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This paper is examines the notion that women constitute a social minority in Igboland and as a result, suffer the fate of the oppressed as typical of minority groups. This notion is repudiated by Flora Nwapa in her novel, Efuru ( 1 966). The term 'minority' in this paper is used not in the sense of population size but as it relates to the control of power and its indices. In Igboland gender discourse concerning power usually takes it for granted that power resides in men and that women only secondarily acquire and deploy it. This paper, however, deconstructs this conceptualization of power in Igboland as symbolized by Nwapa's women, Efuru especially, and their social roles in her first novel.
Nwapa hails from Ugwuta, a lake town in the eastern part of Nigeria. She is of the Igbo ethnic group, an individualistic society where material success is highly regarded. The Igbo people can also be found in several parts of the West African sub-region, thousands of miles away from their ancestral roots, carrying out commercial activities and mixing peacefully with their host communities. This spirit of individualism and free enterprise can be found in both their men and women. Thus, as the men become successful, the women equally explore avenues for similar or even greater success. It is, therefore, not difficult for Igbo parents to accept the idea of giving their women university education. Thus, Nwapa belongs to a group of women who had the rare opportunity of receiving university education at a time when the country was yet to be fully open to western education.
Ugwuta, the hometown of Nwapa, has certain unique attributes. It harbours the largest lake in Eastern Nigeria. This lake is serviced by smaller rivers. The availability of abundant water has aided the development of the people. Unlike their landlocked neighbours, they can easily travel to other riverine communities and this has facilitated the transmission of ideas and attitudes. The people also have fertile farm lands. In terms of economic prosperity, they are better off than many of their neighbours.
Another important aspect of Ugwuta is its language. The dialect of Igbo spoken by the people is close to the dialect of Igbo spoken in the western part of the...