Reconfiguring Tradition: Women's Rights and Social Status in Contemporary Nigeria.

This article provides a brief review of the place of tradition in restructuring women's social status and rights in contemporary Africa. Using Nigeria as a case study, the analysis traces women's historical progression from the pre-colonial era, their absorption into the colonial society, and progress in the post-independence era.

The paper outlines their legal status over this entire period as a crucial basis for initiating the struggle to improve their social position. The final section makes a case, outlining the challenges, for reconfiguring the cultural basis for advancing ...

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