Patriarchy and Property Rights among Yoruba Women in Nigeria

Abstract

In most patriarchal societies, women's property rights are often achieved vicariously, usually through their husbands. By contrast, among the Yoruba of Nigeria, women have some levels of autonomy and independence such that they can accumulate property to which their husbands have no claim, yet they customarily do not have any inheritance right to their husbands' property. This study examines how this gender-equitable property rights regime affects gender relations at the household and societal levels through in-depth interviews conducted in 2012 with fifty-six purposively selected women property owners who lived in urban Ibadan, Nigeria. Findings include that though economic power has improved the status of the women and contributes to development of their communities, it has not yet translated into equity in decision making. More than economic power is required to attain equality. The capability of defining goals and acting upon them is also critical.

Comparison of Formal and Informal Land Administration Systems in Lagos State: The Case of Epe Local Government Area

“…Understandably, this is because women are allowed to inherit land in the Yoruba custom (from their fathers, husbands, sons, or other family members). The custom also permits them the independence to acquire all forms of property including land (Aluko, 2015), and there are no Nigerian laws refraining them from enjoying this right. However, other social and economic hindrances may limit women's ability to exercise this right in practice (Staveren & Odebode, 2007).…”

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“…They were furthermore able to widen their social networks and sometimes to escape abusive marriages (Kabeer 2005). However, the link between women's employment and their empowerment, that is greater control over their lives, is not as straightforward as it seems (Odebode 2004;Kabeer 2005;van Staveren and Odebode 2007;Aluko 2015).…”

“…Ultimately therefore, Yoruba women's autonomy to acquire properties is a function of the item they wish to acquire, which invariably has not translated into equal gender relations. This case study derives from a previous study on patriarchy and property rights among Yoruba women in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria 3 (Aluko, 2015). In-depth interviews were used to generate qualitative data from the study carried out between March and October, 2012.…”

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“…Yoruba households are patrilineal and often polygamous with men being more privileged than women (Babatunde & Setiloane, 2014). The role of women in traditional Yoruba society is complex, with wives being able to accumulate property to which their husbands have no claim; however, women generally do not have inheritance rights to their husbands' property (Aluko, 2015). During the Gelede festival, men masquerade as mothers to honor their life-giving fertility and ability to bring stability to society (Casimir, Nwakego, & Umezinwa, 2015).…”