WOMEN AND CHURCH LEADERSHIP IN YORUBALAND: THE ALADURA EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The recent decision of Anglican Church in England to soft-pedal on its hitherto rigid position on the issue of ordination of women into priesthood has again re-opened discussion on this very controversial subject. In the Old and the New Testament, women such as Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Dorcas, Mary Magdalene, etc. played important roles in the socio-political and religious affairs of their people. Also, Priscilla was given a very important role in the puritanical Montanist movement in the early church. In contemporary Christianity in Yorubaland, women are being ordained as Pastors in some Pentecostal and African Independent Churches. However, the mainline churches still maintain their opposition to the practice. Many view such opposition as a product of the patriarchal tendencies in Yoruba culture which has enthroned or institutionalized male domination in virtually all facets of the people’s life. This paper therefore examines women’s leadership roles in Yoruba Traditional Religion. It discusses the traditional or cultural beliefs among the Yoruba which seem to hinder the total acceptance of women as priests in the church. The paper reveals that some of the Aladura Churches in Yorubaland have recorded appreciable successes among the people due to the active roles played by some women in their evangelical ministries.

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