When the founding fathers of Nigeria are mentioned, prominent politicians such as Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe are usually the top on the list. Other individuals who have contributed in some way are oftentimes ignored or given little or no mention. Such censoring might be understandable especially as the full list of participants in a revolution hardly makes the cut.
Nevertheless, whenever chance presents itself, we must, as good citizens, do justice to recalling the effort of persons such as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti whose machinations in the forefront and behind the scenes helped to move the rocks which set Nigeria on the path of independence.
Of course, there had been previous cases in the past as well where women led marches against the exploitative British administration in the province which covered Aba in 1929. There was so much to learn and build upon by brave women such as Funmilayo who took the responsibility to move things in favour of women, men and children when the need arose and as independent Nigeria was slowly being forged.
Funmilayo was one of few Nigerian women in the early 1920s to have received post-primary education – as she even had to travel to the UK to complete her education – and this must have contributed to her demeanor which ranked highly with that of the famous women of the Aba riots.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who became the fiery mother of Afrobeat legend Fela, used her privilege and influence to rally like-minded individuals and coordinate the resistance against colonialism in Nigeria. This movement, which eventually evolved into the Abeokuta Women’s Union, not only targeted the British, but it also challenged the hypocrisy of some local traditional figureheads which the British used to enforce their rule.
The organization, Abeokuta Women’s Union, which she founded with Grace Eniola Soyinka, enlightened groups of women and protested against unjust taxes, corruption, lack of women’s representation in decision-making corridors of power, among others.
Before independence, in 1949, when the British colonial officers refused to grant permits for demonstrations, activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti mobilized local market women for “picnics” and “festivals”, as they called it then. This struggle caused the Alake of Egbaland, who was a stooge of the British, having to vacate his throne in shame. All of these events was deemed, by historians and political scientists, to be the last major blow to the perpetuation of British hegemony in pre-colonial Nigeria.
In fact, in the discussions that ensued after the motion for Nigeria’s independence was moved in parliament, Funmilayo was the only woman among other men who went on a delegation to negotiate with the British government in London on behalf of Nigeria.
Therefore it would be worthy to assert that if Nigeria as an independent nation had fathers in the likes of Awolowo, Balewa, Azikwe and other men, Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, and other women who marched with her whenever the need arose, should also be rightly called the ‘Mothers of Nigeria’.
It is most likely that the erasure of these other names and their relegation into the recesses of history has largely contributed to them not being immortalized. There already is a need for them to be celebrated and their stories told as well. There should be universities, highways, airports and national monuments named after these women for the role they played in starting the Nigerian project; their faces affixed on national currencies and stamps as well.
Therefore, in the wake of the women-led protests in Sudan which has forced Omar Al-Bashir to step down, we must endeavour not to forget the totality of our history lest we be merry-go-rounding aimlessly around the path our founding fathers and mothers have set us on.
Featured image source: nigbati.com
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