Nigerian Independence Day: The Women Who Fought
These eight women, although not often acknowledged in the history textbooks, contributed largely to Nigeria’s fight for independence in the years and months preceding October 1, 1960.
Nigerian filmmaker Bolanle Austen-Peters stands next to the poster of the film Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti in lagos on May 14, 2024.
History hasn’t always been kind to women, and Nigerian history, in particular, often overlooks the women who shaped it. Even in death, they’re rarely given their due. Take, for instance, what we were taught in school about Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti: that she was Afrobeats legend Fela Kuti’s mother and the first Nigerian woman to drive a car. A fun fact, sure, but it barely scratches the surface of her impact on Nigerian society.
Most of what we know about Ransome-Kuti now, we learned well beyond those four classroom walls. And also thanks to a recently released Bolanle Austen-Peters film and documentaries like Lanaire Aderemi’s record found here. But Ransome-Kuti isn’t the only woman who contributed to Nigeria’s freedom. In celebration of Nigeria’s Independence Day, declared on October 1, 1960, this list puts together eight women whose fight for their country’s freedom from British rule, was monumental and undeniable.
Alimotu Pelewura (1865-1951)
Alimotu Pelewura led the charge against British colonial taxes that unfairly targeted Nigerian market women in the 1930s. As the founder of the Lagos Market Women’s Association, she organized protests that forced colonial authorities to rethink their policies. She was focused on taxation, while also fighting for better working conditions and market reforms, making sure traders’ voices were heard. Her activism put her in close collaboration with other influential women like Ransome-Kuti, and together, they helped shape the nationalist movement.
Margaret Ekpo (1914–2006)
Margaret Ekpo was a major force in Nigeria’s independence movement known for her fierce advocacy of women’s political rights. Less talked about, though, is her role in labor activism — she stood alongside trade unions during the Aba General Strike of 1949, protesting colonial economic policies that hurt Nigerian workers. As leader of the Aba Market Women’s Association, she fought to get women involved in politics, encouraging them to vote and take an active role in shaping Nigeria’s future. Margaret Ekpo worked closely with nationalist leaders like Nnamdi Azikiwe and strongly pushed for self-rule.
Elizabeth Adekogbe (1919-1968)
Elizabeth Adekogbe created space for women in Nigeria’s political arena. In the 1940s, she founded the Nigerian Women’s Party, pushing back against the political systems that kept women on the sidelines. Through rallies and grassroots organizing, she fought for equal representation and made sure women had a say in Nigeria’s future. Adekogbe worked with nationalist leaders and was active in the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, ensuring women were part of the broader movement. By organizing women at every level, she helped shift the narrative, proving that women weren’t just on the margins — they were at the heart of the fight for Nigeria’s independence.
Hajia Gambo Sawaba (1933-2001)
Nigeria’s most jailed woman didn’t bow to the status quo. By 17, Hajia Gambo Sawaba was already standing up to colonial authorities and local powers alike, joining the Northern Elements Progressive Union at a time when women in the North were expected to stay silent. Sawaba fought loudly — against forced marriages, child labor and a system that kept women from basic rights. She led protests, faced prison cells and endured beatings for her cause.
Sawaba wanted change where it mattered most — in healthcare, in education, in giving Northern women a chance to thrive — and she was not afraid to suffer for it. She pushed for Nigeria’s independence, yes, and just as importantly, she pushed for women to have a place in it. Even after the British were gone, her fight continued, making her a lasting symbol of courage and conviction in Nigerian history.
Janet Mokelu (1910-2003)
Janet Mokelu was the General Secretary of the NCNC Women’s Wing in 1944, and in 1964, the United Progressive Grand Alliance made her its Secretary General.
Her contributions to Nigeria’s independence movement were rooted in her direct involvement with political leadership, and a tireless fight for women’s voting rights. As an active member of the NCNC, she actively pushed for self-rule within the Eastern Region. In 1951, Mokelu broke ground by becoming one of the first women to be elected to the Eastern House of Assembly.
She was also instrumental in organizing women politically in the East. She shaped policies and decisions in a male-dominated space during a critical period of Nigeria’s struggle against colonial rule, contributing to the political landscape in the years leading up to independence.Wuraola Esan (1909-1985)
Wuraola Esan ensured that women had a voice in Nigeria’s political journey to independence. In Ibadan, she led efforts to bring women into the fold of politics, helping them engage in a space where their voices had often been excluded. Her determination paid off in 1960, when she became Nigeria’s first female senator, appointed by the Western Region under Premier Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group party. Esan’s advocacy for women’s rights and education didn’t fade after independence; rather, it laid a foundation for more women to step into politics in the years that followed.
Tanimowo Ogunlesi (1908-2002)
Tanimowo Ogunlesi is notable for her work in women’s rights and education. Initially trained as a teacher, she later founded the Women’s Improvement Society (WIS) in 1947, a group aimed at improving the living conditions of women and promoting education for girls. This activism was sparked by the refusal of the Western Region’s Ministry of Education to provide accommodation for children who wanted to study but lived too far from Ibadan. As a result, Ogunlesi created Children’s Home School, one of the first Nigerian-owned boarding schools, offering girls both accommodation and education.
Her political involvement deepened in the 1950s when she joined Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group and founded its women’s section. In 1953, Ogunlesi made history as the only woman in the Nigerian delegation to the United Kingdom, where they discussed Nigeria’s independence. She continued her activism internationally, representing Nigerian women at conferences like the International Alliance of Women in Copenhagen. By 1959, she became the first president of the National Council of Women’s Societies, proof of a legacy in advancing both women’s rights and Nigeria’s push for self-rule.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900-1978)
This list will be incomplete without the inimitable Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who took the reins on behalf of both women and men against colonial oppression. In the 1940s, she rallied thousands of women through the Abeokuta Women’s Union, forcing the British to backtrack on unfair taxes. Her protests weren’t just about market women — they were a stand against the colonial system itself.
As a key member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, a political party led by Nnamdi Azikiwe advocating for self-rule, she worked to push Nigeria closer to independence. But she made sure women weren’t left out of the conversation, fighting for their place in the nation’s future. On international stages, she amplified the decolonization movement across Africa, always with Nigeria’s independence at the heart of her mission.- Nigeria Turns 59 and the Internet Goes Nuts About Skepta and Adele ›
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