Don advocates rethinking of women’s role in religion, society

A Professor of Sociology of Religion at Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ibiyinka Adesanya, has called for a fundamental re-evaluation of the role of women in both religious and societal settings, urging a shift from entrenched perceptions that portray women as subordinate.

Speaking at the university’s 104th inaugural lecture titled “Whom Did Women Offend: God, Nature, Man or Society? A Socio-Religious Enquiry”, Adesanya challenged long-standing theological, cultural and historical constructs that, according to her, have limited women’s roles and contributions.

She argued that women should be recognised as equal partners in both divine and social order, rather than being viewed as secondary or inferior.

The professor stressed the need for a paradigm shift that affirms the complementary nature of both genders.

Drawing from personal experience, Adesanya recounted how she was once discouraged from pursuing education in favour of a male sibling, describing the incident as a reflection of deep-rooted patriarchal biases prevalent in many African societies.

She noted that such cultural narratives often confine women to domestic and reproductive roles, thereby undermining their intellectual and societal potential.

From a theological perspective, the don faulted what she described as misinterpretations of biblical texts often used to justify female subjugation.

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She explained that scriptural passages such as 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 and Genesis 2:18 have frequently been taken out of context, leading to skewed doctrines that diminish women’s status.

According to her, references describing women as “weaker vessels” should instead be understood within the broader framework of mutual respect, love and shared inheritance in divine grace, rather than as justification for inequality.

Adesanya maintained that the biblical account of creation underscores harmony and partnership, not hierarchy, stressing that womanhood is not a derivative of manhood but a deliberate and complementary aspect of divine design.

The don also decried the marginalisation of women within religious institutions, noting that leadership and doctrinal authority are often dominated by men.

She attributed this imbalance partly to inadequate theological understanding among some interpreters who perpetuate gender-biased teachings.

Expanding her lecture to societal issues, she identified violence against women as a serious moral and human rights concern. She listed domestic violence, sexual exploitation, forced marriages, human trafficking and harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation as persistent challenges facing women.

She described these acts as violations of human dignity and distortions of divine justice, calling for urgent collective action to address them.

Adesanya questioned the long-standing tendency to place disproportionate blame on women in the biblical account of humanity’s fall, noting that such interpretations overlook the shared responsibility of both genders.

Despite these challenges, she acknowledged the growing roles of women beyond traditional domestic spaces, emphasising their importance in societal development and moral advancement.

She urged society to embrace justice, equity and inclusiveness, warning that discrimination and abuse against women hinder overall human progress.

Earlier in his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of EKSU, Professor Babatola Ayodele, commended Adesanya for her scholarly contributions, describing her lecture as insightful and impactful to both academic and religious discourse.