight for better socio-economic
conditions.

The creation of such conditions is the challenge of the 21st century. Perhaps the vision
2010 programme engaged in developing of concepts for the Federal Government for
the future development of the country will come up with meaningful concepts for the
“empowerment” of women and their increased and qualitative participation in and
contribution to national development. In conclusion, it could be said that Nigeria
women through the ages have made valuable contributions to societal development.
To continue making even more valuable contributions to national development, there
is need to improve the educational level of women and also their economic power so
as to improve their capacities for more meaningful contribution.

In-text Questions

1. The Declaration of an International Decade for Women 1975 – 1985 and the
consequent debates on women’s status:
(a) Impoverished Nigerian women.
 (b) Inhibited the political development of Nigerian women.
(c) Aided the socio-economic development of Nigerian women.
(d) Created disharmony and crises in the family home-front.

2. The General Babangida Administration did a lot to foster:

(a) The intimidation and oppression of the Nigerian women.
(b) The rights of the Nigerian women and enhance the image of the Nigerian
womanhood.
(c) The prosecution of feminists and womanist organization in Nigeria.
(d) The exclusion women from political and economic affairs.

3. Education has enabled women to:

(a) Make lasting and meaningful contributions to national development.
(b) Compete with the men in political issues.
(c) Destroy the society through various agencies.
(d) Dominate their husbands and male folks in the family.

In-text Answers

1. (c) Aided the socio-economic development of Nigerian women.

2. (b) The rights of the Nigerian women and enhance the image of the Nigerian
womanhood.
3. (a) Make lasting and meaningful contributions to national development.

14. 3 Summary for Study Session 14

In this session, we have learned about the factors that aided the development of the
Nigerian women since independence. Nigerian women have played significant roles in
national development since independence. Several women have different important
roles in the women’s wings of the major political parties and a few even won elections
to the different executive and legislative positions. The international fight of feminists
for women’s emancipation has had its effects on Nigeria. The Declaration of an
International Decade for Women 1975 – 1985 and the consequent debates on
women’s status and problems world-wide also had consequences in Nigeria. The
Babangida Administration did a lot to foster the cause of the Nigerian women and
enhance the image of the Nigerian womanhood. For instance, for the first time, a
female Vice- Chancellor, in the person of Grace Alele-Williams, was appointed. Women
ambassadors were appointed and all military Governors were directed to appoint at
least one woman into their cabinets. The Family Support Programme established by
former First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Abacha in 1995, also improved the economic
conditions of families. These includes the construction of hospitals, supply of drugs,
opening of vocational centers and giving sporadic help to the needy.

On the other side, women have also been exposed to hardships in the family sphere.
In the case of divorce and death of their husbands, women have suffered
tremendously as the laws which should protect their interests are not effectively
observed. Although there are laws – religious, traditional and common for the
regulation of such issues, more often than not, many women are robbed of everything
including those properties they acquired by themselves.

Activity

Think about the many important roles which women can perform to improve our
contemporary society.

Now that you have completed this study session, you should assess how much you
have learnt by attempting the following questions. You can write your answers in a
note book so as to be able to discuss extensively on it with your tutor at the next
interactive session.

Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs) for study Session 14

  Assess the role Nigerian women have played to national development since
independence.
 Highlight the factors that aided women’s development in Nigeria since the
1970s.

14.4 References/ Suggestions for Further Reading

Awe, B. (1992). Nigerian women in Historical Perspective, Ibadan: Sankore/Bookcraft.
Ikpe, E.B. (1994) Food and Society in Nigeria: A History of Food Customs, Food
economy and Cultural Change, 1900-1989, Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag.
Mba, N.E. (1972) Nigerian women mobilized: women’s political activity in Southern
Nigeria, 1900-1965, Berkeley: Institute of International Studies.
Olorode, L. (1990) Women and Social Change in Nigeria, Lagos: Unity Publishing &
Research Co. Limited.