On bended knees before culture

Eco feminism is a theory that rest on the basic principle that patriarchal philosophies are harmful to women. They are of the view that that patriarchal philosophy emphasises the need to dominate and control unruly females. Eco feminism view patriarchal society to be a structure developed 5,000 years ago while considering matriarchal society to be the original hierarchy.

African cultures are predominantly patriarchal and the Esan people custom and tradition of Edo Central is weighty with patriarchal influences. A personal experience was at my beloved Father's death. The final burial date was fixed within 2months, thisduration considering the huge financial implications involved in such ceremonies in my community was not enough to plan and provide my share of financial contributions. Thus it was not convenient with me ; and I asked for a further date. Alas! I had committed an offence, a taboo in Esan culture. This brought me on my knees before the council of elders. A bereaved daughter yet punished for a good intention at my own father’s burial.

Betty Okoebor, a committed female politician to APC political party and the women leader in Uromi Esan North East, was not spared either by culture in the line of duty.

On the day of Edo State Gubernatorial election, September 28th 2016, she was at her polling unit when her king ( Onojie) His Royal Highness, HRH Anselm Edenojie left his palace and droveto her voting unit with amission of rebuking her. He had gotten reports allegating she was canvassing for votes for APC in his kingdom. Whereas the opposition (PDP) who featured an Uromi subject for deputy governor should have the support of all electorates in Uromi.

Betty Okoebor in defence explained her fundamental human rights to the king. Her rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution on freedom of association and to belong to a political party of her choice. This infuriated the king who physically assaulted her with a slap her on her check before driving off.

Betty went to the hospital for medical treatment with no sympathy from the royal palace, elder, chief, man, nor anyone. Nobody intervened between her and the royal throne?, rather condemnation followed Betty despite the assault by the Onojie.

The matter got to the Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole whose party Betty belong. A query was issued to the king to explain why he assaulted his subject on Election Day while she was carrying out her civic duties.

This query was ignored by the king and by October 26th the Edo Government suspended the Onojie of Uromi for one week and demanded for a public apology to the victim and the state as well. Failure to do these would lead to forfeiture of his fathers’ throne and risk being deposed. (Synonyms: overthrown, remove from power, brought down, ousted, conquered, banished)and possibly worst scenario banished from Uromi land like the Bini Oba( Ovonramen) deposed and sent on exile to Calabar by the Portuguese.

Sleeping gods could not have woken up faster. Next thing, the gods went berserk and rose up to defend their own against the lesser mortal (a woman). Who is a woman to be apologised to by a king in Esan Land? A sacrilege! an abomination! a taboo!.

Automatically, the victim became a villain; men and gods rose up against her. ‘An apology’ , from the royal thrown to an Okhuo (Woman translated ‘Okhuo’ in Esan laungauge) This was heralded from palace to palace, home to home, market to market, on roads to the farms and streams, in commercial vehicles, motor parks, beer parlous and restaurants.

A woman dared the king, the throne and dared the people. Men, women and children condemned Betty, masquerades rose up, the gods and lands were enraged. Both low and high men at home and abroad threatened fire and brimstone against Betty. One woman abused, assaulted yet plagued by culture and custodians of culture.

Instantly Betty became a peril to Uromi and Esan Kingdom and the governor of Edo State was already assumed in many quaters as having no love for Uromi for being predominantly PDP.

The suspension of the Onojie by the Edo state government was seen in many quarters as tantamount to punishment to Esan North East whose major leaders are PDP stalwarts

Overwhelmed, fatigued and frightened with fear of kings and thrones, fear of the oppressors of the weak, fear of traditions and customs that brings women on their knees. Betty went to her king like all other women who have been accused, she went led by men to men’s domain, she went not to have fair hearing, neither to have remedy for her pain but to bend her knees in "guilty as charged", to ask for forgiveness. She reaffirmed that her king cannot apologize to her ‘as it is a sacrilege’ and she was made to put it in writing for the world to see.

Culture won against human rights, against logical reasoning, human integrity and rule of law. Can a woman defeat her culture? No. Rather culture makes a victim becomes a villain. She becomes an outcast, she becomes a rebellious witch to be sought out and burnt with anger of the gods and men.

What would have been the fate of Betty if she had not gone to the king on her knees? Her family would have been ostracized by the time the masquerade (Elimhin) goes to her house and places a curse on it. No one would have visited the house, interacted, buy from or sell to her and her family. Everyone would have avoided her like a plague. Fingers would point her out with the tag of a dreadful woman, her case would have gone down into history as a deterrent to women . These and more would have been Betty’s fate had she not gone on bended knees.

Is this right? Is this fair? Is this natural justice? Is this human? The answer is no. Life itself is often quoted as unfair and it is the life and custom Betty is born into.

Esan women are born into custom and tradition dictated by men.The tradition is more feared than laws of the land. An Onojie is supreme and his words are unchallenged almost a decree when it concerns women.

Did Betty do the right thing? Yes. She was between the devil and the blue sea. Had she stood with the Edo State government stand for an apology from her king, would the government had stood by her in the described calamity? No. The government most certainly would have left her in the lurch as those in government are men and products of culture as well.

Should Esan Women continue on bended knees even when they are wronged, battered, shattered, and violated; when disinherited from their father’s and husband’s estate; when intimate partners abuse them, when kings assault them, when repugnant cultural laws try them by an all -men council of chiefs and elders. Should the women continue to go on bended knees with heads bowed, hearts heavy with bitter tears from cultural injustice; yet continue to plea for forgiveness?.

Louisa Ono Eikhomun is the President of Esan Women Movement and Executive Director of Echoes of Women in Africa.Email: louisaono@yahoo.com +234 08023462297http://leikhomun