Female Traditional Rulership In A Patriarchal Society: A Case Study Of Nana Kofi Abuna V Of Essipon Traditional Area

Abstract

The phenomenon of female chiefs although not new, is somewhat difficult to conceptualize in this predominantly patriarchal part of the world where traditions and taboos restrict women from such positions. This dissertation discusses female chieftaincy based on a case study of Nana Kofi Abuna V, of Essipon traditional area in the Western region of Ghana, looking at how her sex affects her roles and responsibilities as the ultimate ruler of the traditional area. The data used for the study were sourced through interactions with 27 respondents from the traditional area. The thematic analysis format was used to analyze the data. The study showed that the female chieftaincy phenomenon is quite complex than male rule, as female chiefs have to keep alternating between roles which require different behaviors. There is therefore always the need to de-gender and re-gender. The findings suggest that some female chiefs struggle to fit into the chieftaincy institution in some traditions, and this can be resolved if permanent cultural modifications are made to accommodate the rule of female chiefs.