Whose Voice Counts? Gendered Silences and Hierarchies in Nigeria’s Socio-political Spaces

• In Event: Global Perspectives on Popular Culture

Abstract

This study cross-examines the politics of voice, representation, and exclusion in Nigeria’s socio-political landscape. Utilising feminist political theory and intersectionality, this research work explores how women’s voices are silenced as a result of established cultural hierarchies. The study aims to uncover the devices through which women are silenced in political, religious, and civic institutions. The study will also attempt to examine the intersection of gender, class, and ethnicity in shaping determining women’s presence and participation in Nigeria’s socio-political spaces and it will also explore resistance strategies employed by women to challenge exclusion
A qualitative research methodology was employed for this research. This method involves a detailed content analysis of feminist digital activism, community theatre, and protest narratives etc. Data were thematically coded and analyzed, as well as participant observation in political meetings, religious gatherings, and community forums. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify recurring patterns of exclusion, resistance, and negotiation.
The results from this study disclose that relegation and discrimination against women persist in Nigeria as women are not expected to be heard. This implies that women’s voices do not count in Nigeria socio-political spaces because it is deeply hierarchical. These silences are aided by Patriarchal norms, religious authority, and political gatekeeping. Women in Nigeria try to resist these subjugation and intense discrimination through informal advocacy setups, digital activism, and grassroots mobilization. The study concludes that intensifying women’s voices in Nigeria necessitates the destruction of existing systemic hierarchies that silence and disregard women voices in Nigeria

Author

• Anthonia Folasade Ibitoye, The Centre for the study of Race, Gender and Class