The Cry of African Woman

By Success Kanayo Uchime

My King you created me well
Without wrinkles nor spots
You fashioned me craftily like a master craftman
The work of your perfect hand
Then you called me virtuous

My King, but I hear a different thing today!
Am being casted upon the muds  
because of what you made me to be
A woman in the midst of wolves
And they call me worthless and cursed

My King, see how am discriminated and victimized
Like ornaments they hung stigmatization on my neck!
They say my place is in the remotest parts
And am not counted in the number
But did you make a mistake in me?

My King, you’re unmistakable and without error
And I know that you’re right
In calling me excellent and precious
And one day I’ll excel above the wolves  
Who one day will call me blessed and  praise me!

(c) (2014) By Success Kanayo Uchime, all rights reserved. 


Background of the poem

The poem is a sequel to the poet’s short story, "The King Must Hear This!" He delves into the cultural life of his African people, especially Nigeria his country. This is a culture where women are being subjugated to nothing but a mere property; a culture that sees nothing good in a woman. This is a culture where they hold that the place of a woman is in the kitchen; where a woman is heard, but not seen!

Analysis of the poem

As noted above the poet came out strongly to criticize a culture that relegates womanhood to the background. The typical African woman, who has lost every hope in a male-dominated society, turned to God - the King in tears to register her protest.

She reminded God in her prayer that He created her without "wrinkles nor spots," that's she is a perfect creature of the most high, who created her like the work of a "master craftman." The "work of your perfect hand," and after creating her, God called her virtuous - making reference to Proverbs 31, where a description of a virtuous woman is given.

The African woman said she’s hearing a different thing from what God said she is. One she is being “casted upon the muds,” which shows a state of degradation from the men whom she called “wolfs.” Second the men calls her worthless and cursed, which the woman saw as a contradiction to what God made her to be – virtuous! 

In the third stanza, she complained bitterly to God that the men have made her place to be in the “remotest parts,” far removed from the presence of men. That she is not counted in the number when families count the number of their children – in other words, she is never recognized at all in the family she found herself. 

She sought an answer from God,  if He ever made a mistake in creating her in the first instance, “but did you make a mistake in me?” To this she quickly responded that God never made a mistake, as God is “unmistakable and without error.”

The African woman did not fall into despondence, but she is full of hope that one day she’ll “excel above the wolves,” the men, who’ll one day call her blessed and also praise her for what God has created her to be – a virtuous woman!