Women’s Associational Life within Traditional Institutions in YorÙbÁ States

Abstract

Civil society and the realm of voluntary associations existed long before their rediscovery and study in nineteenth-century Western political thought by international political sociologists.¹ Globally, as a conceptual and practical movement against poor and undemocratic governance, recognition of the conceptual validity of civil society and its possible usages became dominant preoccupations in the 1980s and 1990s.² Concerning Nigeria, one of the first usages of the term, civil society, was in 1958, when James Coleman, in his book, Nigeria: Background to Nationalism, paid considerable attention to ethnic associations. However, women’s associational engagement with the state dates back to the precolonial era. The involvement of women in modern Local Government associational life and the adoption of this concept as a response to state dereliction of its duties are interesting and significant. According to Bolanle Awe, the Abeokuta Ladies Club was formed in 1944 by literate women, but a non-Western-educated friend of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti (one of the founders) expressed interest in learning how to read and write. Consequently, membership was extended to non-Western-educated market women and traders. They were offered access to the literacy program, skills training including sewing and catering by the Club, and also became involved in its charity work.³ The association was renamed The Abeokuta Women’s Union, and it subsequently played a significant role in the town’s politics.