Intragender Relationship of the Traditional Ilorin Women in Domestic Front: Lessons for Modern Muslim Women

Abstract

The traditional Ilorin society was renowned for peaceful coexistence among its people and decorum in the family domain. Families made Islamic principles their watchwords and the genders collaborated to ensure that marital obligations were efficiently performed. This paper focuses on the pattern of family management displayed by traditional Ilorin women to facilitate peaceful cohabitation and efficient performance, as wives and mothers. The study is historical and ethnographic, dwelling on the system’s pattern of orientation and integration of new wives, division of domestic chores, collaborative nurturing of children, fraternity system and disciplinary measures. The major instruments for data collection are interview, observation, documented studies and Islamic texts. The study revealed religious faithfulness as their inspiration and Islamic ethics of gentility, mutual support, collaboration among women cohered to channel the family course. These were borne out of sincere love and unity which translated into peace and harmony in the home and the society. The paper submits that if modern women can embrace this Islamic interactive etiquette and hold the marital duties in high esteem, as done by the traditional Ilorin women, there will be family cohesion, meaningful progress in the society