ON THE NONAGENARY OF THE 1929 ANTI-COLONIAL WOMEN RESISTANCE IN EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

On the occasion of the nonagenary of the 1929 Anticolonial Women Resistance in Eastern Nigeria, known in colonial lexicon as Aba Women Riot of 1929 this paper interrogates critical specificities of the resistance. The objective of the paper is to identify and analyse the causative and procedural factors of the resistance as well as issues of leadership and key achievements of the resistance. Accordingly, the paper hypothesizes first, that the 1929 Anticolonial Women Resistance in Eastern Nigeria is consequent upon causative and procedural factors; and secondly that there is significant logical relationship between leadership credentials of the activists and achievements of the resistance. Relying essentially on documentary instruments of data generation and textual analytic technique of data analysis, the paper identified four causative factors including introduction and practice of Warrant Chief and the introduction of new taxes combined with the fear that it would be extended to women. The paper also found that protest by sitting on a man and street processions, etc were some the procedural factors; and that there is significant logical relationship between leadership credentials of the activists and achievements of the resistance. An important take of the resistance is the attestation that ethnicities in the area have in-built mechanisms through which women extract and exercise power. Among others it is recommended that the 1929 resistance be accorded more befitting place in the political history and social evolution of Nigeria.