Depiction of Women as Resourceful Social Service Providers in Sunset at Dawn and Half of a Yellow Sun

Most novels of the Nigerian Civil War of 1967-1970, especially those written by writers of Igbo extraction, depict women that contribute in diverse ways to the survival of people in Biafra during the 30-month fratricidal war. Besides women's participation in the attack trade, another sphere that women prove their mettle and contribute to the survival of people in Biafra is the provision of social service to both the army and the needy civilian population. Apart from providing food and clothes to the soldiers, women also serve as nurses in hospitals as well as caregivers at refugee camps and feeding centres. Some studies have tangentially treated this aspect of the Nigerian Civil war narrative as it affects women. This paper attempts to comprehensively analyze the various depictions of women as resourceful social service providers during the Nigerian Civil War as portrayed in Chukwuemeka Ike's Sunset at Dawn and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun.