While this novel is set during WWII, it seems that the concern for women’s rights in Nigeria is the bigger concern. In fact, the Nigerians in general are treated as outsiders for the war. The Nigerians consider themselves separate enough from their English colonizers and they identify with the Japanese when they hear about "'dropping the atom bomb over Hiroshima but not over White Germany'" (229). This is but another act of "'the white mentality: Japanese, Chinese, Africans, we are all subhuman'" (224). So, Nigerians have very little power and has slight involvement in the war.
Due to the economical unrest, “the women now dug in for a long siege” and even the “men became more fully involved” (219). There is a great amount of focus from Wole’s version of these gatherings. Unlike the other novels, there is more emphasis on the group rather than the individual. Wild Christian clearly states that “[a]s far as we women are concerned, [the king] is already gone” (224). This seems to be the moment that we had wanted to happen in “Nervous Conditions,” where all the women join forces and overthrow the overbearing patriarchal figure.
Even though the women did join forces to cease taxation, the criticism of the women's protest against taxes isn't fully a revelation of womenhood in its entirety. By this, I mean that the presentation of women is still focused individually (rather than collectively). In describing the demonstrations, Soyinka still focuses his attention on the importance of individuals. He fails to recognize them as a collective whole. For instance, he particularly focuses on Mrs. Ransome-Kuti but gives Rev. I.O Ransome-Kutia the key role in transforming the lives of the women in the "group." Thus, the society still credits something patriarchal regardless of whether or not the group of women decided to bring about changes. Nonetheless, there's admiration for their efforts and triumph..
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