,
9 tweets,
4 min read
Read on Twitter
When I criticize feminism, it is western feminism that I have issues with. There is another concept, which is womanism and helps view feminism from the cultural lens. My problem with western feminism is, it seems a colonial construct, feminism has always been a concept in Africa 
Many are not aware the African feminism predates western feminism and this can be seen in the Yoruba worldview as propagated through Ifa in Odu Osetura- in which 17 irunmole were sent by Olodumare to the earth, out of 17- 16 were male- Osun was the only female.
The male irunmoles ignored Oshun in the tasks they were given on earth and didn’t assign her any role. They went on doing their duties and guess what, they failed woefully, when they consulted the Oracle, they mandated to find Yeye Oshun, that once found all will be well.
When did find Osun and solutions was offered for all their problems and every task they had to do on earth was successful. What this particular Yoruba worldview points at is equality of males and females before Olodumare- as from that time, male Irunmoles never underestimated her
The ifa goes ahead to support the concept of African feminism with the claim that it was a female that gave Orunmila his Odu and the reason why females were not allowed as Babalawos was not because of patriarchal culture but because the odu represents the womb
Another aspect of the Yoruba worldview that supports feminism is the aspect of causality which the Yoruba’s attribute to Iya Osoronga {The mystic mother’s}, this aspect goes to show the dominance of feminism in the believe of a force of nature which outshines any other.
Before European feminism in the 1880’s we already had the Kandake queens in Kush, Kemet, Nubia or Ethiopia (whichever fits your belief). The Kandake queens are what is known as Candace today. Their influence in leadership wasn’t one to be toyed with. They were warrior queens
There is a story of a Kandake queen that defeated the Roman Army. Amanishakheto is her name, the Italian treasure hunter seemed embarrassed as regards the history he destroyed her pyramid with an excuse that he was searching for treasure. This were African women
So must I tell anyone about the likes of Queen Idia of Benin? Queen Amina of Zazzau, Yaa Asantewa, the Amazons of Dahomey who were female soldiers and had powerful positions? African feminism had existed long before the western world relaxed its patriarchal grip
