ole as wives and mother for example, disputes over inheritance, marriage, divorce, and child custody are therefore commonly conducted or resolved within the Islamic legal syustem reather than the parallel Nigerian civil legal system (p. 10).Adamu speaks of the importance and relevance of womens participation in the Islamic movement and the relevance of womens participation in the Islamic movement in the Muslim world. Adamu explains that the womens movement in Muslim societies "has been interpreted by some as an ambigous political struggle, where women are on the one hand fighting actively against their inequality, but on the other [are] accepting or supporting their own subordination " (Adamu, no date, p. 10). Despite conflicting interpretations of womens struggle in Nigeria, Adamu and other Muslim women activits are confronting issues of concern to Muslim women. According to Adamu (no date), "Muslim women in many communities throughout the world are redefining Islam as a legitimate tool for engaging with and tackling gender issues in Muslim socieites" (p. 9).The pattern of discrimination against women varies according to the ethnic and religious diversity of Nigerias vast population. Women are discriminated in employment, customs, early marriage, religious practices, education and health care. In Nigeria, women are generally prevented from participating in certain economic activities (Oduaran & Okukpon, 1997). They are not employed as auto mechanics or commercial driver, in the oil industry, or in cement production factories (Oduaran & Okukpon, 1997). Sex discrimination can be seen in some work disciplines such as engineering and surgery. As an area of study in Nigeria, surgery has been mainly dominiated by men. Women are seen as physcially unifit for the field of engineering services and women who pursure studies in this field can be riduled (Oduaran & Okukpon, 1997). Women are often refused from positions of authority whe...
