The Role of Women in Northern Nigerian Society: Past and Present

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For ages, women in Northern Nigeria have been instrumental in various areas, including leadership, the preservation of cultural traditions, the advancement of education, the promotion of business, and the maintenance of peaceful coexistence.  Imagine a courtyard in Kano during the 19th century: a princess sitting on her veranda, staring out over the bustling marketplaces, where ladies out in the alleyways sell peanuts and baked pastries, scholars instructing young girls in an Ajami school, and women performing rituals inside the palace, providing advice to rulers behind the scenes.

The voices of these individuals, which are often absent from official records, continue to resonate through oral tradition and have a lasting impact on the cultural heritage, traditions, lifestyle, and history of Northern Nigeria.

In this article, you will learn:

• How women in Northern Nigeria have held power and influence from pre-colonial times through colonial rule to the present
• Examples of notable female leaders, activists, and everyday women who shaped society
• How cultural norms and traditions have both enabled and constrained women’s roles
• What changes are occurring now, in education, politics, economic participation, and how women are navigating modernity

To answer these common questions about women’s status, rights, and roles in Northern Nigeria, join me in this article.

 

Women in Pre-Colonial Northern Nigeria

Rulers, Queens, and Political Influence

Women in pre-colonial Hausaland and surrounding regions sometimes held formal political power or significant influence. For example:

• Queen Amina of Zazzau (reign c. 1576-1610), a legendary warrior queen, expanded the territory of Zazzau, organised its military, and influenced trade routes. Her reign remains a powerful symbol not only in Zazzau but in the entire Northern Nigerian region. 
• Queen Bakwa Turunku, mother of Amina, is remembered as the founding ruler of Zaria (Zazzau), showing that female rulership was not unique to Amina but part of a lineage.
• The title of Magajiya in many Hausa city-states signified a woman of authority, often overseeing the female quarters, managing women’s affairs, and sometimes acting in regency. In some sources, women in royal households or as princesses had advisory roles. 
• Amina j. Muhammad, who is now the deputy Secretary General of the United Nations

These roles demonstrate that women were not merely passive; many played integral roles in governance, diplomacy, and ritual leadership.

 

Economic, Religious, and Social Roles

• Economically, women processed food, managed households, and participated in trade. Though many male agricultural tasks were public, women did the invisible but essential work: shelling groundnuts, threshing, and winnowing. Women participated in local spiritual practices and held leadership roles in female quarters; in some cases, they also led religious or ritual activities. Bori priestesses) 
• Socially, women held roles in lineage, kinship, marriage negotiation, crafts, art, and oral storytelling, passing on traditions, values, and wisdom through proverbs, songs, and ceremonies.

 

Colonial Era to Independence: Shifting Roles & Resistance

Education, Colonial Policies & Gender Norms

• Colonial rule introduced new administrative systems and Western education, but often with a gender bias. Many girls were excluded from formal schooling. Colonial and missionary schools were usually more accessible in southern Nigeria; in the North, cultural and infrastructural obstacles limited girls’ access. 
• British indirect rule preserved much traditional authority (including emirates), which in turn often reinforced patriarchal norms. Women’s public roles were limited, although some women managed to navigate these constraints.

 

Activism & Women Leaders in the 20th Century

• Hajiya Gambo Sawaba (1933-2001), from Zaria, became an influential political activist. She campaigned against child marriage, forced labour, and the under-representation of girls in education; she was imprisoned multiple times for her activism. 
• Laila Dogonyaro (1944–2011) was another significant figure, an activist, welfare organiser, and advocate for education and women’s inclusion.
• Hajiya Ma’daki (Salamatu Binin Abbas), a noblewoman in the early 20th century, used her influence in royal courts and during colonial interactions to advocate for girls’ education and to advise rulers. 

These women demonstrate how tradition and modernity clashed yet also merged, as they utilised traditional roles and new political structures to demand change.

 

Present Roles: The Modern Woman of Northern Nigeria

Education, Employment & Public Life

In recent years, there have been concerted efforts to increase girls’ enrollment in Northern Nigeria. Programmes such as AGILE (funded by government and development partners) work with traditional leaders to promote schooling for girls. Women are increasingly occupying public service roles in government ministries, NGOs, civil society, and the business sector. For example, Hadiza Bala Usman, from the Kaduna area, has held leadership roles in public institutions.

 

Constraints and Traditional Norms

Despite progress, traditions such as purdah (gender segregation/social seclusion), early or child marriage, and limited mobility in some communities continue to reinforce a strong gendered division of labour. They affect the roles women can assume and how freely they operate in public. Cultural expectations often still place domestic responsibilities, childcare, and household labour heavily on women. Women may work in markets, crafts, and domestic trade, but balancing public roles and traditional life remains challenging.

 

Women and Cultural Leadership Today

Women lead in areas such as women’s associations, fellowships, church/mosque women’s groups, and acts of communal welfare (e.g., Zumunta Mata fellowships for women and Christian women in Da’awa for Muslim women), which provide social, emotional, and financial support. 

Women are also involved in preserving traditions: arts, crafts, oral histories, dress, festivals, quilting, and cooking practices. Women like Barmana Mai Choge play a vital role in promoting culture in Northern Nigeria. They teach younger generations. Some women have traditional titles and roles in community decision-making (at a local council or advisory level), especially in welfare, health, and education.

ALSO READ

• Life in the Ancient Hausa City-States: A Journey into the Past
• The Rich Cultural Heritage of Northern Nigeria: Traditions That Still Thrive
• Zaria’s Spiritual Roots: Tracing the City’s Legacy of Islamic Learning

 

Case Studies: Lives of Women Who Shaped Northern Nigeria

Queen Amina of Zazzau

Queen Amina remains the most iconic woman in Northern Nigerian history. Beyond myth, she is celebrated as a military strategist, trade corridor controller, and builder of defensive walls. Her story illustrates that women were not just supporters but active rulers and strategists. 

 

Maryam Bukar

A 29-year-old poet whose voice attracts the leadership of the United Nations and appoints her as  a peace ambassador

Gambo Sawaba

Gambo Sawaba defied social norms from a young age: speaking publicly in male-dominated forums, pushing for education, and fighting forced labour and child marriage. Her activism laid the groundwork for later generations. 

 

Modern Leaders: Changing Institutions

• Women like Hadiza Bala Usman and others entering leadership in public administration, policy coordination, and education sectors are updating the societal role of women. They navigate both tradition and modern governance to push change.
• Amina J. Muhammad: A current Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations 

 

The Intersection of Tradition, Religion, and Gender

Religion’s Dual Role

Islam is deeply embedded in Northern Nigerian society. Often, Islamic norms support specific roles for women (education, charity, maternal roles); in other interpretations, they may justify restrictions. The interaction of religion and tradition is complex, not uniform.

Cultural Heritage & Traditions

Traditions such as respect for elders, modesty in dress, purdah, traditional ceremonies, and marriage customs shape daily life. These often limit public visibility but also preserve identity and community cohesion. Women usually serve as custodians of intangible heritage, encompassing oral stories, folk songs, proverbs, cooking methods, textiles, clothing, and adornments. These are living links to past lifestyles and history.

 

Challenges Facing Women in Northern Nigeria Today

Access to Education

Despite gains, female literacy rates and school completion rates are often lower than those of their male counterparts in many Northern states. Socioeconomic barriers, distance to school, early marriage, and safety concerns are among the factors.

 

Economic Opportunity

Women often face limited access to formal employment or leadership positions. Many women engage in informal trade, operating market stalls and small businesses, rather than pursuing prominent roles in corporate or government settings. There can be constraints on access to capital, land, and resources.

Leadership Opportunities

Due to the dominance of the Islamic religion in Northern Nigeria, sometimes women in the region face challenges securing certain leadership positions.

Social Change & Resistance

Women pushing for change sometimes face resistance from traditional authorities, conservative groups, or social norms. But many grassroots movements, NGOs, and women’s groups are actively engaging in change, negotiation, and advocacy.

 

Looking Forward: Trends, Opportunities, and Hope

Growing Female Agency & Representation

Increasing numbers of women are participating in politics, public service, and activism. Women are becoming increasingly visible in policy spaces that affect gender, education, and health.

Education and Technology Integration 

Digital platforms, mobile technology, and social media provide women with new tools, raising awareness, connecting communities, and facilitating access to learning resources.

Policy & Grassroots Movements

Programmes working with traditional leaders to shift norms (e.g., correcting misconceptions about girls’ schooling and early marriage) are promising. NGO and governmental partnerships (e.g. AGILE) are examples. 

Women’s associations and fellowship groups are strengthening community solidarity and practical support (health, microfinance, training).

Women in Northern Nigeria have always done more than what history often records, from the majestic reign of Queen Amina and the grassroots activism of women like Gambo Sawaba to their roles in the domestic sphere of food, art, and oral tradition, as well as in the halls of government. They have been rulers, advisors, scholars, market women, mothers, and cultural custodians.

 

If you are reading this, consider how you could contribute to recognising and supporting women’s roles in Northern Nigeria. Share stories of women you’ve met; highlight female artisans, scholars, and leaders. If you travel to Northern Nigeria, visit markets run by women, attend talks by women’s groups, support education projects, and tell these stories with respect and authenticity.

For Rex Clarke Adventures, our journeys aren’t just to sightsee; they’re to see people. If you’d like, we can prepare and share itineraries that highlight sites and experiences revealing the lives of women in Northern Nigeria, including palaces, historical homes, craft workshops, and women’s cooperative markets. Would you like a sample itinerary?

 

FAQs

1. Do women in Northern Nigeria hold formal political power today?

Yes, though unevenly. Women serve as local councillors, in state governments, NGOs, and sometimes as special advisers. Representation is increasing, but it is often still limited by cultural norms, gender bias, and resource constraints.

2. What are the most significant obstacles to girls’ education in Northern Nigeria?

Key obstacles include early marriage, poverty, distance to school, cultural resistance, lack of female teachers, safety concerns, and sometimes lack of infrastructure.

3. How do cultural heritage and tradition both help and hinder women’s roles?

On the one hand, traditions provide identity, moral codes (for example, through Purdah, modesty, and roles in ceremonies), and social cohesion; women are often the custodians of many traditions. On the other hand, some traditions limit mobility, access to education, property rights, and political participation. The impact varies depending on the region, family, interpretation, and individual agency.

4. How can travellers, researchers, and outsiders respect and support women’s roles when visiting or working in Northern Nigeria?

Listen to local voices, support women-led initiatives or businesses, observe local dress norms, avoid disrespecting religious/traditional customs, contribute to education or welfare causes if asked, and ensure that any storytelling or photography is done with consent and dignity.