Developing an Original Intersectionality Theory for Gender and Ethnicity in Nigerian Theatre Practice

Gender and ethnicity as intersecting identity dimensions shape Nigerian theatre practitioners' experiences, opportunities, and creative outputs in ways that single-axis analyses of either gender or ethnicity alone cannot adequately capture, and developing an intersectionality theory specifically grounded in Nigerian theatre contexts makes an original contribution to both intersectionality studies and Nigerian performance scholarship. This study developed an original Intersectionality Framework for Gender and Ethnicity in Nigerian Theatre Practice, drawing on theoretical development and empirical grounding across diverse regional and institutional contexts. A mixed-methods theoretical development methodology was employed, combining systematic review of intersectionality and Nigerian gender studies literature (68 publications from 2018 to 2024), in-depth interviews with 60 Nigerian theatre practitioners (30 female, 30 male) representing 12 ethnic groups from all six geopolitical zones, and structural equation modelling of intersectional predictor combinations on career outcome variables. Interview data revealed that the intersection of Igbo female identity, Hausa female identity, and Yoruba female identity each produced qualitatively distinct theatrical experience patterns that could not be predicted from either gender or ethnicity considered separately. Career advancement barriers were most severe for northern female practitioners across all surveyed ethnic groups. The original Nigerian Theatre Intersectionality Framework proposes five intersecting axes: gender, ethnicity, class, religion, and geography. Expert review by 20 intersectionality and theatre scholars confirmed the framework's original conceptual contribution. Recommendations include intersectional data collection in all Nigerian theatre workforce studies and targeted mentorship for practitioners at high-barrier intersections.

Keywords: intersectionality, gender, ethnicity, Nigerian theatre, theoretical framework