DemythologizingAmali’s Odegwudegwu: A Discourse on the Reality of Women’s Role in Nigeria John Ochinya Onah Department of Theatre Arts, Benue State University, Makurdi choreonah@gmail.com 08033518422 [This paper is published in Alloy S. Ihuah (ed.) Dialogues in Faith and Reason for National Development: Essays in Honour of Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Chris Ierwua Utov, 2013. ISBN: 978- 978-845194-5. Pp. 315 – 331] Introduction While there are incidents and circumstances which tend to lend credence to the fatalistic characterizations of African people, there is overwhelming evidence of incidents, circumstances and people who have unequivocally illustrated the fallacy of these characterizations. In particular, the historical record is replete with examples of men and women whose courage, accomplishments and intellectual brilliance, against incredible odds, have advanced the development of their people, totally shattering the myth of inferiority and dispelling several misconceptions. In the context of gender relation especially in several African philosophical thoughts, women are considered inherently lax and are people who do not have the capacity for intelligence to be entrusted with their own destiny, or an intelligence which could support their development comparable to men. In this context, women in the past and even till date in some cultures have been seen as constituting the lower class, or as “second class citizens”. Their desire and wants have been subjected to the wishes of the males. They have also been denied so many opportunities and have been relegated to stereo-typed roles; mothers, wives, cooks, daughters. Consequently, they have only been seen and not heard. In the early Greek society for instance, women were not even allowed to climb the stage, female roles were acted by men.