A woman can become a man : Rituals and gender equality among the Nsukka Igbo of south-eastern Nigeria

Scholars of gender inequality tend to neglect ritual as a mechanism that can aid gender equality – even when it is obvious that rituals are cardinal in bridging the equality gap between genders. Basing its argument on the incarnate being institution among the Igbo, an essentially male-dominated institution, this study explains how rituals empower women to attain equal status with men and help them to participate actively in the institution. Questions to address include how women are admitted into the society, nature and meaning-cum-essence of the rituals. Using oral interviews, participant observation, video clips and photographs of women who underwent rituals, this paper argues that ritual is a potent force in the attainment of gender equality. This paper aims to help elucidate the logic of the rituals and bring to the fore how the intangible heritage of an Igbo society helps bridge the gender inequality gap.