Women and indigeneship in Nigeria: a discourse in gender and ethnic parochialism

Bernard B. Fyanka, Redeemer's University

This paper investigates gender inequalities relating to indigeneship in Nigeria. The growing population of mixed ethnic marriages in Nigeria has created challenges relating to indegeneship especially with regards to women who have married into ethnic groups other than theirs. Access to education, health, civil service jobs and even political inclusion in Nigeria’s 36 states are often governed by federal character principles. Consequently the growing population of women who are not living in their states of origin due to inter ethnic marriages encounter ethnic discrimination that is gender bound. The paper examines the impact this development has on national integration; it also traces the constitutional development of indigeneship rights for women since 1960 and also challenges the gender underpinnings of the federal character principle and suggests a critical review.