General Nanisca, played by Viola Davis, is the star of Queen. When a man protested her influence, she replied, “If the king respects me, it is because I have earned it.”
Ilze Kitshoff / Sony Pictures
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Ilze Kitshoff / Sony Pictures
General Nanisca, played by Viola Davis, is the star of Queen. When a man protested her influence, she replied, “If the king respects me, it is because I have earned it.”
Ilze Kitshoff / Sony Pictures
As a Nigerian feminist, I’ve always been curious about how feminism has evolved in my country and culture. So naturally, I was curious to see Queennew film about an all-female army of warriors in a 19th century West African kingdom.
Does this film, starring the wonderful Viola Davis as General Nanisca, speak to the issues facing West African women like me? What challenges did they face, and how do they relate to today’s world?
I am not surprised by what I have seen. But I am sad to report that the inequalities faced by women in film do indeed reflect the struggles women face today in many parts of the world, including West Africa.
Queen tells the story of Agojie, an all-female army of warriors from the real-life West African kingdom of Dahomey, present-day Benin Republic. “Agojie” is another name for the Dahomey Amazons, known for their bravery.
By exploring the lives of these daring women, the film illustrates how the lack of equal rights for women is a centuries-old problem. While I am deeply inspired to see an all-female army led by a strong woman, I am also saddened by the inequalities that these soldiers have to endure. Unlike men, Agojie women are not allowed to marry or become parents because in theory they belong to the king.
Even today, women around the world often have to choose between rapidly advancing careers or slowing down to start a family. I hope that the film inspires more people to recognize the power of women and create opportunities that allow them to build their careers while growing their families – or, frankly, to accept whatever it is. whichever option they prefer. And honored for charting their own path.
In one scene, a male member of the king’s cabinet expresses his anger at Viola Davis’ character for drawing the king’s attention and influencing his decision to go to war with the Oyo Empire. Opposition. She said, “If the king respects me, it’s because I earned it.” Many women need to receive the respect they have earned.
Nawi, a character played by Soo Mbedu, is equally inspiring. She reminded me of the comments made by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie in her famous TEDx talk “We should all be feminists.” In her speech, Adichie summarizes how the world treats women: “We tell them [girls] you can be ambitious but not too much otherwise you will intimidate the man. “Nawi is happy to threaten men.
Nawi is a strong-willed and intelligent character who does not succumb to the pressure of early marriage. In one scene, she dares to talk about an old man who wants to marry her. He hit her – and then she hit back, knocking her future husband to the ground.
Her father considered her a threat to potential suitors and brought her out to serve the king.
Nawi is presented with the choice to join the Agojie and remain celibate or serve the palace in other ways. She chooses to become Agojie and proves herself to be one of the best soldiers.
She breaks free from the gender shackles that society in many places holds for women – young and old.
Like Nawi, strong-willed women today are often ridiculed. It is said that their roughness will make them unattractive to “real men”. Personally, I’ve been told by male acquaintances that buying a car or getting a PhD while unmarried makes me less attractive to men.
There is a profound struggle not to be the “angry black woman” for many of us who struggle against what is wrong. The film serves as a much-needed reminder to keep talking about the inequalities that women face. If we don’t continue to speak out about the challenges we face every day, society will never be fair to women. As Nawi said when she was faced with standing up against Viola Davis’ General Nanisca, “If I don’t speak up, she won’t see me.”
Another inspiration in this film came from King Ghezo, a role played by John Boyega. Though young and inexperienced, King Ghezo led with humility. He heeded General Nanisca’s advice – leading to some male members of his cabinet becoming jealous.
That doesn’t bother him. In fact, his cabinet consisted of women other than General Nanisca. He’s not into codingism.
I endorse his openness. I strongly believe that women should have a seat at the table whether discussing politics and governance or health and development issues, such as what I do as a policy manager and a partnership within a global health organization.
This kind of representation did not mean that just one or two women were chosen for a conference as we often see today but rather a deliberate attempt to hear from women. Whether in the traditional setting or the workplace, more women are needed as leaders and mentors. I can only look at my country to see the bias we face: In Nigerian history, never before has a woman been appointed to head any of the three military branches.
I am delighted that more and more stories of West Africa are being told to a global audience. I left the theater to deeply reflect on the challenges Africans faced in the colonial days but also deeply inspire the role of female armies like Agojie. Next time someone tells me that being a feminist is a “new generation thing,” I’ll tell them the story of Agojie, our female warriors from the 19th century.
Oyeronke Oyebanji is a Nigerian public health expert and senior fellow at the Aspen Institute. Follow her on Twitter @Oyeronke_
