05/10/2026
๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐๐! ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฌ!
๐๏ธ Thursday, 8 October 2026
โฐ 13:00โ14:00
๐ฒ https://tinyurl.com/mwnc3x67
ABSTRACT | Drawing on AlobwedโEpieโs "The Lady with a Beard", this paper examines how patriarchal paradigms are interrogated and deconstructed through the character of Emade, the novelโs heroine, who is endowed with attributes culturally coded as masculine. Through her resilience, intelligence, and authoritative engagement with cultural practices traditionally reserved for men, Emade challenges entrenched gender hierarchies and redefines African womanhood. Her assertiveness in matters of inheritance, succession, ritual authority, and sexual autonomy positions her as a transformative figure who negotiates, rather than rejects, culture to assert female agency. Anchored in African feminist thought, cultural politics, and structuralist theory, the paper argues that while patriarchal ideologies persist in reinforcing male dominance, women possess equal capacity to lead, innovate, and reshape societal norms. By examining widowhood as both a socially constructed site of marginalization and a potential locus of empowerment, the study demonstrates how AlobwedโEpie interrogates the intersections of culture, gender, and power. Ultimately, the paper reveals that African women, exemplified by Emade, can challenge oppressive traditions while preserving and re-signifying the cultural heritage of their communities.
