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African LiteratureArticle 16 · Vol. 1, Issue 4, June 2026 · pp. 137–143

“Nego-Feminism: A Form of Resistance in Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen.”

Abstract

The present paper seeks to adumbrate and construe the concept of ‘Nego-Feminism,’ a term coined by Obioma Nnaemeka, as it is intricately woven into Buchi Emecheta’s trailblazing novel Second Class Citizen (1974). The perspective, projected in the paper, is to explore how Nego-Feminism is portrayed as a form of resistance—an endeavour to pulverise the suffocating constraints imposed by societal norms and toxic traditions. Through negotiation and compromise, Nego-Feminism becomes a powerful strategy for upending patriarchal expectations and forging a path toward self-determination. While Buchi Emecheta has notably challenged prevailing notions of motherhood within society, Second Class Citizen offers a nuanced critique that contrasts traditional views with the author’s own perspective on the maternal experience. In this regard, Emecheta subtly presents Nego-Feminism as an essential tool for ‘detonating patriarchal landmines’ and dismantling oppressive structures. Deemed a preponderant branch of Africana Feminism, Nego-Feminism, or No-Ego Feminism, emphasises collaboration, negotiation, and compromise in the feminist discourse, particularly in the African context. This paper aims to examine how Emecheta adroitly integrates these Nego-Feminist principles in Second Class Citizen, using the character of Adah to accentuate complex societal, cultural, and traditional landscapes. Her concern is all about women’s struggles, placing them at the core of her narrative, and Adah’s experiences are the paradigm of these struggles. Through her resilience and unwavering spirit, Adah de-constructs the expectations placed on her. Her resistance is particularly evident when her husband, Francis, refuses to take responsibility for their children. Emecheta foregrounds Adah’s moral and inner strength, re-locating it as the ultimatum of her worth, contrary to the superficial societal standards of female virtue. In Second Class Citizen, Adah’s true worth is not defined by the judgmental and oppressive norms of Nigerian society but by her own self-affirmation. This reverberates the privileging of the authentic inner self over the external social persona that conforms to society’s expectations. Emecheta’s portrayal of Adah’s journey is, therefore, a profound narrative of triumph, where the female protagonist emerges victorious not just over external obstacles, but also in reclaiming her autonomy and redefining her identity on her own terms.

Keywords:

Nego-FeminismNegotiation and CompromiseAfricana FeminismAuthentic inner selfResistanceMotherhood

How to Cite

Sourav Mukhopadhyay (2026). “Nego-Feminism: A Form of Resistance in Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen.” Veritas: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(4), 137–143.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21195110

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