PATRIARCHY, SEXUALITY AND THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS IN NIGERIA

Ayesoro Sunday Adesina and Ojo Sunday Stephen

Department of Social Development

Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia Nigeria

E-mail: steve234_1@yahoo.com; adesina.sunday40@yahoo.comAbstract: In every patriarchal society like Nigeria, the cultural patterns allocate more authority and power to men in family and in the society as a whole. The low socio – economic status of women has gone a long way to increase the domination of men even in sexuality.  This has made Nigerian women to be more vulnerable and prone to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. This paper is an attempt to explore and expose the ordeal of Nigerian women in an unequal relationship characterised by male