Molara Ogundipe facts for kids

Omolara Ogundipe-Leslie (born 27 December 1940 – died 18 June 2019) was a famous Nigerian poet, writer, and activist. She was also known as Molara Ogundipe. Many people saw her as a leading voice in African feminism, which is about women's rights and roles in Africa. She was also a social critic, meaning she spoke out about problems in society.

Molara Ogundipe was known for her ideas about African women. She wrote an important piece called "Not Spinning on the Axis of Maleness" in a book called Sisterhood Is Global: The International Women's Movement Anthology in 1984. She is most famous for creating the term STIWA. This stands for Social Transformation in Africa Including Women.

Her Life and Work

Early Life and Education

Abiodun Omolara Ogundipe was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Her family included teachers and religious leaders. She went to Queen's School, Ede. Later, she became the first woman to get a first-class honours degree in English. She earned this from University College Ibadan, which was part of the University of London at the time.

She then earned a special degree called a doctorate from Leiden University. This degree was in Narratology, which is the study of how stories are told. Molara Ogundipe taught English, writing, and gender studies at universities around the world. She was also a professor at the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria. She became well-known early in her career. This was at a time when most artists were men.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Molara Ogundipe was a strong voice for women's rights. She believed that African women faced many challenges. She argued that women were often treated unfairly, especially in their roles as wives. She also pointed out that outside influences, like colonial rule, made things harder for African women.

She also said that sometimes women themselves accepted these unfair ways. But she always stressed that it was important to understand the rich history of African women. She believed their roles in older cultures were complex and important. This understanding was key to helping them today.

Molara Ogundipe led the way in feminist activism and gender studies in Africa for many years. She started a group called the Foundation for International Education and Mentoring. This group helps young women learn about feminist ideas and gender equality. She also set up writing centers at universities in West Africa. She wanted to help educate and guide younger generations.

Her Family and Legacy

Molara Ogundipe passed away at 78 years old in June 2019. She died at her home in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

She is remembered by her two daughters. Dr. Rachel Titilayo Leslie studies religion in Africa. She writes about how African history influences global culture. Dr. Isis Imotara Leslie is a political theorist. She has taught at several universities in the United States. Molara Ogundipe also had two grandsons. Askia Tristan Folajimi Leslie studied Computer Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Joshua Tolu Victoriano recently became a deacon in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Her Writings

Molara Ogundipe was a leader in feminist and gender studies in Africa. She started this work after graduating from the University of London in 1963. She wrote for many academic and general magazines. She also published non-fiction books and a collection of poems.

Her writings are found in important books about women's work. Her piece "Not spinning on the axis of Maleness" was in the 1984 book Sisterhood Is Global: The International Women's Movement Anthology. This book was put together by Robin Morgan. Some of her poems are also in the 1992 book Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby.

What is Stiwanism?

As a Nigerian scholar and activist, Molara Ogundipe is known as a top writer on African women and feminism. She created her own idea of African feminism called "Stiwanism." She explained this in her book Recreating Ourselves. Stiwanism stands for Social Transformation in Africa Including Women.

Key Ideas of Stiwanism

Stiwanism has seven main principles:

• It is different from Western feminism.
• It focuses specifically on African women today.
• It highlights the feminist ideas that already existed in Africa.
• It believes women should be included and take part in changing Africa.
• It looks at how a woman's body, identity, and place in society work within social classes.
• It pays attention to individual and group identities, like religion or marital status.
• It understands that many different factors and identities exist in Africa. These can work in different ways.

Molara Ogundipe believed that a true feminist writer must understand a woman's point of view. They should be able to tell stories about women effectively. She strongly felt that understanding women's roles in Nigeria's past could improve society today. Her writings show the complex parts of African life very clearly. In her book Re-Creating Ourselves: African Women and Critical Transformations, she wrote about the challenges of writing in her traditional language. She also wrote about men's resistance to gender equality. Through her many writings, Ogundipe gave African feminists important tools. These tools help them bring about meaningful changes in issues related to gender, family, and society. These changes can help develop countries and the whole continent.

Books by Molara Ogundipe

• Sew the Old Days and Other Poems, 1985
• Re-Creating Ourselves: African Women & Critical Transformations, 1994
• (editor) Women as Oral Artists, 1994
• (editor with Carole Boyce-Davies) Moving Beyond Boundaries, April 1995 (two volumes).
• Gender and subjectivity. Readings of "Song of Lawino". Dissertation Leiden University. Leiden, CNWS, 1999

See also

In Spanish: Molara Ogundipe para niños