ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the relationship between women and the African indigenous justice systems. African indigenous justice system is premised on a restorative and transformative model, which involves mediation, restitution and compensation principles. The social history of Africa falls into three periods: the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial. The interest in African pre-colonial societies is because of the relevance of the institutions in African peoples' life today. In the second category are the African societies with a decentralized political authority. These societies were erroneously believed to possess no laws or leaders and to be strongly individualistic. Societies in this group include the Logoli of Western Kenya, the Tallensi of Northern Ghana, the Nuer of Sudan and the Igbos of Southeast Nigeria. Social control in society is effected through formal and informal mechanisms. Women have also used satire to great effect for both psychological and social benefit to address their social standing.
