Women in African Traditional Politics

This article attempts to trace, by use of archaeological, historical and cultural evidence, certain structural features of African political systems that provide specific roles for women and the significance of these structures for African politics (compare Canham 1949; Badu 1965; Adu 1949; Busia 1951). It will be shown that in some cases the bases for the development of such political structures continue to exist in some African political systems of modern times. Examples from Egypt, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria and other countries are used in the discussion to emphasize the significance of some of the roles played by women in African politics.