The Aba Women’s Riot of 1929
The Aba Women’s Riot of 1929 (The Women’s War)
In 1929, a historic event took place in what is today Abia State, especially in the city of Aba. This uprising is remembered as one of the most significant acts of resistance against colonial rule in Nigeria.
The British colonial government introduced a system of taxation that directly affected women. Traditionally in Igbo society, women were not taxed, but the colonial officers tried to impose taxes on them through warrant chiefs (local leaders appointed by the British).
The women of Aba and surrounding towns—Ngwa, Oloko, Bende, Umuahia, and others—rose in protest. They organized themselves using a traditional method called “sitting on a man,” where they would sing, dance, and mock corrupt leaders until justice was served.
In November 1929, thousands of women gathered to demand that the taxation plans be scrapped and that the abusive powers of the warrant chiefs be checked. The protest spread rapidly across many towns in what is now Abia and neighboring states.
The British responded with violence. At least 50 women were killed and many others wounded when colonial soldiers opened fire on the unarmed protesters. Despite the loss, the Aba Women’s Riot shook the colonial administration to its core. The proposed tax was withdrawn, and the authority of warrant chiefs was reduced.
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