Remembering Nwayereuwa, Nwannedia, Ikonnia & Nwugo
Remembering Nwayereuwa, Nwannedia, Ikonnia & Nwugo
Author(s): Kamagezi
Edited By
Type: Article
Country: Uganda
Language: English
Content:: Non Academic
Source: Kamagezi
Timeline: Colonial History (1800 - 1955)
Published: 2021
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Summary
Today, I remember the women who didn’t only fight against an oppressive British colonial rule, but also had to fight their own men (Warrant chiefs) who chose the side of the Oppressor because of crumbs that fall from the table of masser.
Description
I’m sure 90% of Africans, Nigerians and mainly people of
Igbo origin who read the headline of this post will be like who are these
people?
Yes we wouldn’t know them because we’ve been busy learning
about Mother Theresa and the fraudulent story of Mary Slessor.
Updated photo of the women who led the Aba Women’s revolution.
On this day 89yrs ago, in the morning of November 18th 1929,
a man called Emereuwa upon the directive of his boss Okugo the warrant chief,
walked into the compound of a widow called Nwanyereuwa, ordered her for a
census of all her livestock and household. The widow Nwanyereuwa knowing the
census will determined how much she will be taxed by the British colonial
government, embittered, shouted on Emereuwa “was your widowed mother at home
counted?” An angry exchange ensued. Nwanyereuwa resentfully rushed down to the
town and market square, consulted other disgruntled women, They with palm
fronds quickly mobilised other women. And that marked the beginning of one of
the greatest resistance, rebellion and uprising the British imperial colonial
rule ever faced in Nigeria 🇳🇬 and Africa in general, Called “#The_Aba_Womens_Riot”
otherwise known as “#The_women_who_went_to_war”
Updated photo of women of Aba.
While the men were subdued, while the man died in the men in
the face of oppression and tyranny of colonialism. The women stepped up and in.
Record has it that over ten thousand women were involved in this revolt, and
about 50 women lost their lives in the war/riot. This resistance was
orchestrated by:
1) Persuasive #Ikonnia
2) Intelligent #Nwannedia
3) Passionate #Nwugo &
4) Wise, Counselling and strategic #Nwanyereuwa
these were the women that led the Famous #Aba_Womens_Riot. Women from across
Six ethnic groups were involved, the Igbos, Ibibio, Andoni, Ogoni, Bonny and
Opobo
Hundreds of British colonial courts were burnt down and
destroyed, hundreds of warrant chiefs were ostracised and banished. On the
aftermath of the revolt, the British were forced to abandon the proposed plans
to impose tax on the market women, powers of the warrant chiefs were
considerably curbed and more robust room was created for women’s inclusiveness
in the grand scheme of things. The Aba women’s riot was on the scale never seen
before. It prompted, encouraged and inspired subsequent agitations like;
1) The Tax protest of 1938
2) The Owerri & Calabar oil mill protest of the
1940s
3) The Onitsha Aba Tax revolt of 1956
Then consequently the Nigeria 🇳🇬 independence in 1960.
But unfortunately sad, when you drive through Aba today, you
will see Faulks road, in owerri you will see Wetheral Road and Douglas road all
of them are colonial relics. Imo state government house is called Douglas
house, named after Harold Morday Douglas, a brutal British colonial district
commissioner who orchestrated the Ahiara expedition of 1905 that saw villages
wiped out.
Today the governor of Imo State is busy moulding status of
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and Jacob Zuma of South Africa that has no
connection or historical relevance to the people of Imo State. We’ve seen
streets, roads, government buildings and schools named after strangers,
monuments raised for people of little or no importance to our history and
future. But the real heroes, heroines and legends have been relegated to
obscurity, sent to oblivion in a complete sheer and crass negligence.
I hope that one day, the Igbos, Ibibios, Andonis, Ogonis,
Opobos and Bonnis will have a leadership that will remember these women, the
fifty that lost their lives and all that paid the ultimate price, immortalise
them. I hope one day I shall see Nwanyereuwa road, Ikonnia hospital, Nwannedia
secondary school and Nwugo shopping plaza. I hope to see us name our children
after these legendary women and mothers and tell them the story.
Today 18th November 2018, I remember the women who didn’t only fight against an oppressive British colonial rule, but also had to fight their own men (Warrant chiefs) who chose the side of the Oppressor because of crumbs that fall from the table of masser.
Aba women’s riot, the women who went to war. We remember.
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