In recent years, radical feminist discourse in Nigeria has increasingly challenged marriage as an institution, framing it as a site of female oppression rather than partnership. While feminist critiques of marriage are not new, the contemporary Nigerian conversation, amplified by social media platforms such as TikTok, has taken on a distinctly polarising tone. The shift raises important questions about how feminist ideas circulate, how they are interpreted in local contexts, and whether online activism is advancing gender justice or deepening social division.
Radical feminism, historically, emerged as a critique of patriarchal systems that structure women’s subordination through family, labour, and sexuality. Within this framework, marriage has often been analysed as an institution that historically limited women’s autonomy, tied them to unpaid domestic labour, and reinforced male authority. In the Nigerian context, these critiques resonate with real structural issues: unequal inheritance laws, marital expectations that burden women disproportionately, and cultural norms that normalise female sacrifice within marriage.
However, the contemporary expression of this critique, particularly on social media, has taken on a different tone. On platforms like TikTok, complex feminist theory is often reduced to simplified, emotionally charged narratives. Influencers and commentators, including figures such as Obidi, have gained large followings by presenting marriage as inherently oppressive and men as collective beneficiaries of women’s suffering. These messages, often framed as empowerment, circulate through short-form content designed for virality rather than nuance.
While these conversations resonate with many women who have experienced emotional, economic, or physical harm within relationships, they also risk flattening the complexity of gender relations. The portrayal of men as a monolithic oppressor class and women as perpetual victims can shift feminism from a critique of systems to a politics of antagonism. This framing may generate engagement online, but it can also entrench resentment and obscure the structural forces—economic instability, legal inequality, cultural expectations, that shape intimate relationships.
The use of social media intensifies this dynamic. Algorithms reward outrage, absolutism, and confrontation, encouraging content that frames gender relations as a zero-sum battle. Nuanced discussions about reforming marriage, redefining partnership, or addressing systemic inequality struggle to compete with viral soundbites that pit men and women against each other. As a result, feminist discourse risks becoming less about liberation and more about moral positioning.
This shift has consequences. While it may validate personal experiences of harm, it can also alienate potential allies and reduce the space for constructive dialogue. In the Nigerian context, where social cohesion is already strained by economic pressure and political instability, framing gender justice as a war between sexes may undermine broader efforts toward equality.
Moreover, focusing exclusively on marriage as the primary site of oppression risks overlooking the wider structures that shape women’s lives. Issues such as economic precarity, lack of institutional support, inadequate legal protection, and limited access to education often have a far greater impact on women’s autonomy than marriage alone. Addressing these systemic factors requires coalition-building, policy engagement, and sustained advocacy, approaches that extend beyond social media discourse.
This is not to dismiss the legitimacy of feminist anger or the value of online spaces for sharing lived experiences. Rather, it is a call for discernment in how feminist ideas are communicated and mobilised. Challenging patriarchal norms should not necessitate demonising men or reducing complex social problems to individual moral failures.
A more constructive feminist project would reclaim nuance: critiquing harmful aspects of marriage while recognising that equitable partnerships are possible; confronting misogyny without reproducing gendered hostility; and using digital platforms not just for expression, but for education, solidarity, and systemic change.
In this sense, the Nigerian conversation around radical feminism and marriage reflects a broader global tension between liberation and polarisation, between critique and caricature. The task ahead is not to silence feminist voices, but to ensure that the pursuit of equality does not lose sight of empathy, context, and the shared goal of a more just society for all genders.
Culture Beyond the Mainstream 