Kate Henshaw Slams Deep-Rooted Gender Bias in Nigeria: “Women Are Seen as Less Than Human”
Veteran Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw is speaking out boldly against the deeply ingrained gender bias in Nigerian society, calling out what she describes as a widespread and harmful patriarchal mindset among many Nigerian men.
Appearing in a recent interview on Arise TV, the celebrated actress voiced her concerns about the systemic inequality faced by women in Nigeria, highlighting not just social attitudes, but also the legal structures that continue to disadvantage women.
Henshaw argued that religious interpretations and cultural traditions have been misused to justify inequality. According to her, the original purpose of male and female creation as partners, not superiors and subordinates has been twisted by outdated beliefs.
“God may have created man first, but He took the woman from his side not from his head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be beneath him, but from his side to walk alongside him, as an equal partner,” she explained. “Sadly, many Nigerian men fail to understand this and continue to see women as inferior.”
She further pointed out that this mentality is not just cultural, but embedded in the country’s laws. “Even our laws are biased. Take the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, for example some interpretations still justify a man ‘reasonably chastising’ his wife. Why should that be acceptable?” she asked.
Henshaw also highlighted inequality in citizenship laws, noting the unfair treatment women face when married to foreigners. “When a Nigerian man marries a foreign woman, he can obtain a Nigerian passport for her without much difficulty.”. But when a Nigerian woman marries a foreign man, she’s forced to go through endless hurdles just to do the same for her husband. How is that fair?”
Her comments have since sparked widespread conversation online, with many praising her for speaking truth to power and shedding light on issues that are often overlooked or normalized.
With her trademark clarity and courage, Kate Henshaw continues to use her platform not just to entertain, but to challenge outdated norms and advocate for a more equal and just society.
Watch the video below:
