FEMINISM’, ‘Womanism’ and ‘Humanism’ are all terms which have been bandied recently in academic and literary circles, with a view to redefining- and perhaps renegotiating- gender power dynamics in the respective fields.

All, however, agree that the power dynamics have to change, and this has reflected in literature written by Nigerian women of a certain generation: Buchi Amecheta, Flora Nwapa, Mabel Segun- and even a handful of men.

But while the more contemporary stock of female writers of Nigerian literature (Sefi Atta, Chimamanda Adichie, Chika Unigwe) also tend to have strong women as their protagonists, the themes have become decidedly softer and less feminist in a direct manner.

The common thread that runs through is that in the communities depicted in them all, society exerts a great deal of pressure on young women to uphold various traditions, taboos, customs and privileges, particularly in relation to marriage. Very often, there are dire consequences for non-compliance.

Chimamanda Adichie and Flora Nwapa

The strength of this theme appears to have been watered down over the years, with ends being less dramatic with regards to consequences of acts of defiance.

Abusive husband

In Buchi Emecheta’s (arguably) most critiqued novel, the Bride Price, Akunna defies her family to elope with Chike, her schoolteacher who is from an excommunicated family. Chike’s bride price is refused and in the end, there is tragedy. Akunna dies of malnutrition, but it is believed she died of a curse.

Compare and contrast with the mother of Kambili in Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, who slowly poisoned her highly regarded but abusive husband. The mother of Kambili never openly rebels, and is only caught by chance. Moreso, her son- not her daughter- gives her a soft landing.

Is feminist literature now a dying genre? Is the lack of impassioned engagement partly responsible for the dearth of reading amongst young women? WO explores these