BEING WISE AND BEING FEMALE IN OLD TESTAMENT AND IN AFRICA

Woman Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is viewed as an enigmatic figure who performs multifaceted roles of a teacher, builder, and nourisher, among other things. Drawing on Proverbs 9:1-6, this paper looks at the depiction of Woman Wisdom as a hospitable woman who beckons to others to come and share of her bounty. The association of the seemingly affluent Woman Wisdom with hospitality calls to mind the image of the African woman who carries out her own hospitality and accommodativeness often in the midst of aggravating poverty. The paper therefore urges the wealthy to take a cue from Woman Wisdom and be more ready to share freely of their overflow and of their space as a way of alleviating poverty in Africa and upholding the dignity of all. It also calls on women and women groups to emulate Woman Wisdom by offering alternative strategies to the chronic poverty on the continent. doi: 10.7833/111-1-29