Gender Politics and Patriarchal Subversion in Selected Nigerian Gynotexts

Abstract

Gender issues have gradually taken a central role in literary discourses over the past few decades. Although previous studies have examined women’s oppression in African literature, little attention has been paid to the emerging trajectories of domestic patriarchy in recent Nigerian gynotexts. This study therefore examined the interplay of gender politics and patriarchal subversion in selected Nigerian gynotexts i.e. novels written by women and on women's experiences. Kate Miller’s notion of Radical Feminism serves as the primary analytical framework. A qualitative approach is adopted in the textual analysis of The Truth About Sadia by Lola Akande and Twisted Love by Adetanwa Ibironke Odebiyi, essentially focusing on how female characters navigate cultural prescriptions, familial hierarchies, and emotional repression within patriarchal settings. Findings reveal that the protagonists of the novels, Sadia and Funmi, endure emotional suppression, identity conflict, and deep psychological strain as a result of entrenched family expectations and gender norms. The research explores and exposes the power structures that regulate women's lives and the approaches adopted by female characters in subverting the norms of patriarchy.