Echoing Gender Diversity in Efik Pantheon to Stem Gender Imbalance in Nigeria

Abstract

Gender issues are top of the agenda for international conventions and policy frameworks for governments and action plans for many community-based organizations. However, despite the efforts, as reported by multiple studies, Nigeria has recorded infinitesimal success in the gender struggle. While the issue of gender finds exalted position on policy frameworks, implementation of gender policies especially at the grassroots and the national level is close to non-existent as gender imbalance holds sway in subcultures in Nigeria. To this end, the study is a theologico-cultural exploration of the Efik pantheon with the objective of identifying elements of gender diversity and harmony that can be incorporated in the reconstruction of gender relation in Nigerian subcultures where absolute patriarchy is undermining diversity. With dependence on descriptive method and primary data, Efik myths and archival sources, the study sums that the Efik pantheon is beautified by gender diversity and harmony and that this harmony translates to a better gender relation in Efikland and can be replicated in Nigeria.