Women's War

The Women's War, known in Igbo as Ogu Umunwanyi, was a massive period of unrest in colonial Nigeria. It took place during November 1929. This movement was a major revolt by women in West Africa. It involved many different people from six ethnic groups. These groups included the Igbo, Ibibio, Andoni, Ogoni, Efik, and Ijaw. The protest was organized and led by rural women from the Owerri and Calabar provinces.

The conflict grew from how the British colonial government managed local leadership. The British used a system of Warrant Chiefs to rule. These were local men appointed to serve as administrative representatives. This system had no precedent in Igbo tradition. The women accused these chiefs of restricting the role of women in government. They felt the new system removed their traditional influence.

A major cause of the unrest was the introduction of direct taxation. In April 1927, the colonial government enforced the Native Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance. This was meant to prepare the ground for direct taxes. In 1928, direct taxation was introduced for men. In September 1929, Captain J. Cook arrived to take over the Bende division. He began revising the nominal rolls used for taxation. He wanted to include details like the number of wives, children, and livestock. The women feared this meant they would soon be taxed too. They also did not want their property appraised for tax purposes.

The actual revolt was sparked by a dispute in the town of Oloko. On November 18, 1929, a woman named Nwanyeruwa had an argument with a man named Mark Emereuwa. Emereuwa was helping to make a census of the people. He told Nwanyeruwa to count her goats and sheep. She understood this as preparation for taxation. She asked if his widowed mother had been counted. This invoked the Igbo tradition that women do not pay tax. Emereuwa grabbed her by the throat during the argument.

Nwanyeruwa went to the town square to tell other women about the incident. The women sent palm-oil leaves to summon others from the Bende District, Umuahia, and Ngwa. Nearly 10,000 women gathered to protest. Three women known as the Oloko Trio led the group. Their names were Ikonnia, Nwannedia, and Nwugo. They were known for their intelligence and passion. They often helped de-escalate tense situations to prevent violence. The women used a traditional tactic called "sitting on a man."

"Sitting on a man" was a long-held method of expressing disapproval. Women would surround a man's home or office. They would sing and dance to detail their grievances. They would follow the Warrant Chiefs everywhere to force them to listen. Sometimes, women would also damage a person's prized possessions or huts. As the revolt spread, some women also rioted. They attacked the homes of chiefs and destroyed 16 Native Courts. The movement eventually covered 6,000 square miles. This area was home to roughly two million people.

The colonial response was very decisive and led to loss of life. Colonial troops were sent to restore order. By the time the unrest ended, approximately 55 women had been killed. The British also carried out more than 30 punishment inquiries across the region. To investigate the causes, the government established the Aba Commission of Inquiry in 1930. The commission held public sittings for 38 days. They interviewed 485 witnesses. Only about 103 of these witnesses were women.

Significant changes happened because of the protest. A teacher named Mary Okezie was the only woman to submit a written memo to the commission. She later founded the Ngwa Women's Association to support women's rights. The commission's report led to major administrative reforms. The British abolished the Warrant Chief system. They replaced it with court tribunals that used local forms of governance. For the first time, women were appointed to the Native Court system.

The Women's War was a turning point in British colonial policy. It is seen as a prelude to the rise of mass African nationalism. The women successfully used traditional networking to challenge the colonial administration. Their actions changed how the government interacted with the people in southeastern Nigeria. This event remains a central part of the history of women's political activity in Nigeria.