1.1 Introduction
Feminism is described as a movement that aims to establish equal rights and legal protection for women. Feminism advocates for women’s rights and gender equality. However, feminist theories are not restricted to women’s issues, but also promote power-sharing, leadership, and collaborative work in order to establish respect and acceptance for diversity amongst all members of the society. Feminism believes in respecting, accepting and celebrating individual and collective diversity amongst different ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, sexualities, geographies, religious beliefs, politics, classes and education (Ethicsofisl, 2021).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The struggle for women’ right began in the 18th century during the period of intense intellectual activity known as the Age of Enlightenment. Feminism is said to be the organized movement which promotes equality for men and women in all spheres of life ranging from political, economic to social spheres. Feminists believe that women are oppressed simple due to their sex based on the dominant ideology of patriarchy. Ridding society of patriarchy will result in liberation for women, men and minority religions and ethnic configurations.
Feminism ideology can take many different forms. In early 1970’s, women started developing a theory which helped to explain their oppression. Pockets of resistance began to organize and challenge patriarchy. By the 1980’s, however, feminists started disagreeing on particular issues linked to feminism. What was once one theory, began to branch out into many theories that focused on different feminist issues. Today, there are as many definitions of feminism as there are feminists. Each definition of feminism depends on a number of factors including ones own beliefs, history and culture.
Feminism can also be said to be a system which directly or indirectly oppresses women through it’s social, economic and political institutions. Throughout history men have had greater power in both the public and private spheres especially in the African settings. To maintain this power, men have created boundaries and obstacles for women, thus making it difficult for women to attain or hold power. There is an unequal access to power. Patriarchy also includes the oppression of ethnic minorities.
In traditional Africa the woman is an object of constant scorn, degradation and physical torture. In the past, women did not exist as individuals with personalities to defend. They rather existed as mere docile and exotic accompaniments to the males. Throughout that period, women lacked a voice to articulate their dilemma and their points of view. They, thus, accepted their fate without resistance. Such passive stance results from societal conditioning through questionable cultural practices. From birth, through childhood and adolescence, to adulthood, Africans receive from society and others around the messages and feedbacks which launch them into roles and behaviors considered appropriate for males and females respectively. Most often, female are accorded inferior roles and such long years of cultural suppression and intimidation, unfortunately, misled the women into an underestimation of their capabilities and self worth. Encased in such a cultural mystique, the African women were particularly driven by a community sense since culture obviates individualism. In those days, these women, in addition to experiencing the same oppressive social condition as their male counterparts in a developing world, were subjected to extra repressive burdens arising from the socio-cultural structures of patriarchy and gender hierarchy. These years of subjugation have, however, produced in today’s women relentless questioning of the status quo. They protest against dehumanization, political enslavement and social oppression. They rationalize that the running of the Africa world is not the preserve for males and thus there should be absolute equality of both sexes in all spheres of life. Such a reaction is termed feminism, which is an ideology that urges, in simple terms, recognition of the claims of women for equal rights with men.
Therefore, in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Attach of the Blind gods on Feminism.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Men in Africa make women understand that they, the men, are the head of the family that is, they are superior to women. They see women as being weak and as a result, women have no say in the activities of the community. They have no rights and are subjugated to do whatever he the men want them to do especially in Africa. Women are made to feel inferior and this breeds some sort of ill feelings in women.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to evaluate the Attach of the Blind gods on Feminism using Ekpo Nkawo in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To provide awareness information about the Attach of the Blind gods on Feminism.
- To critically analyze feminism in Ekpo Nkawo, Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is the impact of language of feminism on the society?
- What are the ways language of feminism can be improved?
- What do you understand by the Attach of the Blind gods on Feminism?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H0: There is no significant knowledge of "Attach of the Blind gods" on Feminism in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area
- H1: There is a significant knowledge of "Attach of the Blind gods" on Feminism in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area
1.7 Significance of Study
The study will ensure promotion of the equality and inclusion of various groups. Feminism recognizes that inclusion leads to equality. It also encourages creating balanced power relationships and sharing responsibilities, leadership and authority The study would be of immense importance in addressing the cases of female marginalization in the African society. The study would also benefit students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing a further study on the subject matter.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Attach of the Blind gods on Feminism using Ekpo Nkawo in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Feminism: the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.
Language: the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way.
Society: the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community.
