Role of women in Ebibi festival of ibiade, Ogun waterside

Abstract

The role of women in the Ebibi Festival of Ibiade, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, with particular emphasis on how women‟s identities, responsibilities and contributions has not been adequately considered by scholars for investigation of late. Traditional festivals are still important expressions of African cultural heritage, serving as avenues for preserving indigenous beliefs. The study examined the role of women in the Ebibi festival through a critical analysis of Ebibi festival songs explore how women are represented in the songs,examine their cultural religious, social and economic roles within the festival. The study adopted a qualitative research design. It selected Ebibi festival songs as the primary source of data. The songs were purposively selected because they constitute of indigenous knowledge, oral history, and cultural values. Relevant journal articles, dissertations, and other scholarly publications on Yoruba festivals, women in traditional societies, oral literature, gender studies, and African cultural practices were also consulted to provide conceptual and theoretical support for the study as secondary data. The study is anchored on Gender Role Theory and Cultural Feminism. Gender Role Theory explains how society assigns culturally defined expectations and responsibilities to men and women, while Cultural Feminism recognise and values women‟s distinctive cultural contributions, caregiving roles, and capacity for preserving communal traditions. The selected songs were translated where necessary and critically analysed in relation to the theoretical framework. This approach enables a comprehensive understanding of the cultural meanings embedded in the songs while preserving their indigenous context and significance. findings revealed that Ebibi festival portray women as indispensable participants whose contributions extend beyond domestic responsibilities to include religious, cultural, social, and economic functions essential to the success and continuity of the festival. The songs celebrate women as custodians of cultural heritage, moral educators, supporters of traditional institutions, and active participants in festival preparations and communal celebrations. They also highlight women‟s roles in preserving oral traditions through singing, storytelling, and the transmission of indigenous knowledge from one generation to another. The analysis also indicates that modernisation, urbanisation, formal education, religious change, and globalisation have influenced the ways women participate in the festival The study concluded that Ebibi festival songs are valuable cultural texts that document, preserve, and celebrate the multifaceted roles of women within the traditional society of Ibiade. The representations contained in these songs affirm that women‟s participation is fundamental to the survival, continuity, and cultural relevance of the festival. Although traditional gender roles continue to influence women‟s responsibilities, the songs reveal that women possess agency, influence and cultural authority that contribute significantly to community development and the preservation of indigenous heritage. The study, therefore, recommended that, amongst others, that the Ebibi festival songs and other forms of oral literature should be documented and preserved to prevent the loss of indigenous knowledge and greater recognition of women‟s contributions in heritage conservation initiatives and festival organisation.