Journal of African Development

This study constructs a novel theoretical framework by synthesizing performative epistemology with decolonial feminist theory to analyze African women’s leadership through the metaphorical lens of Odissi. Building upon Lugones’ (2010) concept of decolonial feminism and Nnaemeka’s (2005) theory of nego-feminism, we argue that Odissi’s artistic principles – particularly its dialectical tension between fluidity and structural precision – offer a powerful heuristic for understanding how African women leaders negotiate postcolonial power structures.

Employing a critical qualitative methodology that combines discourse analysis of leadership narratives with performance theory (Foster, 2011), this research makes three key contributions: First, it develops a transcontinental analytical model that challenges the Eurocentric bias in leadership studies. Second, it demonstrates how performative traditions provide alternative epistemologies for conceptualizing power, extending Mohanty’s (2003) work on transnational feminisms. Third, it articulates a theory of embodied resistance that bridges the somatic and political dimensions of leadership (Sinclair, 2013).

The analysis reveals how African women leaders employ what we term “choreographic leadership” – a dynamic practice that combines strategic adaptability with cultural rootedness, mirroring Odissi’s interplay of lasya (grace) and tandava (power). This conceptualization advances current debates in postcolonial feminism (Oyěwùmí, 1997) by providing a culturally-nuanced framework for understanding leadership as simultaneously performative and transformative.

The study’s theoretical innovation lies in its methodological synthesis of performance studies and feminist political theory, offering new tools for analyzing how marginalized leaders subvert institutional constraints through embodied praxis. We conclude with implications for developing leadership paradigms that center Global South epistemologies and challenge dominant Western models.