FROM TRANQUILLITY TO TOXICITY: THE DECLINING STATUS OF DOMESTIC HELPS IN THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY AS DEPICTED IN FLORA NWAPA’S EFURU AND CHIKA UNIGWE’S NIGHT DANCER.

Abstract

Domestic helps have been part of households all over the world. In Africa, and in particular Nigeria, they have traditionally been members of the extended household, willingly rendering help to nursing mothers specifically. In spite of the polygamous nature of homes, the family enjoyed tranquillity as everyone regarded the next relative as a ‘brother’ irrespective of biological links. The peaceful polygamous setting produced healthy relationships even among mistresses and domestic helps. Domestic helps were integral members of the families they served. In time, with the arrival of the British, emergence of urban cities, migrations and consequently loss of moral and cultural values, a new way of work as a domestic help emerged. The tranquillity experienced in the traditional African home began to wane and in turn began to rub off on domestic helps. In this work, we followed this decline in the status of domestic helps in the Nigerian society, through the literature of two female writers who lived in different eras. Enforcing already existing labour laws was recommended to alleviate the poor conditions of service of domestic helps in Nigeria.