PRE-COLONIAL YORÙBÁ CULTURE DOES NOT SUPPORT SURNAMES FOR WOMEN

 

In pre-colonial Yorùbá, women were known only by their birth names, which reflected the circumstances of their birth and their spiritual beliefs.

Their mother's or father's names were not attached to their name as a surname.

Her father's or mother's names and lineages were only mentioned for extra identity and to praise or curse, not as a compulsory duty.

It was colonialism that came with the culture of wives adding their husband's surnames to their first or middle names to the extent that some married women will even change their surname to their husband's first name, surname as a compound name such as Adéfúnkẹ́ Adéfẹ́mi–Adétulà and even change their state of origin, thus losing their identity.

You are from Iléṣà-West in Ọ̀ṣun State, but because you married a man from Ìpelè in Òndó State, you now list Ìpelè, Òndó State, in your documents.

Baby, why?

This name change is one of the causes of abuse, where a husband mentally thinks that he owns his wife as property.

It also makes it difficult for women in abusive marriages to leave.

Lastly, a name change causes an inferiority-complexed gap between spinsters and married women were married women feel that they are socially better than spinsters.

This makes spinsters desperate to attain a name change during marriage just to appeal to society's opinion.

In fact, some women get married just for the sole purpose of changing their surnames to that of their husband's.

Since the ownership of a first name, middle name and surname has become a law all over the world, Yorùbás have to comply because a surname must be included in your identifications such as your passports, NIN, driver's license, etc.

However, the following must be born in mind concerning a name change:

SOLUTION

💥Yorùbá women must know that they are not under compulsion to change their surnames to that of their husbands upon marriage.

💥The Nigerian law does not make a surname change for women mandatory.

💥It is your choice if you want to change your surname. So, nobody should bùgá a woman who does not want to change her surname upon marriage.

💥If your husband wants to divorce you because you did not change your surname to his own upon marriage, you can contest it.

💥A surname change must be discussed between an intending couple before marriage to avoid divorce.

💥Realising that a woman does not have to change her surname upon marriage acts as a leveller for married women and single women. It removes the anxiety to rush into marriage just for surname changing.

💥Yorùbá men must know that whether their wives change their surnames to theirs upon marriage, they do not own her because a wife is not a chattel.

She has the right to make her own decisions.

I am a proud Yorùbá woman.

I am Àyàn Àgalú, the Drum Warrior.

© DJ Irawo Drummer

💥Drummer DJ

💥Cultural Innovator for Music, Career, Yorùbá, Divorce and Mental Health