________--:._-:-~~--~--_:__...;.-:__ -----:--.--~~Sciences sociales et humaines
....
"
,
THEC~AN~ING CONDIT~ONSOFWOMEN INAFRICAN L~TËRAT~RK:A'
'S'TUDY IN CÎliNUA A.CHEBE'sTl!JNGSFALL APART, OUSMANE.S~MBÈNE'S'
Li MANDA"T'AND XALA, AN~MARIAMÂ'BÂ'sUNE SI LONGl/E LpTTRÈ
Romain, Babàgbéto .
Univer,~ité'd'Abomey-Calavi, Bénin
ABSTRACT
.
.
'
This paper discusses some of the changes which have occurred overtirnein.theAfrican woman'
condition. Examplesare taken fram Chin ua Achebe's Things Fall Apett, OusmaneSembène's
Le Mandat and Xala, and Mariama Bâ's 'Une si longue lettre. These novels illustrate the evolution
from abused and unvoiced to selt-asserted and voiced wornen. The changes were made possible
larqely because of (i) women's western education which hèlpsthem develop their skills and
competence, and as such it arauses their awareness to their human rights and capacities; (ii)
man's readiness to live a new lifestyle with woman by behaving differently compared with the ole
times. However, the struggle continues, as there is still rnuchto be done.
The paper concludes that for an
there are sorne discemible signs of
in adifferent period of African
integrated development of the
change. The changing times; each
history. If Achebe's Things Fall
..
,
-
.
.
'.'
.
African continent, women should
society s structures, msntutions,
Apart depicts a pre-colonial
be educated and involved in the
customs and traditions,values, and
African
so c ie ty
and'
its
decision-makingprocess.
above ail evoiution must be takeri
disintegratio n following the
intoaccountin thisassessment. A~ ,
incursion of Europe ans, Le
Assessing the wornan's condition
a matter offact, man's attitude and '
Mandat and Xala describe the
in Africa, Molara Ogundipe-Leslie
perception are instrumental ln
social· realities of a post-,
( 1994) argues:
facilitating the irnprovernent of
independent Africa. The former
A brief glanee at women
wornàn's condition. Ousmane
re~ealsthe·barrage that the
all over the worId today shows that
Sernbènein Gadjigo Samba et al
colonial-inherited administrative
women are oppressed. A brief
(1993)insists thar for .Africa t9
bureaucracy represents in the
glanee suggests that educational
develop,"our forefathers' image of
Third Woild after independence,
attainments, participation rates,
womenmust be buried once and
and the latter m i r rors the
occupational structure, private and
for ail" (l 00)':
, impotence of young African
public laws, family planning
nations. Set in a more recent
This study focuses on sorne ofthe
systems, technological advance
Africa, "Une si longue lettre relates.
changing conditions of African
and, above ail, socio-cultural
the
women in Things Fall Apart by
lif~'experiences and feelings of •
attitudes are ail weighted against
Africanwomen.
Chi;ll1a Achebe, Le Mandat and
--_'--:-_---,~..,.;--:.. ,
them. (27) J :
.
. . ,
Xala by Ousmane Sembène, and
' .
Molara, Ogundipc-Lcslie (!994) •
Nevertheless, 'if we compare,
Une si longue lettre by Mariama
, Recreating Ourse/Iles, /I/i·ieall WOl1len and
Afiican women's conditions today
Critical
Bâ. The choice ofthese writers is
Tra~~f()rm{li/()!/.;,
" to what prevailed in the pre- , '
z .
Ca,\\j;go. ~'III11Ja LI al (1993 J.
very significant as each of the
Ousmane Sembene. Dialogues witù Critics
colonial orpost-independence era,
novels under consideration is set
and Writers.
Rev. CAMES - SérieB, V(;(.005 N"ï~2. 2003
'13

---

The three writers selectedfor this
household and as such his wives
studycomefrom.WestAfrica.and
must show full respect and total
WOMEN'S CONDITION IN
thechanges in the-conditions-of- .'. ". .obedience-
.~
,~OST-INDEPENDENCE
'1"
••, . , '
·
,
~ ~ ){~..
. '
. J"-' .1,
• .
i :
,\\",i
~i}. ~~.-~.i;·::~~·f~;{:;I·:·;
:
~I!~·.·· AFRIC~t. .
.,:."
J
, - "
" , ; :
WOI1)en areanalyzed withr e f e r e n c e .
' .• " ~ ., ,.....
'.» • ; - ) . ."
. ( : , •. ; .;•
.... '1' .. r . ... ,"h' '-1";" ),~·i··r',. (
ti:
. . .' ~.'
~ .... '.,."
'. InLeMandat however.women's
to po ygamous
0 useho 1dsi: c: ~ .:
, . - ? ' . '.-:', "'<",".'':..'~;'. ~
'; '" ~:.' ',.,' ., ,". ~',~ 'r, z? ,;': '"', ."i '
Thoughtheconclusi0!1S~c4edin.
In additjon to the physjcal abuse' .,' 'dc~ffindltl0ns'~loo'k J so mewhat
,
.
,
.~, ,"'. "\\': ' •....". ',f, " th;;' '!th' .. '-'.
'. ,',
.
1 erent. In thisnovel women dare
this paper cannot necessanly be "
. eyare
e VICtItnS ofm thisriovel, .: ,~"" ak" .; h' /' , ~ ..... - ,'. è••';. " '. '.
.
·
. '
' .
. . . , . t
e imnatrves. For instance when
applied to ail Africanot even to
women are not associated III the
th
d l'
d
nT
•
. .
d ' '... -takii
, . "
e postman e Ivere the money
a11 West-African countnes, they
ecision-
ngprocess-s-even on
c l '
D'
,
. .
.
or cr Ill' reng s absence the
reveal somehow that women's
"matters III ~\\11ch they,aredirectly
hero's wi
did
. . . '
,
, ,
.
.
' , "
'
.-.':',".,
: ..... :'. " :
ero s wlves 1 not wait for his
.SOI1~ItlO:I1L~[~ sh9w,~l1g, ~~!li,e ::~ ~~~oly~tfo.r,!ps~s.~,.~~:ttle;t~~_
::v retumtoreceive instructions ..
encouragmg signsofchangeon the
bnde-pnce ofAkueke,a younggirl
I t d h
' .' , " d' -;
· .
.
, .
nsea .t eygotsomencean 011
connnent. . - ...•
.,- .' - ., ...
.., - .. ,_Pf.thQl<°d'~:'-Wd.9.-s...cl~?, only !TI~n;' .' oncredit·to cook-Iunch.: When
ga ere "lOf. rscussion..
' .
cc
:WOMEN'SCONDITIONS
_.,:a,,"; ,.:::"
Dieng returned, he had not asked
" INPRË:"Co'LONIALAND:: IC' " '; ;1.~1;:" ,;'. ",,'. ': ':;'.', >, ".
: . "':' wheretheflavoùred.ricewith dried
:' ' :~Ô~?NlA~ ÂFiuCA ..'.' ":~.!,'ht':ib~~~~~1~~sêv~riine~in ,~-, '~s~'had'cb111e from, Hehad eaten
...Worhen as depi~~edbiAchebe in.' ," Obi~;ik~'s' hut ~hé~i' bkonk~o .' :' ·,1'0 repletion'.' (.116)" ,This initiative-
, hi~ !.~ings E!'altA[Jart',do not play '~,' ,'r~n.l~~d.,iî~s~iitpr~qS ri ;ou~g ~ . '. ta~ing~s weil as the sO,t id~ri tytrait
~slgmfi~~ntp.artIlltheframework
. nian6fab~uttw~nty,-fiv'è,~dW1th . ';'descnbed belo w' <üë::l'nost
oft~'le'~t?ry:On thecontrary, ind:is .'.:-:hi111W'ere hisfather~nd 'li'ncle~ O~'
pr6bablyattribute.d to the writers
,traditionalsoèiety,notoi1Iydieyare·.·~' cObi6rik~'s'siéle~erehistwoelder:1 perception of wornan. lndeed,
'abused physically, but alsothey'are' "
'b~6the;'s and MacÎ~lka .his si~teeù~' - '.OusmaneSembène-is one ofthe,
kept ~ll1voiced: They live. in
year-oldson, (72)6 '
mal~ authors, including Mongo
constant fear oftheir husbands' ~
- . . . .
. 'Betl~ Ferdinand Oyono,' Henri
~nge~ andas such must obey.all
>.,'
' .
'. 0 •
. ; , : .
' , ' 1.
Lopès, and N1111ad,ou KQPI;01l111a',
their wishes and desires: lt is.the
,SimiJarly, to decide on what
who, .have contributed to: the
· '.
, •
-. .
"
.. ' .
;h.··~,u~d,b·~ d,one'a'ft,e.r ayoung.girl
' . ' , . .
. '
"
case of'the hçr,o Okonkwo';s
,) ... _. , ' "
.
, . '
p~o1110tionofwqnlenbypresenting
wives,.\\;V~10"I~~eqi.n perpetualf~ar
. 8f~e Vr1,u~fim::~1~1 was,~$aulted
anç>ther imageofwoman in,their
9~ his, flery.:~~!TIPt;~':;. (14.)'. ,For
a~d,k.illed ip.Mp~ino"a.tdwl1 crier
works. They m;e c\\ll1vin~cd thatrhc
instanc~whenOjiugo,OkQnkwo:s
"askëdev'érY'man-to~e:presentat
liberationof Africa is directly
, _ . :
.<
. . '
the, ·.m,a~k,e.t. pla.cè'Üîè,foJ1owil~g·
1
. . . . . .
, "
• • '
YPlU1ge,st}VÏf~, wenttoplait,her,hair
..
j
.1'"
. , . ,
_
. ' ,
co'rinected to' thé liqcration of
at herfrie~d's i10use ~;~d did ;1~t
1l10rning"(ll)', No wome,n,were
Women.
".
-
co~e.b~.ck)10my"ea;'lyto,pr~p'~r~
,i~vitedbecàllseintraciitionaiAfiiç,~:
"
!
dinner,:her)1Us~and.got angry;
decisions are t<,tken by m~n,only; .
Whcn she returned "he beat her
. Èxcluded frûn'-t the decisiû~s d'lat
h~~iy" (3i}., An~ther e~aIll'ple~f
~ngage th~ir fùt~lr~ andthetàtë of
.physical violencei~gi~e\\lWh~n the
the society they, ar~. fj~i~giq,
, .
'
~ '1 ' .i:: .
womencann.'oth.liIypart.i.c,~p'aie in
, ' j
':J
same wlf~ eut a le-w, eaves lr~m a
~ts adval1cement a~d weIfa,re,
banana tree to wrap som~ fo,op
withouther husbapd's penn\\~sion,
J
. •J;"_' .,'f:;1
_..
"',
When Okonkwo discovered it,he
;
:- .
f
• • • '
"gave,h~r a sO~lDd b~ati.ng" (~O); ,
. ~
i
. ..
;
Achebe,
In both cases wc
.~hin.ua 1 (1959)
?bs~rve ~h~rt~1e
Sembène, Ousmane (1966)
Thing's Fall Apart
~'ictin'1, Ojiugo, did not rcact. But
t ,
•
"
\\
•
. 1
Le Mandat The translation into'
"
.idem
how darè she when"the laws,
English is' mine
'dûistÛrns arid traditioris of the
. ..
ibicf
' .
;
... "
~.t •• ~
ibid
society have established that the
j .
; , .
"
husband .is thè mastcr of thè
?" '," ibid
Rev,_ CAMES - Série B, Vol. 005 W 1-2.2003
14

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Ousmane'Sembène shows.in.Zè
changing due to à positive ôhange
Beye; her father, askèd ber if she
Mandatthatwomen are not.afraid
"inthe African man's'attitudewho
were ready to accornpany him to'.
.: of'provirig in public that.they t00
behaves'differently from thepre-
his third rnarriagé ceremony, she :
.. have. à sense.of solidarity. When
colonial-man 'with the African
refused to go and-even had the '
.. Diengwas injured.in the-altercation
womanl Thishas helpedthe latter
courage' to tellhirn face-tc-face
\\vith 1I1i.e: apprentice.. of the
. gainin confideïice.ândrevealtc'the
wha] s'héthinks abeutthe marriage.
.photographer, it is a woman.hedid
society. othértraits of hër.nature
She pointsout, "1 am àgainst this
not èven know, who took.care of
til'at shë'<was' 'i1btg;'i verifh'e
fnarriage, fàther, Apolygamistis
him.She offered water.to wash ms
oppoitunity to .dernonstratel As
nèver fraIik"('IJ} ;'!'Ej, Hadj Kader
bleedingface (-163)" ..Similarly,as
such.we-canassert-that-African
was stunnedrHethèn slapped
Dieng's second wife knewthat lier
wornen. now"'··seem: ':1'0 l'-b:e
Rama adding fhat he;would·,liot.
· husbanddid.not havethemoney
consideredmore' as partnersthan
admit such a "revolution" in his
to giveto his sister who had come
as "docile' oriloo'kérs.' This
house, But to his surprise, his
for the three thousand francs sent
'partnership will contribute- to- a
daughter l~etoÎted:"111is:is1;'ot yoür
· 'by her son Abd6u, 'she:sL;'ggësied
. better harmony in the farnily and;
•
' .
. . ' ~
4 . ' .
1
•
t; .
• _
: ~'.
1
house. Nothing 'hefe bèlongsto
that he pawnedlier éxpensivegold
above ail, to a more harmonious
you\\î3Y' .
"
~. .
' 1
.+ .
'
" , :
. l' ,
•
' .
•
( , .
1 (
.
..
,
' .... ,:
earrings
-','. . (
(l55)~". Anotheréxamplè
development ofthe society.
. . .
.~ . (...
1" • .
1...
" 4
~
•
,
' , '
, . . :
.
. . '
" j '
,
.
Ramas courage.çwhich .was
which shows women s expression
. unthinkable a few years.ago, is a
o(sofi'd~rity'is provided by Mé't'~
. '
l
, . '
,"
, ;
" l " ·
. • .
'1
"
WOMEN'S CONDITION IN
true, evidence. ,of the changing
and Aram, Dieng's two wives.
" "MODERN'AFRICA:'
conditions of African wornen.
-
'(
• •
J
:; . '.
Th~y:
1
•
ClOU Id riot ù~~derst~rid their
In'Xâla and' Une sno!iguë}ettr~,
Indeed.. in traditional Africa,
h~lsb-à;1d' s' 0~er~genèrô si t'Y".
üüsmahe Seh-{bèl1eancÎMaria1113
polygamy was accepted as a nopll.
AÙl;o'ugl; be 'hâd' nbt -~ash~d ti;'e
j '
"
- .
. . '
• .
'
B'â'Pl:ès~i~t ~a 'i~é~:~e~er:atïon- ot
However, today, it is criticized aI10
moriey order, he\\~:O~JÎd,sha~~~he
women. Having been tothe~hite
even rejectecj. No rloubtthat
r'êst of the f~rriÙy -food with
man's school, literatewomen are
'school educ~tion is transforrning
.
.
l ' .
neighbors who were in need. But
at the forefront ofthe new changes
the African woman and as ;a
Mety and Aram, knowing that
.
. '.'
occurring in women's conditions.
consequence, relations in African
some of them pretended they
They continue their struggle and
societies.
were in need because they thought
assert their outspokenness.That is
Dieng had received plenty of
.Because of; the education they
the case with Ramatoulaye.in Une
.money, decided that they would be
·receive in the.white man's school, .
si; longue 'l'ettre"when .her
the ones to tell who should be
and the new ideas to whichthey
deceased husband's brothercame
helped (l36) '.
to ask her to' marry. him. She
are. exposed.. African JV()I,~l~11
today, little by Iittle..voice .their
debates and decides, "This time 1
opinions 'aboùi certain .\\nore,s.
shall speak out. My voice has been
Woman's expression of her
rGducecÎ jo silence for tl:irtY years','
The~e, 'Rama, agaiil:is:a,telling
solidarity can also take the form of
example .. Unhappy about j~~r
~~5)1'. For?: woinan'tBr~!useto
the defense of man 's honor. This
father's thirdmaITiage, she says she
marry her Iflte llll?band'sb,rQther
• . • \\.
' .
' , '
: 1 ·
. ; ;
• . ' • •
happened when Mety,,informed
w'ôüldràther'divoùSe thaù sharé
was u'nheard' of in the traditional
•.• -
'J'
.... ,.,.
. , . \\ .
1
. 1 '
t
.
. ' 1 ·
' : "
that her husband was having an
,society. Times are really chaI1g!ng!
her'husb~1l1dwitheih"6tl1ér woman
_
1 1
. , . , .
.
1....
. "
':~
"
· argument with his creditor Mbarka,
(12)16:-
., .. '
InXala, Rama, a t\\Venty-year-old
••
'
; " .
"1
"
1'"
•
the shopkeeper, o,:er his debts,
1 3 '
. "'Bâ, Mariama (1986) Une si
university' student; is, another
lonflue lettre. The translation into
rushed to the shop. She took sides
e~a~'plë of a vo~c~d' w6ma,n.
. English is mine.
with her husband, informed
Whert,El :Hadj .Abdoù,K~der
14. Sembène, Ousmane' (1976) .Xala.
Mbarka that she'knew whatthey
'9
idem
fh~ ïraQslation .into Eng'lisli ismine.
.~ .. (~
.' '';,
,
owed him andassureçi'l:un)that he
4
•
-
,
. . . .
!'"
","."
.,10:
::', :ibid.' ... ,':.
.', :', '... :'.; .
;;;'~" 7:·..·'W6ürd~6ê;~ai d"(176) '~,Tl:i~ii~foFè','
.,
•
, ..
"J ',.
..:
•
'l-
••••
,.
"." '11
."_ =..": ibid' .
· .wo'r-ilêh?s\\ç0ndit~ons as'depiêteçlin..
"~< ~37~;t~~tt;:~"t~(3t' ;'
. ,'11~
-' Bâ, Marïama- (1·~8J3r:O'?li;s<;:'· '.'
,
1 2 '
"'Ibid
.; "
::. : :
..
,
.
'
---,,\\_.'
'
thi-~ p~~t-i;~â~pend~l~c~ il0vel"are
o/àngue .Iettre. The tra·I'\\:,<;,!,ij'fïôn'·ïnfo'
English is mine' ~;.../
.
Rev. CAMES:-'Série B,VoI. 005 N° 1":2.'2003
15

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Sciences sociales et humaines
Similarly, in Mariama BWs Unesi
comment, by Farmata - a griot
.helpful, bath morally and tinancially.
longue
lettre, Aïssatou,
woman-. toher refusal is a good
Thus, books supported andsaved
Ramatoulaye's friend, infonned by
exarnpleoffhe old mentality, "Who
her as they have become her refuge
her husband that she was going to
do you think you are?You trample
(51)'!, Moreover, they enabled her
have a co-wife, tellshim in a letter
uponyour luck.Daouda Dieng, a
to better herselfas she.continued
that she was. not prepared for a
rich man, a deputy, a doctor, of
her studiesat a School of
polygamous life. Shewrites,"1 am
your own age group.with just one
Interpreters and after she
stripping myselfofyour love," your
wife, He offers you security, love,
graduated.she was appointed at
name. Clothed inmy dignity, the
.and,ypu- refuse 2; ·,.(-10 1): ".
the' Senegalese Embassy in thé
only worthy garment.] continue my
Ramatoulaye's decision confirms
United States of-America.
way. Goodbye" (50) 1 7 . ,
that African women- today..are
'Consèquent.l y, ishe becarue
\\.:
rejecting.some ofthetraditional ,
.
financially independent'and started
:."
beliefs ami .ideas. They are-more
to makea vérygood living. ' ,
Won~edi~ traditionalsociety, as
and more determined to choose for
Tllés~-attitudes'aI~e sïgnilicanioi:the
described in .Achebe's Things
themselves.. ,
~l;~riges'~cé~ming
Fall Apart,
inthe conditions
are 'unvoi~e,d.
. . ~.
of Àfricanwomen who can todav
However, today, they analyze m;d
decide' : 'for: ,-themselves.
Adja Awa in Xala, victim of the
decide what they feel isbè~t for
t,he;1~, 'who èan';11al~~·.th~ir~~n
Ramatoulaye in Une' si longue
sarne. .betrayalnow that her
lettre, AdjaAwain Xala, are good
husband is rnarryinghis thi~d wife,
choice. As Irèl~~A'ssîb~ d;Alrrieirla
il lustratio ns
of' worncrr's
refuses to take her daughter
(1986) emphasizcs '.'\\\\Iha't ':is
assertiveness. 'Ram'atoulaye',
Rama's advice, LikeRamatoulaye,
iinportant is that the choices..have
bien made.Tor too long àtill1e
having discovered the betrayal of
.she believes divorcé isnot the best
.
" " . '
.
her husband whothàstakén a
solutionforher:
women .have .been denied to
1
• • •
..
•
1
. '
. 'choose,the; course oftilcir lives"
second wife, decides, after deep
"
. '
" . . . .
.
:"You,think'lshould-.geta
. (171)".
consideration, not to divorce him.
divorce: Where would 1 go at my
Shé analyses the situation as
age? Where would 1 find another
fôllows:"
"
husband? A man of my own age
andsti Il, a bachelor? If 1left your
, Leave? Start again from
father and with luck and Alla's help
scratch after twenty-five years of
found a husband, 1 wouldbe his
maritallife, after having borne
third or his fourth wife. And what
twelvechildrenvAm 1capable of
would become ofyou? (12)20
bear'ing alone the weight of this
responsibility, which was both
Howevêr;"
contrary
to
moral and material? (40)18
Rarriatoulaye andAdja Awa who
b~lieve'divot~eis not the best
What is important to mentionhere
soi~tion to' their .newsituation,
and which denotes thechanging
.
Aïssatotïiri. Une :s;i Iongue lettre
.
.
.
condition of womanis that, the
does not 'l1esltate ro ta:k~ the
'~"
·',Ibid
, decision not to divorce was not
decision to divorceli.erhusband
19'
Ibid
, imposed on her. It was rather hers
when he infol~~ed her of hi s
20.
Sembène, Ousniane(1976)
persona!. Even though Daouda
intention to have a second wife.
Xala
Dieng, her former suitor beforeshe
.Shechooses what she thinks isbest.
21.
Bâ, Mariama (1986) Une si
married, today a rich man, offered
for her. After she leaves, she
longue lettre
to marry her, Ramatoulaye kindly
decides to look resolutely to the
22
. d'Almeida,
Irène Assiba
but persistently maintained her
future. The education she received
(t9,Bl?) "The Concept of Choice in
Mariama Bà's Fiction"
.
d~èls:1w..J10t to remarry, The
at school proved to be very
." \\
16····
Rev"CAMES - SérieB, Vol. 005 N° 1-2. 20Q3
,.->'

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Sciences sociales et humaines
.,~
This assertiveness can have deeper
CONCLUSION
western education wi th the
implications as it contributes to
positive elements oftheir traditional
women 's liberation from the
Women in traditional Africa are
. education. As for the African man's
burden of sorne customs and
victims ofphysical violence and do
. attitude, it needs to be in perpetuaI
traditions which have so far
not have their say.in the decisions .
adaptation to
support' this
worsened their condition. One of
which are taken. Afterthe colonial
evolution.Itwill certainly be difficult
these customs is that in sorne parts
period, however, they started
as it is not easy to change habits.
ofAfrica, a younger brother usually .
acting on their own initiative and
Efforts must be made, both
inherits his eIder brother's wife after
could express their solidarity
individually and collectively, to
his death. For instance Tarnsir, in
without fear, Today, they can
accept that men and wornen are
Une si longue lettre, to respect
express their opinions, desires, and
born with equal rights and as such,
the tradition, wanted to marry
feelings, which means their voices
the latter should receive a fair and
Ramatoulaye-aIthough in this case
can be heard.
equal treatment in the society. Only
he
is
the
eIder
brother.
then can the female population tee 1
Ramatoulaye's anger burst out:
This evolution in women's
concerned about and bt: integrated
conditions is largely due to their
into the development of the
education at the 'white man's
conti'nent..
Did you ever have any
school and to the positive change.
WORKSCITED
love for your brother? You already
in man's attitude. The instruction
1.
want to build a new home over a
they receive helps them develop
· Achebe, Chinua. Things Fal] Apart,
body that is still warm.... You forget
their ski Ils and competence, and as
New York: Astor-Honor Ine. 1959.
that I have a heart, a mind, that I
such it arouses their awareness to
2.
am not an object to be passed
their human rights and capacities.
· D'Almeida, Irène Assiba "The Con-
around. You don 't know what
cept ofChoice in Mariarna Bâs Fiction."
The
exploitation
of these
Ngambika.
SllIeliesili
Africa n
marriage means to me: it is an act
potentialities are beneficial for the
Literature. Eds. Carole Boyce Davies
of faith and of love, the total
progress of their society and
and Anne Adams Graves. Trenton:
surrender of oneselfto the person
mankind in general. Consequently,
Africa World Press, 1986.
one has chosen and who has
· 3.
B
it is vital that every action, aimed
â
,
chosen you.... I shall never be the
Mariama. Une Si Longue Loure. Abid-
at the improvement of African
jan: Nouvelles Editions Africaines,
one to complete yom collection.
.wornen's conditions, encompasses
1986.
.,
(85)2 :;
an
educational
component
4.
because, as Molara Ogundipe-
Gadjigo, Samba, Ralph Faulkingharn,
Thomas Cassier; and Reinhard Sander,
Ramatoulaye's violent reaction
Leslie (1994) puts it " ...Western
Eds. Ousmane Sembène Dialogues
reveals that African women today
education ... will provide the social
With Crit ics And Writ cr): Amherst:
are deterrnined to challenge
and economie basis and security
University of Massachusetts Press,
traditions, make their voices heard,
from which they (women) can
1993.
and assert their outspokenness.
resist subjection and indignities ..."
5.
Molara, Ogundipe-Leslic. Recreating
That way, 1believe, their voice will
(81 )'5.
Ourselves. African Womcn li nelCrit ical
cou nt and the development of
Thi s does not mean, however, that
Tron.l'f(Jrll7a/i~ns. Trenton: Afriea
Africa will be more integral. As
African traditional educatîon
World Press. 1994.
Ousmane
Sem bène (1993)
6.
should be rejected. It is desirable
mentions "The development of
Serubène. Ousmane. Le Mandai. p'aris:
that Africans reconcile their
Présence Africaine, 1966.
Africa will not happen without the
Sembene, Ousmane. X%. Trans.
effective participation ofwomen"
He i nern ann
Ed lie a t io nal
Books.
(lOO)".
23
Bâ, Mariama (1986) Une si
Westport: Lawrence Hill 8.: .Company,
longue lettre
Publishers, Inc. 1976.
24
Gadjigo,
Samba
(1993)
Ousmane, Sembène. Dialogues with
25
Molara,
Ogundipe-Leslie
Critics and Writers
(1994) Recreating Ourselves. African
Women And Critical Transformations.
Rev. CAMES - Série B, Vol. 005 W 1-2.2003
17

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