Women and 'the Other Room': Emancipating the Society.

Abstract

Pan-Africanism is an ideology which emphasizes the brotherhood of the black people wherever they are. Its advancement is everyone’s affair whether male or female, within Africa and the Diaspora. Pan-Africanism has moved from the level of black liberation and struggle for political power to social, economic, and political emancipation, which has positively ignited the desire in some African women to actualize ‘self’ and contribute to nation building in spite of being confined to “the other room”. The premise of the “other room” was ignited by a statement made by the President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari that: “... but she [his wife] belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room”. This paper sets out to lay bare the principles and relationship of Pan-Africanism and Womanism. The paper further advocates that women in spite of being suppressed are bursting forth; challenging patriarchal roles, which most times impede their growth and development in the society. The paper concludes that women’s emancipation, gender equality and women’s empowerment are at the heart of the question of humanity itself and are thus universal in character and asserting their place in the global community is fundamental.