It’s 1929, a year that will forever leave a mark on Adaobi’s heart. On second of February, she was voted to be the women leader of Apoku village. That was an achievement and her friends celebrated it with her. But, maybe that wasn’t an achievement except that this was 1929 – a period when the British had stripped women from political power. Their only strength lies in their collective actions which can only be orchestrated when the leader agreed to it.
Even if that should be exempted, Apoku isn’t just one of the villages in Owerri. Apoku stands for strength and commerce. The land is fertile and the animals are healthy. The gods haven’t requested and will never request of human blood. Apoku’s attributes made great impact in her natives’ lives. When it’s time for the general yam festival, Apoku men are voted the strongest and most handsome while the female are celebrated for their hardwork.
But for Adaobi, things changed for her just after her inauguration. Eze died. The villagers wailed and the king sent condolence. But the rumours never stopped – the rumours behind her husband death. Though she moved on, however , she felt void of the love she had before she begat her children. But her unhappiness was nothing compared with the marks that would be left for her children to bear.
The British Empire had fused both the Southern and Northern part of the country, then send the wealth to the queen. And it wasn’t a difficult task for them to locate Apoku village a decade after amalgamation.
The district officer Evans – lanky and puny if compare with the men of Apoku, do send the warrant officer to collect taxes from the men.
‘The queen of England will turn your village to civilized town,’ the warrant officer does say. But that became a fun-catching sentence in the Eze’s family. And now, the sentence seems oblivion just five months after her husband had been laid to bed.
At 7 AM., the last Tuesday of the seventh month and also the last market day, Adaobi checked the back of her door. She always scheduled her daily activities at least for five days on it and she never failed to check it. Today, Chidinma, her first daughter and the eldest of her three children would be the one to sell the remaining cassava flakes while Obinna her only son would help to transport the palm oil to Ohiha market.
When it was nine, Adaobi transferred the crushed cassava from the press-machine and sieved. She had told Chidinma to return during the brunch time so as to fry the cassava. However, forty-five minutes later, both children arrived. Chidinma held an empty basket close to the lateral part of her rib and the grip of her shoulder joint was firm on it. Her eyes were in hard stare as her lower jaw juts out.
‘The Oyinbo man’s servants have taken this to higher level o,’ her pace was fast when she dropped the basket.
‘What happened?’ Adaobi asked. ‘What is it that the warrant officer did this time, enh?’ She turned to Obinna. ‘Why are your lips tensed?’ she moved back. Are you here because of the warrant officer, enh?’
‘You and the other women need to see the king o,’ Obinna said. ‘The warrant officer and his boys said it’s time for women to start paying tax. They have seized all our goods.’
‘Seized?’ she gripped her wrapper with both hands. Crease instantly formed on her forehead and her eyes wide opened. ‘The warrant officer told you this?’
Though she had heard rumours about this from Okotu village, but she never believe. The last time she had conversation with one of their elders – Maduka, he had told her the men aren’t pleased with the British. But the Whiteman’s firearm was their fear.
She tied her wrapper and headed home.
‘Adaobi, we have been waiting for you,’ Chioma said. Her brown skin glowed in the sun while her thread-plaited hair pointed in different directions. ‘Can you imagine the warrant officer beating me with stout cudgel because I didn’t leave the market stall?’
Adaobi chuckled, but lowered her eyebrows immediately. She held her unplaited hair as her lips still pressed together.
‘Evans is stepping on our tails o. How dare him request us to pay tax?’
‘Because of gun powder and their cudgels,’ one of the women shouted.
‘If we agree, Adaobi,’ another woman said. ‘Then a time is coming that our children will be requested to pay.’
‘Our village will be turned to civilized town,’ Adaobi said. ‘but nothing has been done since then. They have gained a great deal from all Igbo communities and also that in Calabar yet they are not satisfied . But we women are working hard to support our families and also to assist our husbands in paying their tax. Now they want direct taxation of women.’
‘We have to tell this to the king,’ one woman suggested.
‘No, we have to go to Calabar,’ another suggested.
Adaobi held her jaw then sighed. She was about to speak when Amaka – her best friend daughter ran into their midst.
‘The warrant officer checked our house, then taxed mother. But she said women don’t pay tax and push him to leave,’ she stopped and pointed to the same direction she came from. ‘He then threatened to use his cudgel on her.’
‘Did he?’ they all asked.
Even if he didn’t, Adaobi was sure he would next time, and that infuriated her. She gazed at them for few seconds. She knew her decision must be a quick one. The British never do anything without having discussed it with the king.
‘Let go see the king,’ she said.
‘My king,’ Adaobi said when the king motioned for her to talk. The four elders sat in pairs. ‘The warrant officer and his boys are enforcing the women to pay tax. He had used his cudgel at the market place and threatened to use it again.’
‘What is it you want me to do?’ the king asked.
‘We know that both the district and warrant officer won’t have start this movement without informing the king and his elders.’
‘What are you insinuating?’ the king stood up and leaned forward, pointing his staff at Adaobi. ‘You brought the other women here just to insult me.’
Adaobi raised one side of her mouth and chuckled. She was about to give a reply when Obiajulu stood up.
‘I foresee this day when the Whiteman visited showing and presenting valueless this to bribe…’ he stopped and looked at the king fleetingly then turned to the women. ‘I think you women need to take this up yourself.’
Adaobi knew that Obiajulu shouldn’t have said those words, though he stopped midway because he respected the king. But he couldn’t contained it. Expressing his anger meant a lot to her – the king and rest of the elders have accepted the district officer offer.


‘The warrant officers in all communities have been more oppressive and only care for their bellies. Our so called community leaders are their allies,’ Adaobi paused. ‘No single woman is in the local administration. This was not the case before the arrival of the British Empire. But today, every woman assembled here will be divided into six groups. Today we are going to fight for our right,’ she stopped.
Adaobi knew this act might result to loss of life. The warrants officers do have guns in their office and might not hesitate to use it.
‘To all the women from different tribes assembled here today, I would like to you to know…’ she was cut short by the women with their chant.
WHATEVER COMES, WE WILL FACE IT.
Okobi and the member of her group arrived at the division headquarter clad only in loin-cloths; they waited outside for the district officer. At this time, the other group had caused havoc in other province.
‘We know what we want,’ Adaobi said when the district officer meet with them. ‘And you will listen to us if you don’t want what happened in the rest of the provinces to happen here.’
Following this statement, the women made their chant again.
WHATEVER COMES, WE WILL FACE IT.
Adaobi made a phony smile when the district officer penned in his signature. With the papers in her hands, she shouted, ‘now, the warrant officers dare not visit our front doors.’ Just after her statement other troops of women flocked in with their chant and cudgels.
Adaobi turned toward them with an affable smile and was about to return same smile to the district officer when the warrant officer and his boys open fire on the crowd.
Adaobi laid on the floor as blood gushes out of her belly. Other bodies flanked her, but she smiled before her eyes shut. The human race won’t forget her sacrifice and that of the other women who died.

wow
wat dz really wat happened or dz has a touch of fiction?

Has a little touch of fiction. But still in line with what happened.