"Yoruba Womanhood in Nigeria: Gender, Power, an Governance

Scholarship on gender in Africa has failed to accentuate the contributions of African women, particularly Yoruba women, to the progress of African nations. Gender discourses on the 'Third World' tell tales of oppression and subjugation, while other gender discourses tell tales of assertion and self-reliance.

In Nigeria, Yoruba women are seen as regents, king makers, monarchical co-rulers, and economic power brokers. They have successfully displayed matriarchal power in a patriarchal society, excelled in the principle of dual force of authority, and have defied the image of 'women-as-victim' ascribed to them.