OGU UMUNWANYI or EKONG IBAN 1929 THE IGBO + IBIBIO WOMAN PREVAILS SHE IS STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW.

"Hark I can hear the Nigerian women come How long are they going to sit on me?" Warrant chief Okugo cried out in disbelief. An important act of womens resistance in Nigeria history is "Ogu umunwanyi, Ekong Iban, The Igbo Womens War of 1929." Which centred around market womens opposition, resentment to unfair taxation and indirect rule, in southern Nigeria by the British colonial authorities. Before the British colonised southern Nigeria in 1884, Yoruba +Igbo women in the region had powerful political, judicial, religious roles, within a dual-sex system of female/male authority. Power was shared between men and women, in such a complimentary manner to promote harmony, alongside the well-being of the societies. In pre-colonial Igboland, social roles, responsibilities were the channels through which power diffused, hierarchical relationships were determined by age, experience, ability, marital status and rites of initiation. Women exercised direct political power, through all-female organisations; which included womens courts, market authorities, secret societies, age-grade institutions. They wielded collective + individual power both as members + heads of these organisations. It was the British colonisation that brought about, the marginalisation, perhaps even the erosion, of the female political power, her authority within the region. So colonisation changed the social structure, in Nigeria for the worse, like we said The Woman, The Women participated in governance, held major roles in the market, the women and men worked as a team, in the domestic sphere, with both have there own individual skills and roles. The British with no forethought, wisdom, or prior knowledge, saw these crafts, skills, practises as " a manifestation of chaos and disorder," then just disrupted, disorganised, then imposed their own political institution upon the Nigerian; that commanded an overbearing, monopolising force. The British, because they had been male dominated for so long, this route for male superiority, respected the local political institutions headed by the Igbo men. But with a brutish force tried to diminish, bring the decline of power of the local Matriarchal societies, that held power for the women. Shutting them off from intervening, interfering and having a say, in the politics of the colonials. The roots of the "Ogu Umunwanyi-Ekong Iban," might even go back as far as 1914, to the 1st Nigerian colonial governor Lord Lugard soldier, mercenary, colonial governor, (Frederick 1st Baron Lugard 22-1-1858 to 11-4-1945 GCMG CB DSO PC), instituted the system of indirect rule in southern Nigeria. Under the plan British administrators ruled locally, through appointed warrants given to Igbo individuals, who replaced the governor by the power of the papered warrant. Traditionally, it was the Igbo chiefs who were given the warrants, within a few years they became oppressive, using this power to achieve their own ends, to amass their own fortune; much like the British administrators they replaced. So who could blame them, as they copied the example they were set. The warrant chiefs seized property, imposed draconian local regulations, imprisoning anyone who openly criticised them. Although much of the anger was directed against the warrant chiefs, most Nigerians knew the British were the real problem.(Before we leave 1914, the decoration of Lord Lugard is : GCMG : Order of St. Michael + St. George, CB : Order of the Bath, DSO : Distinguished Service Order PC : He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1920.) Now we move 2 years on to 1916, when in their wisdom the British outlawed all local currencies, installing the ￡ as the national currency, then introducing their taxes and levies on the markets. At first the taxes only related to the goods in the market place, then the British began to tax personal belongings, starting with palm oil, then continuing on to goats, which were inherently female goods, so the tensions got heated and exacerbated. The lack of clarity seems to be with the shortage, or lack of written records of the time, where most instruction was given orally. So by being repeated, misconstrued so many times, on its arrival to the correct authority, it was tainted, misconceived most importantly wrong. Possibly the initial protest may have started in 1926, in Oloko, where the colonial government had counted the number of men, without indicating that the figures, would be used in taxing them in 1928. It is referred to as "Igbo Womens War." But it includes proud, industrious women, from 6 tribal communities in all. They are : Andoni, Bonny, Ibibio, Igbo, Opobo + Orgoni. The British Colonial Authority tried to play it down, by referring to it as, "The Aba Womens Riot." The war started in the Owerri and Calabar mini-states, that covered about 6,000 square miles, population of 2 million. Women had their own socio-political organisations, they held weekly meeting, on matters that concerned them On the 18-11-1929 the British appointed warrant chief Okugo, with his meeting with a woman named Nwanyeruwa, she openly spoke her mind to him, about the unfair taxes to be imposed, she spoke loud defiantly to the tax collector, he took her by the throat almost strangling her. She not being a shy maiden, grabbed him back in the same manner, with the help of her sister-wives fighting him off too. She then reported the tax collector to chief Okugo, who essentially said she should have not defied the tax collector. Furious about the lack of action, Nwanyeruwa rallied the women in her village, to protest about Okugos lack of action and justice. The women dispatched palm fonds to other women, in the Bende division, summoning them to Oloko for an emergency meeting. Within a short period of time, they had thousands gathered in the compound, where they were "sitting on the tax collector," a traditional practise involving dancing, chanting war songs, so the man could not rest, until he had paid for his crimes. The women would not rest, until there demands were met. At the district administrative office, Captain John Cook ordered warrant chief Okugo, to offer written assurances that he would not tax the Igboland women. Okugo did as he was told, but fuelled by humiliation, frustration, he took 8 women hostage and harassed them. Outraged by his response, they stayed for several more days demanding that Okugo be dismissed from his position. To the womans surprise the British conceded, not only dismissing him, but being imprisoned for 2 years. News of the womens success travelled across the region, so protests erupted across 6000sq. miles of neighbouring villages. Another warrant chief Njoku Alaribe, knocked down a pregnant woman, leading to a termination of the pregnancy, the news of her assault and the outcome shocked, enraged the local women. Monday 9-12-1929, protested even stronger, against what they regarded as an "act of abomination," the women massed in Njokus' compound. During the encounter with armed police 2 women were killed, many others wounded. The leader was arrested, detained in prison, Owerrinta women summoned a general meeting at Eke Akpara, on Wednesday 11-12-1929; it attracted about 10,000 women, including the Igbo. They resolved to carry on the protest in Aba. As the women arrived on Factory Road, in Aba, a British medical officer driving on the road, accidentally injured 2 of the women, who eventually died. The other women in their anger, raided Barclays Bank and the prison, to release their leader. They also destroyed the native court building, European factories and other establishments. The war carried on further into Calabar, taking another violent turn at Utu-Etim-Ekpo, where government buildings were burnt factories looted, On the Saturday 14-12-1929; leaving a further 18 women dead and 19 wounded. There was even more success, with the Igbo sitting on more tax collectors, more warrant chiefs, they were all either dismissed, driven out by the Igbo women, faced criminal charges, convicted for assaults against the women. The women pushed for the British, to agree to lift the taxes on the men, not to place the tax on the women. It was the women who led the way, to a new form of governance called "Mass Benches," which was a panel of locally elected officials, who carried the warrant. Giving back some of the self-determination and pride to the Igbo. What ended the war was on the Monday 16-12-1929, the British officers " overwhelmed and confused by all the commotion," fired into the crowd of women in Okigwe, killing 47 injuring 31. The officers then threatened more violence, if the protests continued, this caused the women to disassemble. As to the causes of the WAR, it was an infringement on the womens standing, within the Nigerian social-political compass, of the system of rule and governance, it was financial and commercial. It was imposing their imperial taxes on a system, that did not need to be taxed, as it was all about existing, not making a fortune. But the British Colonial Administrators added to a sense of grievance, with the announcement of imposed special taxes, on the Igbo market women. These women were responsible for supplying the food, for the growing urban populations in Calabar, Owerri and other Nigerian cities. They feared the taxes would drive many of the female traders, out of business, disrupting the supply of food and non-perishable goods, available to the populace. As a result of the protests the position of women, was greatly enhanced, bringing them back to the forefront of their power. In some areas women replaced, the corrupt, male warrant chiefs, women were elected to serve on the Native Courts. The women of Nigeria through marching, protesting, advocating themselves as being able to contend with anything, managed to create real change, for their gender within their communities. It was a real movement, a movement that lit the embers of resistance, which eventually moved Africa to fight colonisation. It is most important to note, that the violence only stopped after the women of southern Nigeria, made it clear to the British, that the Igbo Woman was not invisible, that her and her sisters all had a voice. They also had a will stronger than the English ever imagined. In January 1930 the British held The Aba Commissions, where a panel of English judges listened to testimonies, in order to file a report. 1 of the judges Mr. Graham Paul is quoted as saying. " No one listening to the evidence given before us, could have failed to be impressed by the intelligence, the power of exposition, the directness and the mother-wit, which some of the leaders exhibited in setting forth their grievances. And the lessons learnt from their demonstrations, should be taken to heart." Mr. Graham Paul was the exception, but at least the humanity of the Nigerian woman, did not go completely unnoticed. SO HOW ABOUT THE CHIBOK GIRLS, WHERE ARE THEY NOW? For 2 weeks it was the biggest international story, on the planet. 276 Nigerian girls abducted from their dormitories, during the middle of the night in April 2014 by Boko Haram. What started the fascination was the #BringBackOurGirls, the press seemed to delight in the use of the hashtag, more that the actual disappearance of the young girls from the school. Everyone was involved in bringing it to everyone elses attention, from David Cameron, Michelle Obama, the Israeli security forces, Canadians, all with their spy-planes, drones, satellites, all scouring the Sambisa Forest, looking for the young girls. A multitude of spy enforcers, field agents, hostage negotiators, psychological therapists, rescue teams, all clamouring to help and save them. All a blank response, did they ever get off the ground, did they ever intend to, or was it just a front. 7 years on and nothing has happened, the Nigerian government have had a negative impact, along with their armed forces, could it be they are in the pay of the Boko Haram? Still the bulk of the girls, now women are still in captivity. Initially 80 girls were found by a rescue team, under The Tree of Life; but nothing was done to rescue those, in case the terrorist group retaliated by harming/killing any of the remaining 190 or so. Yet travelling around northern Nigeria there were camps with 1000s of girls, who had been released, so why not The Chibok Girls? A Nigerian military spokesman was asked, he just laughed, " You have turned them into the Crown Jewels." By focussing so much attention on these girls, did the world/international press make them such a valuable commodity, that Boko Haram thought they could barter with these young lives, to get whatever they wanted. At the heart of the story is 219 girls, sometimes that gets forgotten the number, if they have been violated, turning from Christian to Muslim against their will. They were unusual as they came from an area where just 4% of girls, finish high school. Most probably due to the fact Northern Nigeria is mainly Muslim. Its testament to their combined spirit, the sisterhood each combining to make each other stronger, having no-one else to lean on/trust/go-to with their concerns. Some even able to write diaries, braiding each others hair, singing hymns. Among those who became known as "The Holdouts," were Lydia John 18 a star pupil, Naomi Adamu 24, who loved gospel songs + dreamt of marrying a pastor. The group of girls had been told by Boko Haram, that their parents were dead, they were never going home, they were ordered to marry members of the terrorist group, or else become slaves. The first to be summoned was Naomi, who refused. She and others were put to work in a clinic, alongside a doctor who had been kidnapped. Naomi stands as the real heroine, who somehow wrote pages upon pages of a diary. The bleak misery-maker presiding over all this dehumanising intolerance is Abubakar Shekau, the leader. He started life as beggar/perfume seller, then he was running an intolerable terrorist group, who wanted their own Islamic state. This particular abduction/kidnapping gave him the fame he craved. Originally the group had gone to the school, to steal their brickmaker; then they could not decide between them what to do with the young girls; this threatened to split the whole movement. In 2015 a brokered deal fell apart, when Boko Haram decided that the girls were worth more, than the agreed ￡500,000 + prisoner exchange. Then on the Nigerian side, there was little trust between the state agencies and their foreign partners. Meanwhile the girls got hungry, starved, then began eating ants. In 2016 some were killed in an airstrike, an event denied by the Nigerian government/military. What the combined global forces/powers failed to achieve, was partially succeeded by a Nigerian Lawyer Zannah Mustapha, who runs an orphanage for children of both sides, along with Swiss diplomat Pascal Holliger. 21 of the girls including Naomi were released in October 2016, in return for ￡3m/prisoner release. 6 months later a further 82 were released, for an undisclosed amount. In the following months there was a spate of suicide bombings, across northern Nigeria obviously funded by the large ransom. Meanwhile school kidnappings have turned into a business, while many Chibok parents wait not knowing, what has happened to their daughters from 2014. Will they ever know now? ITUNU HOTONU nee : Tomori By the age of 13 Itunu decided she wanted to be an architect; so studying architecture at The University of Nigeria, where she was the lone female in her class. After graduating she worked for 2 years, in an architects office, while she took her professional examinations. Itunu then applied to join the Army Engineering Corps, but was refused due to there being no female positions available. Itunu then applied to the Nigerian navy, who had no gender restrictions, there she was accepted as an officer -candidate, at the National Defence Academy, Abuja 1985. Itunu was the 1ST WOMAN to attend the academy, she was the top student in her class of 73. Itunu won both the : Commander-in-Chiefs prize + The Commandants prize for the best researched project. She also became 1 of the first architects to join the Nigerian navy. Itunu was the 1ST FEMALE OFFICER to serve as an instructor at The Armed Services Command + Staff College-Jaji. Then in 2012 Itunu spent time in Liberia, mentoring women in their armed forces. Itunu was promoted to rear admiral in December 2012; she has held the position of Managing Director-CEO Navy Building + Construction Co. Ltd. Itunu did her Masters Degree - Strategic Studies 2005, University of Ibadan. She also speaks : English, Igbo, Yoruba, French.