"Nigeria's Women, Still Waiting" by Aurora Mizutani

Aurora Mizutani's acclaimed book tackles Nigeria, Women, and the 21st Century Problem Nobody Wants to Name Everyone agrees misogyny is bad.  The argument starts the moment you ask how it actually works. Get it on Amazon

"Nigeria's Women, Still Waiting" by Aurora MizutaniIn 21st-century Nigeria, gender inequality is rarely loud. It does not usually announce itself with slurs or explicit bans. Instead, it shows up quietly, professionally, and politely. In invitations that never come. In credits that disappear. In panels where women speak but never lead. In legacies where daughters maintain the archive and sons inherit the microphone. This book is about that version of misogyny.  The one that smiles. The Illusion of Progress Nigeria is often described as a place of "strong women." And it is. Women run markets, churches, households, NGOs, and entire informal economies. They hold communities together when institutions fail. They fund families when men disappear. They do the work. And yet, when it comes to authority, representation, and public legitimacy, women still struggle to cross an invisible line. They are present, but not central.  Visible, but not authoritative.  Included, but not trusted. The book argues that misogyny today is less about hatred and more about gatekeeping. Who is considered "safe." Who is seen as "natural." Who is chosen to speak for culture, history, family, or nation. When Inclusion Becomes a Trap One of the most uncomfortable ideas in the book is this:  Inclusion can reproduce inequality. Being invited as a guest speaker is not the same as being a protagonist.  Being acknowledged is not the same as being credited.  Being allowed to participate is not the same as being allowed to define the narrative. In many cultural and legacy projects, women are welcomed under conditions that men are not asked to accept. Waivers. Vague contracts. Unclear ownership. Higher reputational risk. When women hesitate, they are labeled "difficult." When men do the same, they are "professional." The result looks neutral. The outcome is not. Mothers, Sons, and the Survival Logic of Bias The book does not stop with men. One chapter examines how mothers themselves can reinforce misogyny, not out of malice, but survival. In a society where fathers frequently abandon families, women learn early that sons offer protection, status, and security in a hostile world. Daughters are taught resilience.  Sons are taught entitlement. This is not ideology. It is adaptation.  But adaptation has consequences. Not Just Nigeria While Nigeria is the case study, the patterns are global. The book draws uncomfortable parallels with Russia, India, and conservative religious societies where women carry responsibility but not authority. Where tradition is invoked selectively. Where power is inherited through gendered shortcuts. Misogyny, the book argues, is not cultural destiny. It is institutional design. No Culture War Required This is not a rage book. It does not ask for cancellation, shaming, or moral purity tests. Instead, it asks boring, dangerous questions: Who sets the criteria? Who controls credit? Who absorbs risk? Who benefits from "neutral" procedures? And it proposes equally boring solutions: Transparent selection standards Clear contracts Proper crediting of labor Balanced representation protocols No revolution required. Just professionalism. Who This Book Is For Readers tired of simplistic gender debates Nigerians who recognize the patterns but lack the language Women who have been "included" without being empowered Men willing to question how authority is inherited Anyone interested in how power actually moves in the modern world This book is not about hating culture.  It is about seeing it clearly. And once you see it, it becomes very hard to unsee. Get it on Amazon

"Nigeria's Women, Still Waiting" by Aurora Mizutani