Gender, Power and The Politics of Memory: Weaving ‘Just’ Into Transitional Justice in Nigeria

Abstract

Recognizing gender-conflict intersections, the vulnerability that is institutionalised by patriarchy renders women most affected during periods of repression and systematic human rights violations. This study takes a historical approach to problematise Nigeria’s 1999 Oputa Commission from women’s perspective. By discussing how issues are prioritised amidst nuances of the politics of memory,
the study analyses present-day transitional justice processes in conflict-ridden Nigerian communities, especially the northeast and northcentral zones. It presents an intercourse between the academia and civil society to build practical methodologies for policy environment to connect ideas with deployment of resources for integrating women into transitional justice initiatives. As a descriptive and prescriptive study, the hair metaphor of “weaving” alongside the idea of ‘symbiotic interactionism’ is deployed to discuss how to bring the ‘just’ back, in matters of transitional justice. Ultimately, the work argues that understanding transitional justice from a gender perspective is power itself.