Kate Henshaw, a Nollywood actress, has faulted Nigerian law and society for the perception and treatment of women by men.
The veteran actress, who recently celebrated 32 years in Nollywood, addressed gender inequality in Nigeria during a recent appearance on Arise TV, stressing that Nigerian men don’t see women as their equals.
Henshaw, referenced the biblical creation story, arguing that the Christian God, in the beginning, created women to be equal to men and not inferior to them.
She further faulted Nigerian pastors for the misconception over the equality between men and women.
The actress pointed to specific laws in Nigeria that she believes institutionalise discrimination, such as citizenship provisions that favour foreign women married to Nigerian men, while denying the same rights to foreign men married to Nigerian women.
She also condemned aspects of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law that permit men to “reasonably chastise” their wives, describing such clauses as enablers of domestic abuse.
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She said, “God created man and woman. He created the man first, no doubt. Even pastors and churches are at fault for this. He (God) brought the woman from the side, not from the head over the man or from under to be beneath him but beside, to reign beside him, to be fruitful, multiply and bring up children and grow together but Nigerian men see women as less than human that is why when you leave these shores and go somewhere else, they show you people pepper.
“You see us as this wood…even our laws, the violence against person’s prohibition laws favours the man…A man is reasonably allowed to chastise his wife.”
