MOTHERHOOD AS A TOOL OF SUBVERSION: AN AMAZONIAN ANALYSIS OF DEAR IJEAWELE BY ADICHIE

The realities of African women remain a central concern in human rights discussions within Francophone African literature, as women continue to pursue their struggle for a dignified presence in social spaces and seeking solutions rooted in their cultural realities. This study explores how motherhood becomes a space of feminist resistance against patriarchal norms in Dear Ijeawele: A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2017), using the theoretical framework of Amazonian feminism, which is anchored in African traditions that value collective memory, community resilience, and intergenerational solidarity. In a context where colonial and patriarchal legacies shape social structures, Adichie’s text, through its fifteen educational suggestions, transforms parenting into a tool of resistance and transmission of transformative values. Through a critical discourse analysis, this research demonstrates how Adichie deconstructs normative gender roles while proposing a feminist pedagogy adapted to African contexts. Drawing on the works of Oyèrónkẹ́ Oyěwùmí, Amina Mama, and Ifi Amadiume, this study highlights motherhood as a political act embodying decolonial agency. It situates Dear Ijeawele within the continuity of African feminist texts such as So Long a Letter by Mariama Bâ and I, Tituba: Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Condé, demonstrating how feminist parenting contributes to dismantling patriarchal structures while fostering equity and shared parental care. All citations from the manifesto refer to the official French translation. KEYWORDS: Amazonian feminism, decolonization, motherhood and resistance, Francophone African literature, feminist parenting, transformative pedagogy