Fighting Patriarchy in Nigerian Cultures Through Children’s Literature

Abstract

This study tried to investigate the prevalent patriarchal practices in Nigerian cultures and how it could be curbed via children’s literature. Patriarchy is generally accepted and widely practiced in Nigeria. Its tenets have remained unprinted but have been actively governing people’s lives and transactions in Nigeria over decades. These tenets which have overtly and covertly impacted negatively on the women folk and indirectly on men, also on the socio-economic and political advancement of Nigerian society in general have been effectively sustained and transferred, informally and formally to posterity, as part of Nigerian culture. Children’s literature has always provided opportunity for nurturing, in response, appreciation and internalization of one’s and group’s cultural heritage. It equally impacts on the growth and development of the children’s self perception, which results to the internal urge of transferring same to posterity. This study, therefore, postulates that given the evident roles literature plays in character molding, that children’s literature is therefore a veritable tool for expunging the negative patriarchal practices in Nigerian culture.