African Literature and the Re-Construction of Womanhood: A Study of Selected Plays of Femi Osofisan

Abstract

The concept of feminism varies from one continent to another. In Africa, a woman has to struggle with the man who arrogates all political and social rights to himself, and relentlessly refuses the woman a place. If we are to go by the popular belief that the totality of a people's outlook is harmoniously encapsulated in its body of literature, then it may not be out of place to turn to African literature in questing for the woman's place in Africa and more importantly the re-construction of the woman's position in the continent. Against this background, this paper discusses the re-construction of womanhood as independent rather than emotional, and 'as one that can attain recognition based on her innate prowess and energy potentials rather than clamoring for recognition based on gender sentiments. I will draw specific illustrations from three of Femi Osofisan's dramaturgy - Mororuntodun, Tegonni, and Yungba and the Dance Contest as we progress.