Women cannot be relegated to the kitchen, women are in charge of the entire home

Historically women have always had a recognized voice in Yoruba culture even though they cannot be crowned as a King as it is a patriarchal society.  Their representation in terms of numerical strength in position of authority are very few.  The preferred leadership role for women are home based that is the older woman most often the most senior wife, particularly in a polygamous set up, takes on the leadership of the other wives and the children in the household, while the man still remains the head of the family.  However, the position of Yoruba women are not limited to the “kitchen, the living room and the other room” as stated by President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.

Yoruba women had always been able to work even though the types of labour was along gender lines in occupations such as food processing, mat and clothes weaving, cloth dyeing, cotton spinning, trading (micro economics), cooking and caring for the family.  Men took on more skilled labour occupations such as hunting, blacksmith and farming (subsistence economy).  Women were the major figures in long distance trade with enormous opportunity to accumulate wealth and acquire title such as Iyalode (Women Leader).  For example, Iyalode have responsibility for all markets in Yoruba land in Western Nigeria. Additionally, they are traditionally in charge of women’s affairs.

Traditionally, Yoruba men did allow their wives to work to support the family but this could be largely due to the culture of marrying many wives hence there is no stress as there are other wives to take on the household chores if one or two are away on long distance trading.  The adoption of Western tradition of monogamy and imported religion has however had its effect on the idea of limiting women to the kitchen as ‘Housewife or Homemaker’ since they do not live in a communal live.  Nowadays, women are highly educated, even for women that are not educated, we as a culturally sensitive people, should not imply that our women are relegated to any particular place in the home, the whole house belongs to the women.