African Women: Pillars of Africa’s History and Architects of Its Future

The African continent has experienced several injustices, but  it is also  the cradle of some of the world’s greatest civilizations. This achievement was made possible not only by the strength of its men, but also by the dynamic and powerful nature of the African woman. This balance between the sexes – the one between African men and women – is not often what we hear of in today’s media. It appears that the sands of time have attempted to bury the significant role that the African woman has played in shaping the continent’s history and laying the foundations for its future. 

The African woman is the being whose back has borne not only the continent’s offspring but also the burdens of kingdoms and nations. Unfortunately, colonization and certain contorted western philosophies obscure  their noteworthy contribution to world history and present them solely with a past and present of oppression and weakness. But perhaps, a trip back in time to look at the substantial role women played in Africa long before colonisation will help to buttress the real, outstanding nature of the African woman: the epitome of strength, and the representation of the human specie’s capacity to with stand difficulty and overcome every obstacle under the sun. 

According to scientific evidence proven by fossil records and DNA, Africans were the first to inhabit the earth. This means that the African woman was the first to bring life to this world.

In sub-Saharan Africa, prior to the Islamic conquest, the region had a system of succession to the throne grounded predominantly on matrilineal lines.

The 12^th and 13^th centuries were eras in which Egypt and Kush(present day Africa) placed paramount importance on the mother. From this custom, children took their surname from their mother and she happened to be the one who controlled the entire household. In Kush for example, the mother also had the prerogative to determine the next Pharaoh. Fascinatingly, in the book Pre-colonial Black Africa Cheikh Anta Diop, explains in depth the rules associated with matrilineal inheritance in the African tradition. In his explanation of the practice of succession of kings, it was the king’s nephew, his first born-sister’s son and not his own son, who had primary claim to the throne. This matrilineal system of inheritance is still evident in part of Africa today especially among some of the Akan people from Ghana. From such beliefs and practices came the African proverb, ‟You can never be sure who the father of the child is; but the mother you can always be sure”.

Moreover, women in pre-colonised Africa played crucial roles in politics and economics. The assumption that the present disadvantageous state of many women in the continent is indication of an inherited tradition of oppression will be debunked in the following paragraphs. 

A relevant example is the story Egba people of western Nigeria. Women from this ethnic group who were under the Oyo Empire (one of the largest West African States during the mid-17^th century to late 18^th century) were the economic powerhouses of the state because of their significant contribution to the trade and market system. They were in charge of the merchant exchange of goods including determining the terms of trade of outsiders. Their impressive business acumen helped sustain the economic development of their community. To the extent that even when the Oyo empire collapsed in the 19^th century, Egba remained as a state due to its success in conquering Dahomey. The custom of women being financial powerhouses thrived on the practice of mothers and aunties passing on the business skills to their daughters and nieces. This helped establish the lengthy period women reigned as financial and economic controllers in the community. A trend evidently prevalent in the local market scene in majority of African states although not recognized since it is not representative of a Western formal concept of an economic institution. 

Similarly, women of the Kikuyu tribe of Kenya were the predominant food producers in their community. A position which gave them automatic access and even authority over the land they farmed. Additionally, the bride-wealth women acquired at the time through customary rights of marriage earned for them a certain level of economic independence and financial clout. In certain African communities in the past, women had full legitimate rights over their bride wealth but due to financial austerity which accompanied the colonial system of heavy taxation, it became the source of income men desired to control. 

Even in politics, the contribution of women was tremendously apparent. In a lot of African societies there was a balanced gender representation that permitted women to participate in administration and governance, a practice commonly seen with the role of the Queen mother in culture groups in Ghana, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Egypt.

When history is examined, it is apparent that the notion of the disenfranchised, powerless African woman. Great women laid the foundation of how far selflessness and determination can take a continent.