In December, 1929, the British Colonial administration introduced direct taxation on all adults both men and female with their livestock in Nigeria. This was done through head count (enumeration) of the people and their families and livestock with an ordinance which demanded the people to pay taxes for their families. Coupled with economic recession and fluctuation of palm produce prices at the time, the women protested against the insensitive and oppressive colonial governance in the South-Eastern parts of Nigeria, particularly the taxation of women. It was the encounter between one Mark Emeruwa (a colonial messenger) and Nwanyeruma (a woman) who protested the counting of her goats and sheep that degenerated into a fuse which received mass sympathy of the entire peasant populace under the colonial rule. The  6^th of December, 1929 was to be a memorable day throughout Ibibio land where there was mass killing at Uta Etim Ekpo, Abak and massacre at Egwanga beach and Opobo Ibekwe (now Ikot Abasi) in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria following the attack on the Opobo District Court, Post office and dispensary by the women who were drafted from Bonny, Andoni, Kwa (Ibibio/Annang), Ogoni, Nkoro Ibo) and Opobo (Ikot Abasi) on the 15^th of December, 1929, about 32 Policemen, 30 armed men from the 3rd  Battalion from Uyo clashed with 2000 women who came in canoes armed with sticks with painted faces and chanting songs of grievance “whatever comes we will face-putra anyige eme.”     

This was “women war” or “Ekong Iban” where 33 women were reported dead on the spot, 31 were wounded, 3 died in the hospital later, Madam Adiaha Edem, the women leader and the mother of the men who later became the President of Ibibio Union, and a respected Judge, Sir Udo Udoma was personally shot by Lieutenant Hill. The relics of the history of the 1929 “Women War” against taxation by the British Colonial rule still remain at Ikot Abasi town in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.

MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND TOURISM