Often times you here about revolutions and rebellions that occurred during the colonial era, it's always the men involved. Not so much was heard about women fighting for basic human rights until the occurrence of the Aba Women's Riot.
Back in the colonial days,women were considered second class citizens and their opinions on societal issues were not counted. All this however changed with the brave actions of the intrepid and strong women who took part in what is popularly known today as The Women's War or Aba Women's Riot; group of women who challenged the colonial authorities at a time when the men were too scared to try.
The riot which was a two-month rebellion, did not erupt overnight. The root of the matter dates back to January 1, 1914, when the first Nigerian colonial governor, Lord Lugard, instituted the system of indirect rule in Southern Nigeria. Under this plan British administrators would rule locally through "warrant chiefs." However, as the years went by, theses chiefs became increasingly aggressive and abused their power. While the people were angered by this, they knew the real problem was the source of the chiefs' powers; the British administrators.
While the people were still trying to manage the horrible acts exerted on them by these power drunk chiefs, the colonial administrators announced plans to impose special taxes on the Igbo market women. This was coming at a time when the British were accused of not developing their colonies despite gaining immensely from them. Still trying to recover from the financial loss incurred from World War 1, the colonial admin decided to raise funds by including women in the tax-paying system.
Knowing this would be burdensome to their profits, they begged to be excluded from tax payments but their pleas fell on deaf ears. In order to get their numbers right for tax payments, the administrators usually did a head count which before the rule, excluded women. Trouble started when the head count resulted in an argument between a census officer and a widow in one of the villages which degenerated into an assault on the widow.
The news which traveled fast amongst the women resulted in a gathering of thousands of these market women who were indignant by the treatment and the unfair treatment meted out on them by the colonial administration.In November of 1929, thousands of Igbo women congregated at the Native Administration centers in Calabar and Owerri as well as smaller towns to protest both the warrant chiefs and the taxes on the market women. Using the traditional practice of censoring men through all night song and dance ridicule; often called "sitting on a man", the women chanted, danced, and in some locations forced warrant chiefs to resign their positions.
What started out as a peaceful demonstration turned into what is described as one of the fiercest resistance the British ever faced across their African colonies. The women broke into prisons releasing prisoners, they also attacked European owned stores, Native courts run by colonial officials, burning many of them to the ground. Colonial troops and the police were eventually called in and the matter, handled with brutal force.
According to reports, they fired into the crowds that had gathered at Calabar and Owerri, killing more than 50 women and wounding over 50 others. During the two month "war" at least 25,000 Igbo women were involved in protests against British officials.
In a time when colonial powers were very effective, these fearless woman risked everything including their lives and the consequences that would follow, just so their voices would be recognized and their demands, heard.
Songs have been sung, movies and plays have been made; all to honour the memory of these women whose act of intrepidity marked the beginning of a revolution across Africa.
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