In November 2019, the 90th anniversary of the Women’s War, known in Igbo as Ògù Ụmùnwaànyị was commemorated. This historic uprising, which took place from 1929 to 1930, remains one of the most significant anti-colonial movements in Nigeria’s history. It was not just a protest against economic injustice but a bold declaration of women’s political power in the face of colonial oppression.
Origins of the Uprising
The Women’s War erupted in Oloko, located in the Bende Division of southeastern Nigeria, when British colonial administrators attempted to impose new taxes on women. Traditionally, Igbo women had played significant socio-political roles within their communities, but British indirect rule sought to dismantle these structures, sidelining women in governance. The introduction of direct taxation on women was the final spark that ignited widespread resistance.
The Movement Spreads
The uprising quickly spread from Oloko to other parts of the Owerri and Calabar provinces, reaching towns such as Aba, Opobo, and beyond. This region encompassed an estimated population of two million people at the time. What made the Women’s War extraordinary was not just its scale but its organization.
Women employed traditional protest tactics such as:
1. Sitting on a Man: A form of protest where women gathered around the homes or offices of oppressive leaders, singing, dancing, and mocking them publicly.
2. Demonstrations and Boycotts: Thousands of women marched in solidarity, demonstrating against colonial authorities and local collaborators, particularly the warrant chiefs men appointed by the British to enforce colonial rule.
3. Direct Action: In several towns, women tore down colonial symbols of power, including the British administrative station in Aba.
The Brutal Response
The British colonial government responded with violence. In Aba, over 50 women were shot dead by soldiers during a peaceful protest. Additional killings occurred in other areas, marking one of the bloodiest suppressions of civil resistance in colonial Nigerian history.
Legacy and Impact
Though the uprising was met with brutality, it forced the British to reconsider their administrative strategies. The system of warrant chiefs was largely dismantled, replaced by community councils that better reflected indigenous governance systems. More importantly, the Women’s War inspired future anti-colonial movements across Nigeria, laying the groundwork for the eventual end of British colonial rule.
The Women’s War also highlighted the central role of women in political activism. It served as a powerful reminder that colonial narratives often ignored the critical contributions of women in shaping African history.
Cultural Reflection
The photograph of the Igbo wooden wheeled boat, featuring an enlarged woman nursing a child surrounded by smaller figures, symbolizes the nurturing yet powerful role of women in Igbo society. Though the artifact has been removed from its original context, its presence in institutions like Yale University speaks to the enduring legacy of Igbo women’s leadership and resilience.
References
Igbafe, P. A. (1979). Western Ibo Society and Its Resistance to British Rule. The Journal of African History, 20(3), 427-441.
Van Allen, J. (1972). Sitting on a Man: Colonialism and the Lost Political Institutions of Igbo Women. Canadian Journal of African Studies, 6(2), 165-181.
Mba, N. E. (1982). Nigerian Women Mobilized: Women’s Political Activity in Southern Nigeria, 1900–1965. University of California Press.
