Tackling Political Crisis in Nigeria: Lessons from Aba Women Crisis of 1929

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue VIII, August 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705

Tackling Political Crisis in Nigeria: Lessons from Aba Women Crisis of 1929

Charles Chidi Eleonu Ph D.

Port Harcourt Polytechnic, Rumuola, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract – There has been incessant political crisis in Nigeria since the colonial time and especially in the post independence era. Much has been noted about the destabilizing effects of the regional tripod on which the early Nigerian federation rested. This paper therefore is significant due to the ability to identify the causes of those crisis and much more prescribe the reasons that may lead to check the raised tension of political crisis in Nigeria. The paper historically examines the Aba Women Crisis of 1929 and presents the lessons from there which may help improve governance and political practice to usher in the desired expectation of political and economic development. It is observed that good governance, and responsible leadership, recognition of women, effective communication of government policies, and equitable distribution of national wealth, protection of life and property and adequate demonstration of sensibility to the needs of the populace will increase the expectations of Nigerians. The paper concludes that when ethnic hegemony, personality clashes, neglect of women are minimized or eliminated out of the way, that is, the absence of these challenges will reposition Nigeria for good.

Keywords: Colonialism, Ethnic Hegemony, Governance, Federalism, Equality.

I. BACKGROUND

The Aba women riot of 1929 started with the British appointment of warrant chiefs in Eastern Nigeria by the British colonial administrators. According to Eleonu (2008), this singular policy decision faced open resistance which culminated to widespread crisis all over Eastern Nigeria. One of the Warrant Chiefs whose name was Chief Okwugo appointed by the colonial government in Olakwo near Aba proceeded to assess the taxable wealth of inhabitants in his domain by counting resources including men, women in his unit. Consequently, the exercise made women in the area to believe that the action means and expresses a process for the women to pay tax. So the women got raged, mobilized and attacked the warrant chiefs in the East, British officials, European trading stores and banks. The riot spread to other neighboring towns in Eastern region such as Owerri Division, Calabar, and Opobo. As observed, by December 17, 1929 the war as it were took 32 lives and many persons were wounded. The riot was provoked not only by the fear of taxation of women in Aba and Owerri Division but also by the low prices of farm products which affected the livelihood of women in Eastern Nigeria. After the 1929 Aba women war as some authorities describe it during the colonial era, the post-independence period and present day Nigeria witness series of incessant political crisis.

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