5 reasons for Aba women’s riot of 1929

Women breaking barriers did not start today. For centuries, women have been known to step into a situation that seems almost impossible to deal with. One of these most historical situations in Nigeria is the Aba women’s riot of 1929. As you’ll learn later, contrary to what we’ve been taught in secondary school, the Aba women’s riot did not start spontaneously. There were events in the months that led to it. So, when next you want to tell your child or young one about the women’s rebellion in 1929, start from the beginning. If you don’t know, then sit back, grab your popcorn and enjoy the story.

Table of Content hide 1What is Aba women’s riot? 2Reasons for Aba women’s riot 2.1Unsuccessful indirect rule system in the eastern region 2.2Introduction of tax system in the east 2.3Low prices of palm produce 2.4Fear of being taxed 2.5Monopoly of trade by the Europeans 3Who led the Aba women’s riot? 4How many deaths were recorded during the Aba riot of 1929?

What is Aba women’s riot?

The Aba women’s riot refers to women rebelling against economic and socio-political oppressions in Bende, Umuahia, and parts of the then eastern region. The protests first broke out in the town of Oloko, Owerri province, and spread to other parts of the eastern region as women rebelled against the new taxation laws that mandated them to pay taxes to the government through the warrant chiefs.

In April 1928, direct taxation was imposed on men without incidents, thanks to the carefully planned measures of the colonial government in the previous year to explain the provisions and objects of the new ordinance to the people throughout the five provinces in the Eastern Region. However, trouble started when Captain J. Cook, an assistant District Officer, was temporarily sent to take over the Bende division from the serving district officer. It was Cook who announced a revised nominal roll to a few chiefs in Oloko Native Court, which included details of the number of wives, children, and livestock in each household.

Counting began on October 14, 1929, and the warrant chief, Okugo, instructed by the district officer, attempted to count the women, children, and domestic animals. This led the women of Oloko to suspect that they would be dragged into the new taxation laws. The women were already saddled with supporting their families and helping men pay their taxes. Most women do petty trading, especially in palm oil, and the price of palm produce at the time was falling.

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The women held a large meeting but decided to wait until it was definitely announced that they would pay taxes. But then, Oloko sent a messenger, Mark Emereuwa, who entered the compound of one of the women, Nwanyeruwa, who was pressing oil, to count her goats and sheep. She resisted by asking the messenger, “was your widowed mother counted?” and a fight broke out between them.

After that, Nwanyeruwa went to the town square to find other women who were already deliberating on the tax issue and confirmed their worst fears. These women invited other women with the aid of palm leaves from other areas of the Bende district. Over ten thousand women showed up and a massive protest began as the women insisted on the removal and trial of the warrant chief. The women first chanted and danced around Emereuwa’s house, a traditional practice of censoring men through all-night song and dance ridicule called “sitting on a man.”

The protest spread beyond Oloko and Ibo divisions of Owerri and Aba, to the Ibibio peoples of Calabar. But the protests turned more violent. At Utu-Etim-Ekpo, crowds of scantily dressed in sackcloth women who smeared their faces with charcoal, wielded sticks wreathed with young palms in their hands, while their heads were bound with young ferns, burned the Native Court, sacked and looted the “factory” (European store) and clerks’ houses. Police and troops were sent. They opened fire on the frenzied women who ran towards them. About eighteen women were killed and nineteen wounded.

In Opobo, about thirty-two women were shot dead and dying and thirty-one wounded when the negotiation between the district officer and women turned violent.

The protests, also known as ogu umunwanyi (women’s war), lasted between November and December of 1929. Thousands of Igbo women organized a massive revolt against the policies imposed by British colonial administrators in southeastern Nigeria, which has been regarded as a major challenge to British rule in Nigeria. It took months for the government to suppress the “women’s war,” which became a historical symbol of feminist and anti-colonial protest.

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Reasons for Aba women’s riot

Here are 5 reasons for the riot:

Unsuccessful indirect rule system in the eastern region

The indirect rule system was introduced by the British colonial government as a way to rule the people more effectively through their native rulers. In the east, the Igbos were generally known to operate a democratic system of government where there were no kings. So, the British appointed warrant chiefs who were mandated to enforce colonial rules. These warrant chiefs were generally not respected by the people because of their abusive and oppressive actions.

Introduction of tax system in the east

Before colonialism, the Igbos did not operate any taxation system. The introduction of the taxation system for men in 1928 was a catalyst for the women to forestall the same thing from happening to them. The women were already helping their husbands pay taxes and were not ready to pay taxes themselves.

Low prices of palm produce

Before crude oil was discovered, palm oil was the main source of revenue for the colonial government. Palm produce was a highly valued commodity of trade in the region. However, by the time taxation was introduced, the price of palm produce was falling. Lands were becoming infertile which led to low food production. People were already finding it difficult to make ends meet. Hence, the women saw no justification for the colonial government to impose more hardship by introducing taxes.

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Fear of being taxed

women of the Eastern Region of Nigeria

When Chief Okugo of Okolo began to count the women, children, and domestic animals, the women feared they would be made to pay taxes. As previously stated, times were already hard for the people and the fear of more hardship led the women to stage the historic protests.

Monopoly of trade by the Europeans

The Europeans controlled the palm oil trade, which was the main source of income for the people in the east at the time. Hence, the women protested against the monopoly of trade. They didn’t want the Europeans to control their trade and tax them at the same time.

Who led the Aba women’s riot?

Nwanyereuwa, a widow from Oloko in Owerri district, was the brainbox behind the Aba women’s riot of 1929. She was the one who boldly asked the messenger, Mark Emereuwa, “was your widowed mother counted?” when he ordered her to count her goats and sheep. That seemingly insignificant question led to a fight that went beyond her compound to a massive protest that spread throughout the eastern region.

Nwanyereuwa was already advancing in age and advised the women to keep the protests non-violent by singing, dancing, and “sitting” on the Warrant Chiefs until they surrendered their insignia of office and resigned. Women of Oloko and other places brought money contributions to Nwanyereuwa for helping them avoid paying taxes. Unfortunately, as protests spread to other parts of the eastern region, they became more violent leading to deaths and the destruction of properties.