Boki Women and Nigerian Economy Besong, Eric Ndoma Department of Philosophy, Federal University Lafia P.M.B 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria [email protected]
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International Journal of Engineering and Information Systems (IJEAIS) ISSN: 2000-000X Vol. 1 Issue 10, December – 2017, Pages: 71-88 Boki Women and Nigerian Economy Besong, Eric Ndoma Department of Philosophy, Federal University Lafia P.M.B 146, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria [email protected] Abstract: It is quite regrettable that the normal gross tendencies to ignore or undermine the enormous role of women in the economies of nations apply to the Boki women of Central Cross River State, Nigeria. Yet, studies have proven that African women are generally the engine house of their local economies through several economic activities. Boki women are likewise. Amidst the various challenges faced by these women across the ages, their place in Boki, Cross River and Nigerian economies cannot be underestimated or overemphasized. Therefore, this study rises to bridge this underlying knowledge gap, bringing their enormous contributions to foresight. It has established that Boki women enormously contribute to the economy through cassava processing, palm oil and palm kernel production/marketing, food crop production, firewood production/marketing, vegetable, trade, etc. Proceeds from their economic ventures contribute to national development in several ways including self-assertion, self- reliance, job creation, education sponsorship. However, they are challenged by several factors, political, cultural, logistics, gender issues, low education level, poverty, etc. This paper maintains that Boki women have played a very significant role in Nigeria as a whole, and thus deserve a scholarly appraisal of this kind. It recommends gender balance and bias-less works on and appreciation of these women and others in general. Both primary and secondary sources of data collection were involved in the data collection, which followed the survey descriptive method and the qualitative analysis approach. Keywords: Boki women, Economy, Development, Agriculture, Entrepreneurship 1. INTRODUCTION Boki is a nation and Local Government Area in the Central geo-political zone of Cross River State. The Boki woman is thus the biblical Eve of Boki land to the Boki Adam, i.e. she is the extension and continuation of the woman God created for man (Robert, 2015; Torkula, 2009:6; Afolayan, 2009; Genesis 2:21-25,3:1-7). Boki has a thriving economy with its women being the key players. Generally, women constitute half of the world’s population and have contributed significantly to the well-being of the human race (UNDP1997:9). It has been established that bulk of rural women in particular are significantly contributing to their national economies, but they are the poorest of the poor, illiterate, ignorant, disease-ridden, occupying low social, economic and political status (UN, 2008:1; Ochelle, 2014:2). The role of women, especially in the rural areas was for a long time regarded as secondary in the socio-economic development of Nigeria. Women, therefore, tended to be ignored (Ihimodu, 1996:1). Legion evidence abounds to corroborate the invaluable, immense contributions of women to development in both many developing and developed economics (nations). It has been established that African women’s population in economic life is deeply rooted everywhere on the continents. For instance, besides carrying out their domestic chores like food production, firewood collection and provision of household water, reproduction and parenting (motherhood), women contribute significantly to the workforce in agriculture and informal sectors. They constitute one-fourth of developing nations’ industrial labour force but still carry the main burden of childcare (parenting) and household chores (see Ochelle, 2009:2). On rural women’s contribution to the economy, Ochelle (2009:2) notes, If the economic contribution of rural women is properly evaluated, it could be seen that they provide about half the family income. In view of these facts, we assume that societal transformation in the developing economies [and even those of developed economies] in general and in most parts of Africa cannot take place without the rural women playing a predominant role. This contribution has not been fully appreciated hitherto. This ugly situation confronts the Boki women too, whose case, like most of their counterparts in Cross River and the so-called minority nations of Nigeria, is blatant, pitiable, regrettable, unfortunate and seemingly unaddressed yet. As Ochelle (2014:5) contends, www.ijeais.org 71 International Journal of Engineering and Information Systems (IJEAIS) ISSN: 2000-000X Vol. 1 Issue 10, December – 2017, Pages: 71-88 The study of the place of Nigerian women in history is perhaps the most neglected theme in its past. The need to study the place of women has been made valid and necessary not by the present day problems faced by women in these societies but also by the lip service paid to the need for women to get into the realm of the social, political, economic and cultural development of Nigeria. The above is factual and applies to our case too. The Boki women with their enormous economic, socio-cultural, political, educational and developmental contributions are grossly neglected. The Boki women, like their fellows, play pivotal role and contribution to both Boki and Nigerian economies. They play an indispensable role of enhancing agriculture, rural development, improving food security, eradicating rural poverty, job creation, entrepreneurship pursuit, growth and development, self-assertion/reliance (economic independence), education sponsorship, etc. (see Ihimodu, 1996:2; Ochelle, 2014:3). In what gives credence to the foregoing, Robert (2015:1-2) observes, The Bekwarra woman, like most of her contemporaries of some other cultures [like Boki], in almost all spheres, has a significant place in societal phenomena but only for gender-based allied forces against her across ages… The enormous contribution of this woman to her society seems to gain little or no recognition, especially formal, since she is a mere woman, a weaker vessel and so on, as women in general are narrowly and fallaciously perceived by classical and sexist men, whose orientation is shaped by the functionalist gender theory based on bio-sociological role and status of men and women. The above reflects our case under study, as the aforementioned are obtained about Boki women too. These women contribute greatly to Boki, Cross River and Nigeria economies, including the Gross Domestic Production (GDP) but seem to gain little or no recognition, especially formal, since they are perceived with contempt, bias and prejudice. Again, Ayodele (2015:1) lends credence to our position thus: An attempt to situate the place of the traditional African woman accurately could not be found in Western cast of mind. An outsider’s summation on the true position of a people’s way of life is most often preposterous or pigeon- holed. Notwithstanding the universal chauvinistic disposition, the Yoruba traditional society gives a pride of place to women in all spheres of existence… In the same vein, an attempt to situate the place of the Boki women in societal phenomena is perceived with Western mind cast and racial-ethnocentric bias black scholarship of ethnic dichotomy and superiority tendencies. The universal chauvinistic dispositions against women are very obvious, extreme and nearly unchanging in Boki. The Boki traditional society, unlike Yoruba and the like, gives no place to women in almost all spheres except parenting and domestic roles, as a patriarchal society. Furthermore, with over 88.5 million and a growth of 2.7 (National Population Census, 1991), Nigeria is the most populous nation in Sub Saharan Africa. The women constitute 49.6% of the total and are responsible for 60-80% of food production besides reproductive and management roles, but are ignored in the development process (Adu, 2004:132). Scholars have noted with dismay that: …the fact of women’s participation in agriculture… has had to be proven in almost every country. In Nigeria with increasing data being made available, this should change, and women’s role in agriculture development be perceived for what it is, vital to the process of improving productivity and living conditions (Charthon, 1984). The above captures our submission regarding the Boki women’s enormous contribution to Nigerian economy via agriculture, manufacturing/processing, trade, commerce and entrepreneurship (see Awe, 1992; Ochelle, 2014:5). Of course, if Boki women (and other rural women) are given the opportunities, they could contribute to their own well- being and more to the whole society. If they are particularly asserted from various negative constraints like limited access to education, healthcare, information technology, credit, market, cultural restriction, patriarchy, etc., they would do wonders, some that men have not and may not think about doing. They would become self- reliant/dependent, asserted, transformed, productive and fully participating in all that they need to be part of in their society, Boki, thus dropping patriarchy, male preponderance, subservience, relegation, gender bias/prejudice and monopoly (see Robert, 2015:14). The challenges thus are how to incorporate women more effectively into formal development activities as recommended during the UN Decade for Women (1975-1985). Women make essential contributions to the agricultural and rural economies in all developing countries. Their roles vary considerably between and within regions and are changing rapidly in many parts of the world,