Heroines in pre-colonial Benin, their lives and transformations

In the reconstruction of African history, the African woman has been pushed to the background as if she was not part of the evolution and development of the socio-political culture in African societies. She is only mentioned in history and no detailed attention has been paid to her input and impact in the society. This study redefines the place of women in the socio-political history of Africa and for purpose of clear analysis; The Benin Kingdom is the focus of the work. Although the history of Benin has been well documented, the place of women has not been given adequate attention. The study reveals the original state of the Benin women, the challenges and limitations she faced due to customs and traditions of the land. It also goes further to prove the relevance of women in pre-colonial Benin kingdom. It focuses on Pre-colonial heroines in Benin and their influence on the socio-political development in the kingdom. Although Benin women were treated a little better than slaves; they were to be seen and not to be heard, many of them not withstanding their limitations as women still proved to the society that being a woman did not make them lesser being.