10 Nigerian Women In History: The Resilient Spirit Of The Nigerian Women Pt2

  This article is a sequel to the previous edition on some women that represent the resilient spirit of the Nigerian woman. Below is the continuation of other five heroic and notable women in Nigeria’s History:

Queen Amina Bakwa

Amina was the daughter of Bakwa of Turunku. When Bakwa died in 1566, the crown of Zazzua passed to Amina’s younger brother, Karama. Amina chose to hone her military skills from the warriors of the Zazzau military. As a result, she emerged as the leader of the Zazzua cavalry. Many accolades, great wealth, and increased power resulted from her numerous military achievements. She eventually became king after her brother died. Amina led her first military charge a few months after assuming power. For the rest of her 34-year reign, she continued to fight and expand her kingdom to the greatest in history. The objective of initiating so many battles was to make neighbouring rulers her vassal and permit her traders’ safe passage. In this way, she boosted her kingdom’s wealth and power with gold, slaves, and new crops. Because her people were talented metalworkers.

Nana Asmau

Nana Asma’u was a princess, poet, teacher, and daughter of the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman dan Fodio. Of all these, Nana is revered as an advocate for the education of Muslim women. She was devoted to the education of Muslim women. She published her first long poem, “The way of the Pious” in 1820; and it was followed by 60 more, which is studied in international academic institutions to date. Nana became the first pioneer of women’s education in what later became Northern Nigeria.  She trained a large network of women as educators and placed a strong emphasis on women leaders; and, the rights of women within the community ideals of the Sunnah and Islamic law. She was an accomplished author and respected scholar in communication with scholars throughout the sub-Saharan African Muslim world. Having witnessed many of the Fulani War, she wrote about her experiences in a prose narrative, Wakar Gewaye, “The Journey”; and left a large body of poetry, historical narratives, which also include elegies, laments, and admonitions; which became tools for teaching the founding principles of the Caliphate.

Barmani Choge

She was one of the best female Hausa singers from Northern Nigeria. Barmani Choge popularized the mature Hausa women genre of music called Amada; which is centred around five upturned calabashes floating on water and played with the hands of elderly women. Without fear of tradition or religion, her songs talked about serious social issues; like women’s education and the importance of small-scale trading by women; to vulgar topics like co-wives as idle snobs, voluptuous women’s backsides, etc. The core message of her song is that women should get up and shine in this male-dominated world. Barmani Choge’s performances appeal to women in high society; due to her courage and how she takes on issues that other conventional women musicians avoid. Her music did not only make women dance, it also made them think about their status in society.

Grace Eniola Soyinka (née Jenkins-Harrison) (Nigerian shopkeeper, activist).

She co-founded the Abeokuta Women’s Union with Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, her aunt-in-law. They protested against taxes introduced by the Alake of Abeokuta, the ruler backed by the colonial authorities. They withheld the taxes, and eventually, the Alake abdicated. The union, which had a membership of 20,000 women, eventually evolved into the national organisation the Nigerian Women’s Union.

Chief Alimotu Pelewura  (Trader and Women Rights Activist)

She was a Nigerian trader who was the leader of the Lagos Market Women’s Association, a Lagos-based market women advocacy group. She was also an important political ally of Herbert Macaulay. By 1900, she had become an important market women leader and trader and in 1910 was given a chieftaincy title by Oba Eshugbayi Eleko. In the 1920s, she was the leader of the Ereko meat market and with the support of Herbert Macaulay, she rose to become the leader of the newly formed Lagos Market Women Association. She belonged to the Awori tribe of the Yoruba people In 1932, Pelewura led market women in protest against direct taxation of women by the colonial government. When rumours surfaced about a proposed tax on women, Pelewura was a member of a committee of women that marched to the government house in protest against the proposed plan. In the same year, due to her leadership of the protest, she was appointed as a women’s representative in the Ilu Committee, an advisory group organized by the Oba of Lagos. In the mid-1930s, she led a protest against the relocation of the Ereko market to the Oluwole area of Lagos, Pelewura and some Ereko women attempted to physically block any relocation action by authorities which led to her detention. The market women in Lagos rallied in her support and she and other women detainees were released.   References: lagosmums https://en.wikipedia.org/ Featured image source: Gaurdian Nigeria

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This article was first published on 19th March 2021 and updated on April 2nd, 2021 at 1:14 am

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