A Woman, A Question & A Revolution
THE Aba Women’s War of 1929 did not begin in a courtroom or palace. It began in a village compound, when Nwanyeruwa refused to accept injustice disguised as administration.
British colonial authorities sought to extend direct taxation into Igbo society using warrant chiefs—men appointed by colonial officials rather than chosen by communities. The system undermined indigenous governance and empowered corruption. For women, taxation threatened economic survival and social autonomy.
Nwanyeruwa understood this instinctively. When told to prepare for taxation through a census, she challenged the legitimacy of the order. Her question cut through colonial authority, invoking motherhood, tradition, and justice.
Her resistance ignited a mass movement. Women across southeastern Nigeria mobilised in an extraordinary display of solidarity. Armed only with songs, drums, and collective will, they shut down courts, chased away officials, and demanded accountability.
The British response was brutal. Colonial troops fired on unarmed protesters, killing several women. Yet the bloodshed exposed the moral bankruptcy of colonial rule. The administration retreated, scrapping plans to tax women and reforming indirect governance structures.
Nwanyeruwa’s action transcended protest. It became a revolution rooted in womanhood, community, and moral courage. Nearly a century later, her legacy stands as a testament to the power of ordinary people—especially women—to confront injustice and reshape history.
