Originally Posted by Churchill Okonkwo 
Take a closer look at some of these selected Igbo proverbs:
1. A woman whose husband has decided to hate cannot solve the problem by mere cooking of delicious soup
2. Due to their habitual denial of favours they receive, women do not grow beards
3. When a woman is getting old, it would seem as if money (bride price) was not paid to marry her
4. A woman whose husband has just died and she prepares to go to market knows what killed him
5. A dog trained by a woman (always) bites people to death
6 A woman who goes to Afor Nnobi Market and fights, goes to Nkwo Alor Market and fights, goes to Eke Uke Market and fights, is it the market people that are looking for trouble (from her), or is she the one that is looking for trouble (from market people)?
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Brother Churchill,
You cited a number of proverbs in an attempt to make your case for the “Inferiorization of Igbo Women...”. Although I cannot deny that suppression of the womenfolk has been around for centuries in Africa, in fact in every part of the world, I do not see the Igbo woman as a special case. My disagreement with your thesis begins with the proverbs you cited.
1. A woman whose husband has decided to hate cannot solve the problem by mere cooking of delicious soup.
WayoGuy’s understanding: This proverb, while it uses a woman as the reference subject, is not a denigration of the Igbo woman because it merely states a universal truth. Proper translation/explanation should be along the line of “If a person is determined to hate you, trying to please him with a good deed will not change his mind”. This proverb is universal in its truism, not peculiar to Igboland.
2. Due to their habitual denial of favours they receive, women do not grow beards.
WayoGuy’s understanding: The Igbo rendition of this proverb “Ori ago mere nwanyi agbaghi afu onu” is one of those playful banters, obviously coined by a man, trying to explain (to children in children’s stories) why women do not grow beards. Brother Churchhill should know that if indeed the refusal to acknowledge favours were the cause of the absence of facial hair on women, it would be women all over the world considering that the absence of facial hair is not a disease afflicting only Igbo women.
3. When a woman is getting old, it would seem as if money (bride price) was not paid to marry her.
WayoGuy’s understanding: If you ask me, a proper reading of this proverb should show that it teaches the reader (listener) to respect women whether old or young. Again disrespect of old people, men and women, by the youths, is not an Igbo disease and this proverb does not even imply that it is. It is a gentle rebuke to those who despise what is old, not just women, while they admire the young. This is not a proverb that is anti Igbo women.
4. A woman whose husband has just died and she prepares to go to market knows what killed him.
WayoGuy: Come now, my brother, how can you take this proverb literally? Is there any history of an Igbo woman ever being convicted of killing her husband based on her preparing to go to the market after the death of her husbands? This proverb means that if a tragedy or other serious calamity befalls your relative (such as death, serious illness, accident) you should not be seen carrying on your usual routine because it will raise the suspicion that you have no sympathy for the victim or are somehow complicit in the occurrence.
5. A dog trained by a woman (always) bites people to death
WayoGuy’s understanding: Compare this to “A dog trained by a woman eats eggs” (respect Akuluouno).
6 A woman who goes to Afor Nnobi Market and fights, goes to Nkwo Alor Market and fights, goes to Eke Uke Market and fights, is it the market people that are looking for trouble (from her), or is she the one that is looking for trouble (from market people)?
WayoGuy’s understanding: This one is easy. There is nothing peculiar to women here, let alone Igbo women. Take the “woman” in the proverb and replace it with “man” or “boy” or “person” and we will get the undeniable gist of this universal aphorism.