Trends in women centred engagements in the works of selected Nigerian playwrights

Abstract

Over the years, most Nigerian male writers rarely paint positive images of women in their fiction. Hence, the denigration of women not only in non-fictitious Nigeria but also in Nigerian drama. . By way of reframing this narrative, Nigerian female playwrights flip the script of men’s portrayal of women, thereby creating strong women characters, who not only oppose the oppressive patriarchal cultures, but in some cases have been engaged in wittingly or unwittingly oppressing their fellow women who are weaker, poorer, less-privileged or uneducated. This study thus seeks to examine the female gender representation in the works of some Female Nigerian playwrights such as; Zulu Sofola, Felicia Onyewadume, Tracie Utoh-Ezeajugh and Osita Ezenwanebe to see how they have presented issues of female empowerment in Nigeria. Data for the paper was generated using library research, and textual analyses of the qualitative research  method. The study is premised on Molare Ogundipe’s Stiwanism. An analyses of the qualitative data concludes that women have not yet attained emancipation. For that reason, the study concludes that Nigerian female playwrights should embody in their works, such  narratives that can engage in improving women’s mentality, to fast track emancipation.