what are some of the events that show oppression in nervous conditions?

All of the men in Nervous Conditions are raised in a patriarchic society and do not take kindly to being challenged. Nhamo tortures his sister, saying "Why are you jealous anyway? Did you ever hear of a girl being taken away to school?" Looking back, Tambu realizes that her brother was "sincere in his bigotry. But in those days I took a rosy view of male nature," so she assumed he was just saying hurtful things to bother her when in reality it was not Nhamo, but society, that was determined to hold her back.

Nhamo forces his sisters to carry his bags and lashes them when they don't obey.

When Tambu finally arrives at the convent school, though, it becomes clear that her colonial education will continue to subjugate her because she is an African.