Exploring ‘Womanism’ as a Niche for Voices and Expressions of Black Women in the Select Novels of Flora Nwapa

Abstract

The term ‘womanism’ acknowledges women’s natural contribution to society. The term is inclusive and not exclusive like feminism which treated the experiences, struggles and fights of ‘third world women’ as the ‘other’. A new term ‘womanism’ came up to highlight the struggles and experiences of black women, who used it in a way to distinguish themselves from the mainstream feminists.  This viewpoint pays distinctive attention to the critical study of literary texts and confers a meaningful, cultural concept for women, which presents them in leading roles and emancipate them from the dominant and long-lasting shadow of male dominance. The first internationally admired black African female novelist- Flora Nwapa has been recognized for re-creating the Igbo culture through her oeuvre. She believes that women possess power and capability. In an interview with Marie Umeh, Nwapa appreciates women and their abilities- “When I do write about women in Nigeria in Africa, I try to paint a positive picture about women because there are many women who are very, very positive in their thinking, who are very, very independent and very, very industrious.” (Ebele Chizea).  This research paper aims to show how portrayal of women by Nwapa in her novels has so far contributed in redefining the roles of women in society. The paper through a close reading of select works of Nwapa aims to reveal that the application of womanism in her work is ingenious to underscore and scrutinize how an African woman writer highlights the experiences of her characters who refuses to be suppressed by men, society and culture.