Gender issues are top of the agenda for international conventions and policy frameworks for governments and action plans for many community-based organizations. However, despite the efforts, as reported by multiple studies, Nigeria has recorded infinitesimal success in the gender struggle. While the issue of gender finds exalted position on policy frameworks, implementation of gender policies especially at the grassroots and the national level is close to non-existent as gender imbalance holds sway in subcultures in Nigeria. To this end, the study is a theologico-cultural exploration of the Efik pantheon with the objective of identifying elements of gender diversity and harmony that can be incorporated in the reconstruction of gender relation in Nigerian subcultures where absolute patriarchy is undermining diversity. With dependence on descriptive method and primary data, Efik myths and archival sources, the study sums that the Efik pantheon is beautified by gender diversity and harmony and that this harmony translates to a better gender relation in Efikland and can be replicated in Nigeria.
TopIntroduction
The Cultural Transmission Theory offers explanation that individuals are born into a culture as neutral beings and begin to learn the life-worlds through engagement and immersing themselves in the culture. This entails that a person learns about his or her culture as the formation process ensues. In the learning process, the social behaviours or thought patterns of the society are enculturate by the individual. It is noteworthy that individuals at birth are biologically differentiated they grow into socially constructed roles to execute and are not expected to be deviant. The roles definition is classified as gender construction.
The contemporary understanding of gender has moved away from the previous connotation that had bearings on sex. The massive rigour by women’s movement and interest of scholars since the late 20th century – precisely from 1980s brought clarity to the term gender. In gender discourses, gender entails a culturally constructed framework for social functioning of men and women. Hence, gender in the context of this paper denotes or aligns with the new emphasis – that is the social construct of capacities and attributes of men and women. This social construct is framed based on the worldview of a people or it is scripted based on the religious and philosophical bearings of the people and is expected to be acted out in social activities or organizations. That is to say that gender construct is given impetus by cultural experiences peculiar to a people.
Globally, gender diversity has been at the forefront of discussions and policies. The theme of gender diversity is expected to be tailored within the fundamental guiding principles of the United Nations where it is clearly stated nations of the world should be committed to inclusion of men and women in all aspects of the human endeavour. The Charter of the United Nations (1945) in Articles 8 and 101 stipulates that “there shall be no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in every capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs.” Additionally, the African Union (2021) recognizes the pivotal place of gender diversity as being a fundamental human right and an integral part of regional integration, economic growth and social development. This recognition of the importance of gender diversity has led to the development of African Union’s strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) as a means of ensuring that women just like the male folks are included in Africa’s developmental plan or schemes. In African Union’s Agenda 2063 specifically Aspiration 6, there is a call for “An Africa, whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children.” The Agenda 2063 demands for member states to be intentionally inclusive by ensuring that all citizens are actively involved in decision making processes in all aspects of human endeavor irrespective of gender; political affiliation, religion, ethnic affiliation, locality and age.
Regrettably, in Nigeria, gender diversity has resulted in imbalance due to what the researcher would term “insensitivity to diversity.” Adeosun (2021, p.167) hints that despite “several strategies put in place by the United Nations, the government of nations, and various private institutions to reduce gender inequality to the bare minimum, gender inequality continues to be a menace to society.” For instance, Omotoso (2023) reports that despite women making up close to 49% of Nigeria’s population, their participation or representation in government has been at the periphery – a situation that is very worrisome when compared to countries such as Rwanda and South Africa where women make up about 61.3% and 46.5% membership of the parliament respectively. Furthermore, Akinbi and Akinbi (2015) point out that in the sphere of formal education, there is inequality in access to formal education the situation favouring the male folks despite Nigeria’s commitment to equality of all, irrespective of race, sex or gender as buttressed by section 18, of the 1999 Nigerian constitution. This situation has grave implications for national development in Nigeria.