The Aba Market Women Association later metamorphosed into the Aba NCNC Women Association. The association promoted female solidarity as a way to fight for economic rights of women and expand their rights to politics. Thus, Eyo B. E. Ndem reasoned, In less than twenty years since the Aba Riot [sic.] Political Career By the 1950s, when it was clear that Nigeria's independence was not too . In 1946, she had the opportunity to study abroad at what is now Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin Ireland. Her party later advised her to run for the Eastern Regional House of Assembly under the NCNC to represent Aba Urban North Constituency in 1961. American rapper, record producer, and fashion designer, National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons. During the inquiry that followed the slaughter of 20 protesters during the strike, Ekpo made her name as a no-nonsense feminist who did not mince her words. At that time, she was detained by Biafran authorities for three years in prison with adequate feeding. Chief Margaret Ekpo struggled for the political emancipation of women.45 Also relevant is the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Disturbances in the Calabar and Owerri Provinces, December, 1929.46 This work provides information on the socio-political and cultural contexts that throw light on the activism, “movements,” and socio-political and economic lives in indigenous societies in the old Eastern Region, and the subsequent uprising in response to the rumors about the taxation of women that led to violence in Owerri Province and Calabar Province. The Nigerian women's rights. Margaret had the opportunity to add her voice to the criticism of the British government second-class treatment of Nigerians in 1945, when she represented her husband in a meeting organized by nationalists including Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay, and Mbonu Ojike, among others. Her name graces the Ekpo Refectory at the University of Nigeria, Nsukkaand various other buildings and structures across the nation. She used the association to promote women solidarity as a platform to fight for the economic rights of women, economic protections and expansionary political rights of women. Margaret Ekpo then attended meetings in place of her husband, the meetings were organized to discuss the discriminatory practices of the colonial administration in the city and to fight cultural and racial imbalance in administrative promotions. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! As wives must prepare meals for their husbands with salt, they had no choice but to attend the meetings in order to be able to purchase salt, and husbands grudgingly allowed their wives to attend. She married a doctor, John Udo Ekpo, in 1938. In 2001, Nigeria's then president, Olusegun Obasanjo, renamed the airport in Calabar, a city near her birthplace of Creek Town, after Ekpo as a tribute to her contribution to the advancement of the country. Margaret believed in the indivisibility of Nigeria and suffered for her conviction during the Nigeria–Biafra Civil War (1966–1970). At the end of the war, the colonial government set up a commission of inquiry. She was honored with the national awards of Officer of the Order of Niger (OON) and Commander of the Order of Federal Republic (CFR).1 The main hall of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, bears her name.2 She became the first female to have a national airport named after her, that is, the Margret Ekpo Airport in Calabar. In 1954, she spearheaded the call for the investigation of a warder who killed a wardress, Onyia, at Enugu prison because she rebuffed his sexual advances. What was remarkable about Margaret Ekpo? These women were pioneers in different fields. See for instance Kaneme Okonjo, “The Dual-Sex Political System in Operation,” in Igbo Women and Community Politics in Mid-Western Nigeria, Women in Africa: Studies in Social and Economic Change, eds. She made demands for women’s education and criticized the Minister of Education for neglecting women education. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe . Among the Igbo east of the River Niger, the umuada institution (association of lineage daughters) and the inyom di (association of wives) greatly impacted on women status in the society, particularly in conflict resolution.6 These two women associations also existed among the Igbo west of the River Niger. Within the same period male chiefs were given recognition and appointed as Warrant Chiefs to assist the colonialists in native administration.7 Indeed, in precolonial Igbo society, “all adult men and women had access to political participation through separate political institutions.”8 And, as C. K. Green rightly observed, women in Igbo society could hold titles.9 Margaret’s dual ethnic heritage impacted on her life and personality, integrating her into the two ethnic groups of Igbo and Ibibio. She had intended to further her education, but due to the death of her father in 1934 she lacked the funds to continue with higher education. 6 Jun 2023. During the war, she was detained by Biafran authorities for three years. She utilized every available opportunity to add her voice to anything she believed would better the lives of Nigerians, particularly women and workers. She reached standard six of the school leaving certificate in 1934. Of particular importance is the publication Margaret Ekpo: Lioness in Nigerian Politics, authored by Stella A. Effah-Attoe and Solomon Odini Jaja.42 The book remains the most extensive work on Margaret. She felt that women abroad including those in Britain, were already fighting for civil rights and had more voice in political and civil matters than their counterparts in Nigeria. https://www.biographies.net/biography/margaret_ekpo/m/02rzt7r, https://www.biographies.net/people/en/margaret_ekpo. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News. Chief Margaret Ekpo died on September, 21, 2006 at the age of ninety-two. She later moved with her husband to Aba. To enjoy certain rights they needed to train overseas. The text of the entry was as follows: As a member of the Eastern House of Assembly, 1961–1966, her concerns covered many social issues such as youth employment, grants for motherless children, employment of science teachers in schools, working conditions of workers including teachers and journalists;, enfranchisement of women in Nigeria, and promotion of local industries through the discouragement of imports. See Effah-Attoe and Jaja, Margaret Ekpo: Lioness in Nigerian Politics, 158. The pioneer wanted more women to join the association but their husbands refused. She traveled to different parts of the country with the leaders of the party for campaigns. Remembering Margaret Ekpo and the Enugu strike massacre Ekpo’s determination to advance her education motivated her to obtain a diploma in Domestic Economics in 1948 at the Rathmine School of Domestic Economics in Dublin Ireland, during the period her husband was taken there for medical attention. There were therefore oppositions to the marriage from parents on both sides. Her determination to advance her education motivated her to obtain a diploma in Domestic Economics in 1948 at the Rathmine School of Domestic Economics in Dublin, Ireland (now the Dublin Institute of Technology) during the period her husband was taken there for medical attention. According to the book, The Feminisation of Development Processes in Africa, by Valentine Udoh James and James S Etim, Ransome-Kuti travelled with Ekpo to the Enugu Colliery during the crisis at the coal mine in 1949 and also visited the widows of the deceased. For instance, in the 1957 regional election, Margaret’s attempt to contest the election was frustrated by the party when the leaders maintained that the elections were too crucial to risk putting women in the contest. Politician Born: July 27, 1914 in Creek Town, Nigeria Died: September 21, 2006 in Calabar, Nigeria Biography: Margaret Ekpo was a Nigerian feminist, activist, and politician. When the 1959 federal elections approached, Ekpo’s electoral value for the NCNC was once again highlighted. The motion was passed. Joe Muir Updated On July 24, 2022. Mikhail Gorbachev and George Bush in 1991. Margaret Ekpo - Illustrated Women in History At the end of the uprising, more than fifty unarmed women had been killed by British troops, and approximately fifty wounded. In the early days of pre-independence Nigeria, Margaret became an active member of the NCNC led by Dr. Nnambi Azikiwe. To remember the great woman, Nigeria named the International Airport in Calabar, Cross River state after her. In 2001, Calabar Airport was renamed Margaret Ekpo International Airport. See also Bolanle Awe, “Women and Politics in Historical Perspective,” in Women and Politics in Nigeria, eds. Top 20 Nigerian heroes and heroines and their achievements - Skabash Moreover, the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Disturbances in the Calabar and Owerri Provinces, December, 1929 provides relevant insights into the women’s protests, uprisings, and the investigations carried out by the commission appointed by Sir Graeme Thomson, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.47 In addition, A. E. Afigbo’s documentation on the warrant chiefs and the indirect rule system in eastern Nigeria provides useful insights into the failure of the indirect rule system of the colonial administration.48. Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria, Aborted strike: 7 key agreements Tinubu’s govt sealed with NLC, TUC, 25% of FCT votes: Court Gives verdict on Abuja residents' suit against President Tinubu, "I pay N600k yearly": Man rents 3-bedroom flat in Lagos, furnishes it, put nice curtains & flat screen TV, BREAKING: Obasa re-elected as Lagos Assembly speaker for the 3rd term, Report: Statistics of killings, kidnap in Tinubu’s first week revealed, "She is a future model": Photographer captures the image of beautiful village girl, video goes viral on TikTok, "I cannot help but love you": Lady in bumshort dances and whines waist in a sweet way, video goes viral, "I feel whole again": After 20 years, adopted man finds out birth mother works In same hospital, Actress Iyabo Ojo shares evidence of tax payment, explodes at Lagos government: "This one na pure witch-hunt", "I feel guilty": Girl, 9, writes letter to Nigerian woman through her mum, warns her not to open it, Former PDP governor went into hiding because of EFCC? Margaret Ekpo, a pioneer female politician, a women's rights activist and a social mobiliser; that's an introduction to the woman, more so, at its basest. Web. “I am assuring you that the women of the Eastern Region, with two of us here representing their interests, will be solidly behind you and the Government of the Eastern Region. Any woman who wanted to purchase salt had to first register with the Association. Margaret was able to bring her to eastern Nigeria in 1948 to talk to the women and enlighten them. Margaret Ekpo, pioneering feminism in Nigeria - DW - 03/24/2018 Creek Town Institute offered primary, secondary, and post-secondary education, and students received training in both technical and vocational education. Margaret Ekpo. She formed a Market Women Association in Aba and she was the leading light of women's participation in politics. Her husband, as an employee of the colonial government administration, could not attend such meetings. The Aba Women’s War therefore triggered unprecedented resistance to colonialism that shook the foundation of British occupation of colonial Nigeria. Early life and Education Margaret was a leading … Continue reading Women You Should Know- Margaret Ekpo As a chief she ensured that women’s issues were included on the agenda. [citation needed], In 1946, she had the opportunity to study abroad at what is now Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin Ireland. See Ce/k5, Report of the Commission of Inquiry Appointed to Inquire into the Disturbances in the Calabar and Owerri Provinces, December, 1929. Her husband was a hardworking and devoted husband who gave her the needed support to pursue her heart’s desire, both in business and in politics. On February 25, 1960, during the deliberations about the Second Reading of the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Bill, which arose from constitutional provisions that each of Nigeria’s three regions – Northern, Eastern and Western – were allowed to “establish their television and broadcasting services”, Ekpo said: “I am supporting this Bill and I am emphasising again that when the Board of this Broadcasting Institution will be created, there should be no discrimination. column on 2 July 2007. When she clocked 24, she got married to John Udo Ekpo, a medical doctor. This was a great feat at the time for anyone, and for a woman to have achieved this was even more remarkable. In an era when corruption is a major challenge in Africa, Margaret has left a legacy of integrity for those entrusted with managing the resources of the country. See Effah-Attoe and Jaja, Margaret Ekpo: Lioness in Nigerian Politics, 35. She was the only woman at the rally and not a few wondered what a woman was doing there when she should be at home, attending to her family. For Ekpo: We the women of the south wonder what is going to happen to us if the representation in the Federal House will be on the basis of the inflated census figures, And then, I, Margaret Udo Ekpo, Mokelu and Madam Young will leave the floor of this house because the women will not vote again.22. In 1946, she had the opportunity to study abroad at what is now Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin Ireland. Her political career nosedived with the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War which saw her being arrested and kept in jail. She played major roles as a grassroot and nationalist politician in the Eastern Nigerian city of Aba, in the era of an hierarchical and male-dominated movement towards independence, with her rise not the least helped by the socialization of women's role into that of helpmates or appendages to the careers of males. Ifi Amadiume has argued that the dual-sex political system of precolonial Igbo society is mediated by the existing gender ideology in the cultural systems of the Igbo in general, and the Nnobi community where her study was based, in particular. As an interest group, African feminism set off in the early twentieth century with women like Adelaide Casely-Hayford, the Sierra Leonian women's rights activist referred to as the " African Victorian Feminist " who contributed widely to both pan-African and feminist goals . When the story of women's activism in Nigeria is told in full, the name, Margaret Ekpo will obviously sit prominently on top. The story of Dr Ruth Pfau, the ambassador of humanity. See Ifi Amadiume, Male Daughters, Female Husbands: Gender and Sex in an African Society (London: Zed Books, 1987). Her husband was indignant with the colonial administrators treatment of indigenous Nigerian doctors but as a civil servant, he could not attend meetings to discuss the matter. A frequent traveller, Ekpo had just completed a trip to the United States. Margaret Ekpo. And on October 1 that year, Nigeria gained its independence. The woman then ordered that any woman who is not a member of the association should not be sold to and all the men gave in to her demands at the end of the day. Her chance to stand for election finally came in 1961, when she received the nod from party heads to be the candidate for Aba Urban North constituency in the Eastern House of Assembly regional elections. At her death at the age of ninety-two, Bolanle Omonijo noted that the last of the matriarchs had passed. See Effah-Attoe and Jaja, Margaret Ekpo: Lioness in Nigerian Politics, 49. National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries. In service to her fatherland, Margaret left a legacy of accountability and public probity in the service of one’s nation. She didn't just open doors for women, she kicked them down. This form of grassroots mobilization, sensitization, and enlightenment led by women seems to be lacking in the Nigerian political space in the early 21st century. Margaret Ekpo Biography - Age, Country, Institution ... - MyBioHub Fearless, outspoken, bold and intelligent, she consistently fought against all forms of injustice. To date, his murder case has not been resolved. Margaret Ekpo - Wikipedia Ekpo’s political awakening was sudden. Margaret’s decision to attend the meeting cannot be viewed as a sudden decision. For instance, she fought for the welfare of workers and their fundamental human rights. She contributed immensely to the constitutional and political development of Nigeria. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe woke up early in life to discover that the black race had a problem. She contended that in Igbo culture, gender was separated from biological sex, unlike in Western social thought. He is best known for his portraits of world notables, many of them published in Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, and other major venues; more than 280 of his photographs are in the permanent . Now returning to her base in Aba, eastern Nigeria, she was about to deliver another speech from her political armoury. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti was a women’s rights activist, educationalist, nationalist, and a teacher. Ekpo's political career ended with the commencement of the Nigerian Civil War. 41. . Margaret got married to Dr. John Ekpo in 1938. Margeret Ekpo died in 2006 at the age of 92. AFP. During their time together, Margaret and Funmilayo decided to urge more women to get involved in politics in other to have a voice. Margaret was raised by parents of an inter-ethnic marriage. Although she and some of the other agitators were arrested for making inflammatory statements, she never regretted her participation in such rallies. Born on the 27th July 27, 1914, Ekpo was born in Creek Town, Cross River State, to the family of Okoroafor Obiasulor. See Johnson-Odim and Mba, For Women and the Nation, 100, 174. Her position enabled her to fight for issues affecting women at the time, in particular the progress of women in economic and political matters such as the availability of transportation on major roads leading to markets. She then started working as a pupil teacher in elementary schools. Margaret Ekpo: Remembering The Brave Nigerian Politician Who ... - Legit.ng She then started working as a pupil-teacher in elementary schools. She was actively involved in the struggle for Nigerian independence, and agitations for women's inclusion in policies and programs of . Our dear Nigerian readers should take a look at this and get to know more about this amazing woman who did well during her time. Women in precolonial Ibibio society participated in the affairs of their society, including during periods of conflict. “Mr President, I would like the Minister of Education to know that we are now in Independent Nigeria, and that time has gone when they placed boys before girls. She subsequently settled for a ‘pupil-teaching job,’ teaching at various elementary schools until she got married, in 1938, to a Yaba High School-trained medical practitioner, Dr. John Udo Ekpo. Her ability to adapt to changing situations to maintain women involvement in shaping their lives and history by remaining politically relevant can be seen in the transformation of the Aba Market Women Association. In January 1959, Ekpo was appointed as a Special Member to the Eastern House of Chiefs, which was a particularly conservative, male-dominated institution. No one should do anything to compromise Nigeria’s independence, no matter the extent of threat, provocation or enticement.25. According to Margaret, from what she observed of European women while in Europe, they were much like women in Nigeria—doing house chores like women in other societies. Together, they travelled to different provinces to mobilise women to join the NWU and be a part of Nigeria’s decolonisation journey. It was a trying time for me; however, I accepted it as a sacrifice I had to make for the unity of Nigeria.”. She went around shops and deposited money for all available bags of salt which gave her total control on sales. Thus, when Margaret was appointed to the Eastern House of Chiefs, many disapproved as she would be sitting with chiefs, that is, male leaders. This account has no valid subscription for this site. After their return to Nigeria from Dublin, she put her education into use and began a domestic science institute to train young girls in home economics and dressmaking in Aba, Abia state. How did Margaret Ekpo become politically active? Although Ekpo pledged collaboration with the Members of the House Chiefs on matters which would improve the Eastern Region she did not hesitate to speak her mind when she disagreed. 32. Margaret Ekpo - PR2J3C4 - Nigeria @ Her Best The result was to mobilise women under one major socio-political body. But, in northern Nigeria, women had to wait until 1976 for the right to vote and stand for election. After her success in Aba with the Market Women Association, Margaret went ahead to join the decolonisation process which led to the establishment of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NGNC), a platform to represent a marginalised group. So Ekpo became one of a few well-known Nigerian female politicians representing women’s interests in conferences that shaped the country’s constitutional future. Why Chinua Achebe never won the Nobel Prize in Literature, Top 13 Interesting Facts about Alexander the Great, The Difference Between French and British Colonialism in Africa, Shettima Kashim Ibrahim: The Last Civilian Governor of Northern Nigeria. In higher education institutions, students’ research works on women and political participation in Nigeria often make reference to her as a case study.41 Yet, only a few books have been written about her, some of which are discussed in this article. Margaret Ekpo | Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries - ZODML Breaking barriers (2003 edition) | Open Library For a woman to attend meetings with prominent traditional rulers was unimaginable. Margaret utilized the Aba Market Women Association as a platform for mobilization and sensitization of women on the political situation in colonial Nigeria. A portion of the white unequivocally recommended that Nigeria was ripe for self-determination.29, Margaret understood the power of partnership and networking in achieving goals. Ekpo was born in 1914 in Creek Town in present-day Cross River State to Okoroafor Obiasulor (a native of Agulu-Uzo-Igbo near Awka in Anambra State) and Inyang Eyo Aniemewue, who was from the family of King Eyo Honesty II of Creek Town. Margaret Ekpo. For instance, Hajiya Fatima Lola (1898–1997) was a Nupe woman who, though she did not have the opportunity of acquiring a Western education, made a name in the music industry which made her popular beyond her ethnic group throughout the whole of Nigeria. Margarete would later become a celebrated activist a decade later. During her career, Ekpo joined ranks with the prominent feminist, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Women’s Union (NWU). The report of the commission and the white paper that emanated from it was a watershed in the struggle for independence of Nigeria.
Benjamin Trinks Freundin, Articles M