ABSTRACT
Women and their contributions to the socio-economic development in the society is often rooted in controversies. This may be traced to their changing roles in terms of traditions, cultures, customs and beliefs. This dissertation invites attention to the prime contributions of Use-Offot women to the socio-economic development of Ibibioland. It examined the role of Use-Offot women in the socio-economic development of Ibibio society, from the pre-colonial period and terminates at the early years of post-colonial era (1885-1970). A review of related literature was done and investigation carried out in the course of this study and it was discovered that for any meaningful socio-economic development to occur in the society, there must be changes in discriminatory behviours, attitudes and values against women. It was also discovered that involving women in the socio-economic development programme of a society ensure a rapid development of the society. The finding of this study expose the fact that significant relationship existed between the level of educational attainment of women and women’s contribution to socio-economic development of the society, women’s active participation in politics and their contributions to development. The purpose of the present study is to access the social and economic development process of Ibibioland within the period being studied; to examine the contributions of women in the socio-economic development of Ibibioland; to assess how gender (sex) has affected the contributions of women to the socio-economic development of Ibibioland; to examine how the socio-economic development of Ibibioland has affected the status of women and to assess the socio-economic transformation in Ibibioland, and its impact on women within the period. This study employed the multi-disciplinary approach and recourse was made to other disciplines such as sociology, economics, political science, literary arts, religion, psychology and anthropology in the course of investigation. The crux of this paper is that socio-economic development of any society is centred on humans, and it is devoid of gender exclusivity. It was generally observed that Ibibio women has shown excellent industry in their ability and resolve to contribute to the socio-economic development of the society. It was also observed that the pre-colonial Ibibio women have transformed tremendously as could be seen in their educational attainment, population growth, technological advancement and feminine regime. Based on these findings, recommendations were made for the integration of more women into socio-economic development programmes of Akwa Ibom State.
TABLE OF CONTENT
WOMEN AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN IBIBIOLAND (1885-1970)
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………….(i)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………(1)
1.1 Purpose of the study ………………………………………………………(1-3)
Objectives of the Study………………………………………………………..(3-4)
1.2 SCOPE of the Study………………………………………………………..(4-5)
1.3 Methodology…………………………………………………………………(5-6)
CHAPTER TWO
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF WOMEN IN PRE-COLONIAL IBIBIOLAND
2.1 Pre-colonial Ibibio Society……………………………………………….(7-12)
2.2 Status of Women in Pre-colonial Ibibioland……………………………..(12-14)
2.2.1 Eka Ekpo Society……………………………………………………….(14-15)
2.2.2 Iban Isong (women of the land)………………………………………..(15-16)
2.2.3 Ebre (Water Yam)……………………………………………………….(16-17)
2.2.4 Idiong Cult………………………………………………………………(17-18)
2.3 Socio-economic Role of Women in Pre-colonial Ibibioland……………..(18-19)
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Socio-economic Status of Women in Colonial Ibibioland (1900-1960
3.1 Traditional Role of Women (1900-1960)……………………………(20-26)
3.2 The Socio-Economic Role of Women…………………………………(27-29)
3.3 Women’s war of 1929 (Ekong Iban)……………………………………(29-30)
CHAPTER FOUR
Socio-economic Status of Ibibio Women in the Post-colonial Era to 1970.
4.1 Status of Ibibio Women in Post-colonial Era (1960-1970)…………….(31-32)
4.2 Socio-economic Role of Ibibio Women in Post-colonial Era……………(32-33)
4.3 Constraints to Ibibio Women’s Participation in Socio Economic Development in Post Colonial era……………………………………………………………….(34-41)
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………………(42)
5.2 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….(42-44)
PRIMARY SOURCES
ORAL INTERVIEWS ………………………………………………………………….(45-46)
PRIMARY SOURCES: ORAL INTERVIEWS-GROUPS………………………….(47)
ARCHIVAL SOURCES…………………………………………………………………(47)
REFERENCE…………………………………………………………………………….(48-52)
B) ARTICLES……………………………………………………………………………(53)
UNPUBLISHED PAPERS AND THESIS …………………………………………….(54)
APPENDIX I………………………………………………………………………………(56)
APPENDIX II………………………………………………………………………………(57)
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Development of any human society could hardly be attainable, without women roles being involved, acknowledged and appreciate. No human society is complete without women folk. This is because women form about half the population of the world in general. She also stated that any society which neglect such a large number of human resources potential cannot achieve any meaningful development. The role of women in the socio-economic development of the country have received adequate attention in recent times, in Nigeria women contribution is highly noticeable and have been effective in time past. People are becoming aware of the need of the women population in contributing to decision making structure and procedures. This reality is also articulated in Amucheazi (1991) when he described African traditional society women as being hardworking and resourceful. Notably, women engages themselves in income generating activities of various forms such as food production example of such involves palm oil processing, garri harvesting, making of soaps and cleaning agents, and also getting involved in sowing, pottery, animal husbandry, food processing and distribution. They do all these not excluding their role of home management.
Nevertheless women feel they have been marginalized or denied of their identity or place in it, not giving them an active voice but are been pushed to the edge of the society and also being pressured, expecting them to act a certain way based in stereotypes held about women. This is a gender conflict that needs to be addressed. This is why in 1946, the united Nation set up a commission on the status of women with the aim of focusing on the promotion if women’s rights in political economy, social and educational fields.
Also, studies have shown that increasing women’s participation in leadership positions decreases corruption as “women are less involved in bribery, and are less likely to condone bribe taking” A study on gender and corruption from 2000 also found that “cross-country data show that corruption is less severe where women hold a larger share of parliamentary seats and senior positions in the government bureaucracy, and comprise a larger share of the labor force”
Additionally, according to another study, “the degree to which a system successfully includes women can indicate a propensity for the system to include other disenfranchised minorities”. Women and socio-economic development is an inclusive term used to signify a concept whose long-range goal is the well-being of the society, the people which includes the men, women and children.
The Ibibio people are from Southern Nigeria and are related to the Annang and Efik peoples. During the pre-colonial era in Ibibio society ‘polygamy’ was an accepted standard. In this kind of society the Ibibio women were born and groomed and later giving out in marriage. Ibibio women had well define roles not as a person who is a legal property of another but a thing that contributes extra features to another in such a way as to improve or emphasize its quality. This was shown in the help they rendered to men in procreation, socio-economic development and their support in their everyday life, for example in the respect of family. There was interdependence between male and female in the pre-colonial Ibibio society where there was mutual support and the women either married or not involved themselves in trade or other productive activities or occupation from which Agriculture was supplemented this includes hair making, cloth weaving and making, pottery, planting and harvesting food crops and so on.
On the other hand, the men were involved in the clearing of bushes for farming, gathering and burning the waste, hunting, fishing, tilling of the soil which were tagged as men’s job in the society in pre-colonial era. The role of Nigerian women in development revolved mainly around their effort in different sector of economic pattern in which they participated effectively (Talbot 1968:34). It was rare to see a woman totally depend on her husband, but since the advent of the colonial masters which influence the belief that held Ibibio women together started to lose strength and gradually fail. It was the introduction of western civilization, Christianity and a new system of government controlled by men into the Ibibio society that made prominent the separation of the Ibibio women bound which led to the adaptation of the new change.
Having stated the role of women, the socio-economic development of the society and judging from the contribution of rural women in the development of their communities one could be right to imagine that women are embodiment of national development which could be seen in their educational attainment, population growth, technological advancement and feminine regime.