Marriage, Tradition and Superstition in Flora Nwapa’s <i>Efuru</i>

Abstract

Most often local belief systems in Africa have little or no place for the woman participation in communal development. For example in some cases the woman is literally an unspeaking subject in matters affecting her choice of husband. Any attempt by a woman to act in defiance to this position is considered an aberration and an attempt to usurp the exclusive authority of the man. To further put the woman in position of gender inequality, the man weaves such superstitious components around ‘tradition’ and ‘cultures’ as to perpetually exercise certain authority over her without a protest. This paper argues that Flora Nwapa’s Efuru gives an insight into the plights of women in a society where men are the domineering force in the face of feminine revolutionary awareness and not as objects of pleasure to a man.