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1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by docokwy(m): 4:56am On May 29, 2013 |
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 6 Likes |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by siempere(m): 8:47am On Jul 07, 2016 |
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.. |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by Nwaaba1(m): 8:54am On Jul 07, 2016 |
I rep Aba, Aba no dey carry last ask. 1 Like |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by StOla: 9:20am On Jul 07, 2016 |
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. 3 Likes |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by Gome23: 1:18pm On Jun 09, 2017 |
Great woman and also great women |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by Babalegba(m): 1:55pm On Jun 09, 2017 |
So ibo men of those days were so cowardly that their women had to fight their battles for them |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by Nobody: 4:09pm On Mar 08, 2018 |
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. |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by baralatie(m): 4:20pm On Mar 08, 2018 |
Babalegba:you have come again o |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by juddy4life: 4:46pm On Mar 08, 2018 |
Babalegba: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: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. |
Re: 1929 Aba Women Riot: 80 Years Of Distorted History by DerideGull(m): 5:20pm On Mar 08, 2018 |
Babalegba: Are you not awkwardly goofy? |
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