1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History

The single road leading to this community that in 1929, produced some heroines
of Nigeria’s anti- colonial struggle, remains unmotorable while the few primary
schools in the place reminds the visitor of the Hobesian state of nature, with their
dirty and busy surroundings and the children who were literately forced to line up
in the hot sun this Thursday afternoon, May 7, to wave to the visitors, wore rags
as uniforms, with many of them on bare foot.

Nchara which shares boundaries with the Ngwa people of Abia state on its North-
West and the Anangs of Akwa Ibom state, on its Southern part,occupies a pride
of place in almost every history book that chronicles the Nigerian political
development, at least between 1914 and 1960.

It is from this community which is described by one of its sons, as having a “fair
topography but a rich soil” which produces more than a quarter of the food stuff,
especially cassava, consumed by Abians, that a group of women, led by the very
courageous IKONNA NWANYIUKWU ENYIA, confronted their Warrant Chief,
OKEUGU, who dared to enforce the obnoxious law then by the colonial masters,
that women should start paying taxes, like their husbands.

That confrontation led to what is there after referred to in Nigerian history cum
political Science books, as the ABA WOMEN RIOT OF 1929.

Though the heroic struggle of Madam Ikonna and her compatriots which led to the
abrogation of that unfair piece of law, not only in Igbo land but in other parts of
colonial Nigeria, is only given a footnote in most books that records it, the effort of
these heroines of the peoples war have never been adequately honored by the
Nigerian state.

More painful too, is the fact that historians or chroniclers of that part of our
National history have never taken time to correct the several distortions that have
been associated with the Nchrara women’s confrontation of the dreaded Warrant
Chief and the District Head (DH).

For instance, that act of valour by Madam Ikonna and her colleagues continues to
wear the wrong tag, “Aba Women Riot” when the scene of action was never in Aba

Again, no effort has been made to record for generations unborn, other struggles
waged by Nchara/Oloko women under the leadership of Ikonna, nor is there any
account of the historical background of the lady warrior and up till now, nothing
has been done either by Ikwuana Council Area, the Abia state or federal
Governments of Nigeria to honuor or immortalize this great women whose patriotic
zeal, courage and acts of valour must have inspired and influenced such other
female Nationalists as Margaret Ekpo, Chief Mrs Funmilayo Ransom Kuti, Hajia
Gambo Sawaba, among others, who came after her, to join the struggle against
socio, political and economic oppressors in Nigeria.

Madam Ikonna, born in 1877, into the family of Mazi Orji Onwuama Onyeukwu
from Oloko Village but got married to the family of Enyia, Ndiokpolu Akanu
Achara, in Oloko Clan of the old Bende Division of what is now known as Abia
state

A very beautiful woman in her youth, Ikonna was said to have been so loved by her
father that he gave her the name, (Ikonna), meaning her father’s heart throb
because she had so much resemblance with him.

Again, her beauty, strength and fearlessness, became for her as a young girl,
sources of disadvantage. Going by the belief then that the Whiteman’s education
was meant for only Lazy male children, coupled with the fact that her no nonsense
attitude could lead her into trouble that may result in her being sold into slavery,
forced her parents not to allow her venture into acquiring what she herself was
later to tag the “White man’s staff” (Western education).

But her educational disadvantage did not prevent her from getting married to Mazi
Enyia Mgbudu of Umu Okengoegbe, Obewon Amahia, to whom she bore four
children, a girl and three boys. As a young woman, Ikonna had both the leadership
qualities and militant disposition to organize the women of Nchara, Oloko clan, for
positive action against societal ills.

So in 1929 when Chief Okeugo, the Warrant Chief of Oloko, in obedience to the
wishes of the colonial masters, broke the sad news that women should start
paying tax, Ikonna mobilized the women folk to confront the authorities.

She went beyond her immediate Nchara community, to Umugo, Ahaba, Usaka
Eleogu, Azuiyi, Obeahia, Amizi and Awomuku, all neighboring communities within
Oloko clan, to mobilize women for a protest match against the tax law and that
protest was said to have taken the women, who were in nudity, except the local
Akori leaf they used in covering their women hood, to the residence of the District
Head whose name was given as Captain Hill.

At Chief Okeugo’s house, Ikonna was said to have personally charged at the man,
pushing him around and removing his cap. Also at the District Head’s house,
Ikonna and her protesting colleagues, also had a brush with the guard (Cotuma)
who they subdued. She was however arrested and detained by the colonial
authorities over the protests and later prosecuted by acommission of enquiry set
up for that purpose by the colonial authorities but that did not deter her from
engaging in further protests years after.

In 1957, that is 28 years after the “Aba Women” riot. Ikonna led yet another
women protest against the Eastern Nigerian Government led by late Dr. Nnamdi
Azikwe. This time it was against the government policy of excessive taxation
against the men.

Ikonna and her colleagues had reasoned then that self rule having been achieved
by the Eastern region, the indigenous government had no business imposing
excessive taxes on the citizens. The government saw reasons with her and
relaxed the tax law, but not before warning her not to lead any women unrest
again, before she left Dr. Azikiwe’s office in Enugu .

Two years later, in 1959, the woman was again, up in arms. The Eastern Nigerian
Government had shared a certain food formula among school children which
claimed the lifes of some of them. Ikonna again, led another delegation of women
to Enugu where they demonstrated against the government policy. She was of
course arrested and detained for a couple of days but released because the
government feared that her continued detention could spark off another women
riot.

For a woman who did all these for humanity, it is expected that she should be
honored and the accounts of her acts of valour be given a pride of place. But this
has not been the case.

Apart from the giant seize statue of the woman recently erected by Ikonna’s
ground children and the May 7 visit by representatives of women from Igbo
speaking parts of Nigeria to her grave side, there is nothing to show that once in
this life time, there was a woman known as Ikonna Nwanyiukwu Enyia.

In other climes, the Nchara community that produced her would have been turned
into a tourist centre. Will Nigeria ever consider this? Time will tell.

THE FIRST EDITION OF THIS PIECE, WAS DONE BY THE AUTHOR, [CHUKS
EHIRIM], THE POLITICAL EDITOR OF SUMMIT NEWSPAPER, IN MAY 2009.

COMMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS WORK SHOULD BE DIRECTED
TO cehirim@yahoo.com. phone; 08033325614

May 2013, and nobody have seen this.. ..lalasticlala please take this to the front page,Nigeria and Nairaland as a flag bearer owe this woman a lot..

I rep Aba, Aba no dey carry last ask.

If this was a country called USA, a lot of movies would have been made on this episode and character in history.

That would have helped to rekindle the knowledge that is now being lost and distorted already.

Great woman and also great women

So ibo men of those days were so cowardly that their women had to fight their battles for them

In this era of distorted history about the Aba women riot, I think it's time this woman is rewarded for her heroism. Mynd please let's celebrate the achievements of this fearless Nigerian woman.

Babalegba:
So ibo men of those days were so cowardly that their women had to fight their battles for them

you have come again o

Babalegba:
So ibo men of those days were so cowardly that their women had to fight their battles for them

were your Fulani masters who had queen amina in their history also weak? Go and eat ewedu/gbegirin my friend and wait for your god "Ogun" to strike you dead. Flat headed fool.

Babalegba:
So ibo men of those days were so cowardly that their women had to fight their battles for them

were your Fulani masters who had queen amina in their history also weak? Go and eat ewedu/gbegirin my friend and wait for your god "Ogun" to strike you dead. Flat headed fool.

Babalegba:
So ibo men of those days were so cowardly that their women had to fight their battles for them

Are you not awkwardly goofy?