The word Nwaminta in Edda clan is gender based and
to contribute to the issue of Nwaminta, there is the need to look at the
concept Gender and to relate it to “Nwamita” in Edda social system. When one looks at a conceptual distinction between sex
and Gender as developed by Anne Oakley one can easily see a useful analytical
tool to clarify ideas on sex and Gender.
According to this distinction sex is connected with
biology, whereas the gender identify of men and women in any given society is
socially and psychologically determined in order words, historically and
culturally determined. Biological and physical conditions such as chromosomes,
external and internal genitalia, hormonal states and secondary sex
characteristics lead to the determination of male and female sex. To determine
however, social and cultural perceptions of masculine and feminine traits come
into play and taken into account.
Gender is learnt through a process of socialization of
the culture of the particular society concerned. In many cultures boys are
trained and encouraged in the acts considered to display male traits and girls,
and vice versa. They learn their roles and how they should behave in order to
be perceived by others and themselves as either masculine or feminine.
Throughout their life this is reinforced by parents,
peers, their culture and society. In every society, biological sex becomes one
criterion for describing gender but beyond that simple starting point, no two
cultures would completely agreed on what distinguishes one gender from another
in order words there is considerable variation in gender roles between culture.
In Edda clan the roles which male and female are
assigned had often affected the status and freedom of the womenfolk. The
concept ‘Nwaminta” in Edda scoeity could be said to have been a device to
undermine the intellectual development and empowerment of the Edda woman. The
word ‘Nwaminta” translated into Edda means small woman, somebody who does not
mean much, non-achiever.
The Egbela cult in Edda became a strategy for
actualizating this low status and low esteem for the woman in Edda society. In
Edda for example a woman is forbidden form touching the head of his son who has
gone through the initiation ceremony, committing this is an offence attracting
a fine of a cock for atonement.
During the initiation ceremonies, the female members
in Edda are barred from passing through the village square for up to four (4)
days or more and any violation attracts penalty of a cock and non-compliance to
this penalty is very detrimental the female child’s fertility as well as good
health. In addition, some areas at village square are marked no go areas for
young non initiates as well as the female members of the village in this sense
the female no matter the age is placed in the same status as small non-initiated
males. Any female passing through the village square during the period of the
Ogo initiation ceremonies must show her presence within the square by shouting “Looh!
Looh!! Looh!!!” to indicate that the non initiate or female member was passing.
A woman under menses is forbidden from coming out to the main compound during
the period of her menses, and violation attracts a cock to appease the compound
deity. In Edda clan there are certain designated areas in the villages where
the females are barred from picking anything that dropped from their hand,
although this also apply to the young non-initiates but the initiated male
adults are allowed to pick anything that
dropped from their hands while passing through such places.
From the illustrations above one can easily
understand the position of Edda woman, hence the tagging of woman in Edda as
“Nwaminta” the small woman, a woman of low status. Despite this gender
discrimination in Edda society, some women in Edda both non-educated and the educated
had from the early 40s started to carry out non-violent revolutions on their
status and position in their society.
In Amaigbo Edda for instance a woman named Ugo
Olughu Oko Oji (nee Nnachi) had become a very wealthy carmwood marketer. Infact
this woman was so wealthy in this business that men would exclaim with surprise
Kweh! mu “Nwaminta” showing that the insignificant woman was making such wealth.
This exclamation always arise when such men come to borrow money from her to
solve their families problems. Another example is one Elder Mrs. Udo Nkama at
Nguzu Edda who built a concrete house with corrugated iron sheets (zinc house) before
the war. The man will exclaim Kweh! “Nwaminta wuru ulo gbam gbam” to explain
the exploits by a woman. In Ekoli Edda for instance there was a woman by name Madam
Ura Ego who was a great mobilizer, an orator and an opinion moulder. She was
acknowledged by men as great and this also attracted the exclamation Kweh! mu “Nwaminta”
Furthermore the non-violent revolution by womenfolk
had continued to increase from the early 60s which led to women like Mrs. Grace
Nnachi of Ebunwana becoming a school principal in Imo state, Mrs. Franca Ugo
Oje made grade one (1) in school certificate at Owerri Girls Secondary School, Mrs. Ugo N. Uduma also made grade one (1) at Egwuena Girls Secondary school,
Abiriba. Mrs. Uche Eze Okporie made grade one (1) at Awkunanau Girls Secondary Enugu
and so many others.
This non violence revolution by Edda woman has led
Edda to boast of women personalities like Mrs. Elem Mbila who rose to the position
of Director of Finance, Nigeria Airport Authority, Mrs. Franca U. Oje, a
lecturer in a higher Institution and one time General Manager Ebonyi Tourism
Corporation, Mrs. Mercy Elechi Kalu Oji, a retired Principal Girls Secondary
School Azuiyiokwu, Mrs. Edith Orie O. Uko, Principal Ugwuachara Girls
Secondary School Abakaliki, Mrs. Ugo
Ndukwe Uduma a retired Director Nursing Services Ministry of Health Ebonyi State
and now a CEO of a successful NGO which had taken her to several Countries of
the World, Hon. Ogbeyealu Emea-Oji Vice Chiarman Afikpo South (Edda) L.G.A.
Honourable Mrs Dorathy Oko Obasi Former Deputy Speaker Ebonyi House of Assembly,
Princess Mary Adaeze Ekuma M.O.N National Honour Award and Chief Mrs. Ugo Nnachi
the present Head of Service of Ebonyi State.
These women to any mind are actually working in line
with the expression of one of the Africa’s statesman President Julius Nyerere
of Tanzania on the 6th October, 1984 to NGO preparatory meeting for end
of the UN Decade for women in Arusha Tanzania: I quote;
“The task before us is that of moving steadily and firmly in the
direction of women’s development and liberation, but this will only happen if
the women of Africa insist that it happens.
But no one and no group can be liberated by others. The struggle for women’s
development has to conducted by women, not in opposition to men but as part of
social development of the whole people”
(Un quote) Elder Ude Agwu (JP) Amaigbo
My position in this issue is that the low status
given to Edda woman through the attachment of the concept “Nwaminta” will soon
give way to the concept “Okenwami” and finally Nwaminta will be obliterated in
the gender concept dictionary of Edda culture.