Ìgbò | Igbo
Aha Akwụkwọ: Uda Ndị Nwunye Mere Ka Anyị Nwee Nsọpụrụ: Ncheta banyere Armine Nutting Gosling na Agha Ndị Nwanyị Na Naịjirịa
Ifunanya — nke a bụ aha m.
Abịara m iso unu kwurịta okwu taa, karịsịa ụmụnwanyị niile, ma ọ bụ ụmụ agbọghọ mara mma na-eto eto bụ ndị ga-aghọ ọgbọ ọzọ nke ụmụnwanyị siri ike, jigidere onwe ha, na nwee ume.
Mgbe m dị nwata, ndụ m dị ka nnụnụ n'eluigwe — enwere m nnwere onwe ịsị ihe masịrị m, ịga ụlọ akwụkwọ, na ịkọwapụta echiche m n’elu isiokwu ọ bụla.
Echere m na ụdị nnwere onwe a bụ ihe niile mmadụ na-amụta site n’ụmụaka.
Ma ka m na-etolite, mụ na-amụta banyere ndụ ụfọdụ ụmụnwanyị siri ike, m ghọtara na nnwere onwe m ịbụ ihe m chọrọ abụghị ihe dị mfe—ọ bịara site n'ọtụtụ mgbalị nke ụmụnwanyị dị ka Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Ọ bụ nwanyị mbụ jiri ụgbọala gbaa na Naịjirịa, kwadoro Abeokuta Women’s Union, kpụchara iwe megide ụtụ isi a na-agbakwa ụmụnwanyị na-achịkọta ha ka ha tinye aka n'ndokwa ọchịchị.
Ọ gbara mbọ inye ụmụnwanyị ikike ịtụ vootu na ịbụ akụkụ ndọrọndọrọ ọchịchị Naịjirịa.
Ikike m ịga ndọrọndọrọ ọchịchị ma ọ bụ nrọ ịbụ onye nọ n’ụlọ omeiwu nke mpaghara bịara site n’ọrụ Margaret Ekpo, nwanyị na-agbakwa mgba maka ụmụnwanyị.
Site n'ọrụ ya, ọ kpọpụtara puku-puku ụmụnwanyị site n’ọgbọ ahịa na otu obodo.
N’afọ 1953, ọ ghọrọ nwanyị mbụ n’Eastern Nigeria ji n’ụlọ omeiwu, mee ka ụmụnwanyị nwee ike ịbanye n’okwuchị.
Nnwere onwe m ịbụ onye ahịa, ire ngwongwo m, ma nweta ego n’enweghị ụtụ isi na-ezighị ezi, bụ ọrụ Nwanyeruwa.
Nwanyị Igbo siri ike nọ n’Ahịa Aba, onye mepụtara Aba Women's Riot (Women's War) n'afọ 1929 mgbe otu onye ọchịchị gbalịrị ịchọpụtagodị ya maka ụtụ isi.
Ọ jụrụ, nke mere ka ihe karịrị ụmụnwanyị 10,000 gbanwee iwe megide ọchịchị ma chọọ ka a gosi ụmụnwanyị nkwanye ugwu n’ime ọchịchị.
Kedu ka m ga-esi nwee iguzosi ike dee akụkọ a ma ọ bụrụ na Flora Nwapa, onye Igbo na-ede akwụkwọ, esighị ike kwuo eziokwu site n'akwụkwọ ya?
Ọ bụ nwanyị mbụ dere akwụkwọ n’ala Naịjirịa, ji akwụkwọ ya kwado ọgụ ụmụnwanyị, wee rụkwara ọrụ dịka onye minista nke Ahụike na Ọrụ Ọha.
Kedu ka m ga-esi nwee agụmakwụkwọ dị mma ma ọ bụrụ na Chinyere Asika esighị ike kwado usoro ndokwa ụmụnwanyị na Mpaghara Ọwụwa Anyanwụ Naịjirịa?
Ọ kwadoro agụmakwụkwọ ụmụnwanyị, mmụta ọrụ, na itinye aka ha n'ndokwa mba.
Ịgụ akụkọ Armine Nutting Gosling meghere anya m n’ụzọ ọzọ.
Akụkọ ndụ ya gosiri na ọgụ maka ikike ụmụnwanyị, karịsịa inye ha ikike ịtụ vootu, bụ ihe na-eme n’ụwa niile.
Akụkọ Armine na-akpali akpali, ma na-echeta m Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti—nke ha abụọ guzobere òtù ụmụnwanyị iji mee ka ha nwee ohere ịkpọpụta onwe ha, ịbanye ebe a mechiri ha ụzọ.
Dịka Armine si kwuo:
“Ụdị mmadụ ọ bụla—ma ọ bụ klas, agbụrụ, ma ọ bụ okike—agaghị enwe ike ịkwado mmasị ha... ma e wezụga na e nyere ha ikike ịtụ vootu.”
Ya mere, onye ọbụla na-agụ nke a, ma ọ bụ na-ege m ntị—cheta nke a:
Ike ịtụ vootu gị, olu gị, dị mkpa.
Ekwela ka onye ọbụla gbachie ọnụ gị.
Ifunanya — nke a bụ aha m.
Abịara m iso unu kwurịta okwu taa, karịsịa ụmụnwanyị niile, ma ọ bụ ụmụ agbọghọ mara mma na-eto eto bụ ndị ga-aghọ ọgbọ ọzọ nke ụmụnwanyị siri ike, jigidere onwe ha, na nwee ume.
Mgbe m dị nwata, ndụ m dị ka nnụnụ n'eluigwe — enwere m nnwere onwe ịsị ihe masịrị m, ịga ụlọ akwụkwọ, na ịkọwapụta echiche m n’elu isiokwu ọ bụla.
Echere m na ụdị nnwere onwe a bụ ihe niile mmadụ na-amụta site n’ụmụaka.
Ma ka m na-etolite, mụ na-amụta banyere ndụ ụfọdụ ụmụnwanyị siri ike, m ghọtara na nnwere onwe m ịbụ ihe m chọrọ abụghị ihe dị mfe—ọ bịara site n'ọtụtụ mgbalị nke ụmụnwanyị dị ka Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Ọ bụ nwanyị mbụ jiri ụgbọala gbaa na Naịjirịa, kwadoro Abeokuta Women’s Union, kpụchara iwe megide ụtụ isi a na-agbakwa ụmụnwanyị na-achịkọta ha ka ha tinye aka n'ndokwa ọchịchị.
Ọ gbara mbọ inye ụmụnwanyị ikike ịtụ vootu na ịbụ akụkụ ndọrọndọrọ ọchịchị Naịjirịa.
Ikike m ịga ndọrọndọrọ ọchịchị ma ọ bụ nrọ ịbụ onye nọ n’ụlọ omeiwu nke mpaghara bịara site n’ọrụ Margaret Ekpo, nwanyị na-agbakwa mgba maka ụmụnwanyị.
Site n'ọrụ ya, ọ kpọpụtara puku-puku ụmụnwanyị site n’ọgbọ ahịa na otu obodo.
N’afọ 1953, ọ ghọrọ nwanyị mbụ n’Eastern Nigeria ji n’ụlọ omeiwu, mee ka ụmụnwanyị nwee ike ịbanye n’okwuchị.
Nnwere onwe m ịbụ onye ahịa, ire ngwongwo m, ma nweta ego n’enweghị ụtụ isi na-ezighị ezi, bụ ọrụ Nwanyeruwa.
Nwanyị Igbo siri ike nọ n’Ahịa Aba, onye mepụtara Aba Women's Riot (Women's War) n'afọ 1929 mgbe otu onye ọchịchị gbalịrị ịchọpụtagodị ya maka ụtụ isi.
Ọ jụrụ, nke mere ka ihe karịrị ụmụnwanyị 10,000 gbanwee iwe megide ọchịchị ma chọọ ka a gosi ụmụnwanyị nkwanye ugwu n’ime ọchịchị.
Kedu ka m ga-esi nwee iguzosi ike dee akụkọ a ma ọ bụrụ na Flora Nwapa, onye Igbo na-ede akwụkwọ, esighị ike kwuo eziokwu site n'akwụkwọ ya?
Ọ bụ nwanyị mbụ dere akwụkwọ n’ala Naịjirịa, ji akwụkwọ ya kwado ọgụ ụmụnwanyị, wee rụkwara ọrụ dịka onye minista nke Ahụike na Ọrụ Ọha.
Kedu ka m ga-esi nwee agụmakwụkwọ dị mma ma ọ bụrụ na Chinyere Asika esighị ike kwado usoro ndokwa ụmụnwanyị na Mpaghara Ọwụwa Anyanwụ Naịjirịa?
Ọ kwadoro agụmakwụkwọ ụmụnwanyị, mmụta ọrụ, na itinye aka ha n'ndokwa mba.
Ịgụ akụkọ Armine Nutting Gosling meghere anya m n’ụzọ ọzọ.
Akụkọ ndụ ya gosiri na ọgụ maka ikike ụmụnwanyị, karịsịa inye ha ikike ịtụ vootu, bụ ihe na-eme n’ụwa niile.
Akụkọ Armine na-akpali akpali, ma na-echeta m Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti—nke ha abụọ guzobere òtù ụmụnwanyị iji mee ka ha nwee ohere ịkpọpụta onwe ha, ịbanye ebe a mechiri ha ụzọ.
Dịka Armine si kwuo:
“Ụdị mmadụ ọ bụla—ma ọ bụ klas, agbụrụ, ma ọ bụ okike—agaghị enwe ike ịkwado mmasị ha... ma e wezụga na e nyere ha ikike ịtụ vootu.”
Ya mere, onye ọbụla na-agụ nke a, ma ọ bụ na-ege m ntị—cheta nke a:
Ike ịtụ vootu gị, olu gị, dị mkpa.
Ekwela ka onye ọbụla gbachie ọnụ gị.
Ifunanya — that is my name.
I’m sharing this message with all women, especially to the beautiful young girls who will become the next generation of strong, fierce, and resilient women.
As a teenager, I lived as free as a bird.
I spoke my mind, I had the opportunity to go to school, and I was fearless in sharing my views on any topic.
I always believed that this kind of freedom was natural—something that everyone had from the beginning of time.
But growing up, and learning about the lives of strong, trailblazing women, I now know that my freedom to be whoever and whatever I want to be did not come freely.
It came at a high cost — paid by women like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, one of Nigeria’s most renowned suffragists and women’s rights activists.
As the first woman to drive a car in Nigeria, she founded the Abeokuta Women’s Union, which challenged colonial taxation on women and advocated for their inclusion in political decision-making.
She fought for universal suffrage and helped secure voting rights for women in Nigeria.
My right to participate in politics and even dream of being in the regional House of Assembly was made possible by Margaret Ekpo, a fearless advocate for women’s political rights.
She mobilized thousands of women through market associations and civic groups.
In 1953, she became the first woman in Eastern Nigeria to join the regional House of Assembly, ensuring that women finally had a seat at the political table.
My freedom to be a businesswoman—to sell my goods and promote my products without being unfairly taxed—is owed to Nwanyeruwa, a strong and resilient Igbo market woman from Aba.
In 1929, she sparked the Aba Women’s Riot — also known as the Women’s War — after a colonial officer attempted to tax her.
Her protest ignited a movement of over 10,000 women demanding an end to unjust taxation and greater respect for women’s roles in governance.
How would I have found the confidence to tell this story if not for Flora Nwapa, an Igbo writer who dared to speak truth to power through her literature?
As Nigeria’s first female novelist and a government official, she used her platform to tell the stories of strong African women and paved the way for cultural and political visibility.
She later served as Minister of Health and Social Welfare in East Central State.
And how would I have accessed a quality education without the efforts of Chinyere Asika, who worked behind the scenes to shape women's policies in Eastern Nigeria?
She championed women's education, capacity-building, and inclusion in national development dialogues.
Reading the story of Armine Nutting Gosling opened my eyes even further.
Her life showed me that the fight for women’s rights — especially the right to vote and be part of political life — is not just a Nigerian struggle.
It is a global one.
Armine’s story mirrors that of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Both women founded unions to create safe spaces for women to express themselves and step into spaces the world once shut them out of.
In Armine’s words:
“No class, or race, or sex can have its interests attended to... unless it is represented by direct suffrage.”
To anyone who hears the sound of my voice or reads these words — remember this:
Your vote and your voice matter.
Never let anyone silence you.
I’m sharing this message with all women, especially to the beautiful young girls who will become the next generation of strong, fierce, and resilient women.
As a teenager, I lived as free as a bird.
I spoke my mind, I had the opportunity to go to school, and I was fearless in sharing my views on any topic.
I always believed that this kind of freedom was natural—something that everyone had from the beginning of time.
But growing up, and learning about the lives of strong, trailblazing women, I now know that my freedom to be whoever and whatever I want to be did not come freely.
It came at a high cost — paid by women like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, one of Nigeria’s most renowned suffragists and women’s rights activists.
As the first woman to drive a car in Nigeria, she founded the Abeokuta Women’s Union, which challenged colonial taxation on women and advocated for their inclusion in political decision-making.
She fought for universal suffrage and helped secure voting rights for women in Nigeria.
My right to participate in politics and even dream of being in the regional House of Assembly was made possible by Margaret Ekpo, a fearless advocate for women’s political rights.
She mobilized thousands of women through market associations and civic groups.
In 1953, she became the first woman in Eastern Nigeria to join the regional House of Assembly, ensuring that women finally had a seat at the political table.
My freedom to be a businesswoman—to sell my goods and promote my products without being unfairly taxed—is owed to Nwanyeruwa, a strong and resilient Igbo market woman from Aba.
In 1929, she sparked the Aba Women’s Riot — also known as the Women’s War — after a colonial officer attempted to tax her.
Her protest ignited a movement of over 10,000 women demanding an end to unjust taxation and greater respect for women’s roles in governance.
How would I have found the confidence to tell this story if not for Flora Nwapa, an Igbo writer who dared to speak truth to power through her literature?
As Nigeria’s first female novelist and a government official, she used her platform to tell the stories of strong African women and paved the way for cultural and political visibility.
She later served as Minister of Health and Social Welfare in East Central State.
And how would I have accessed a quality education without the efforts of Chinyere Asika, who worked behind the scenes to shape women's policies in Eastern Nigeria?
She championed women's education, capacity-building, and inclusion in national development dialogues.
Reading the story of Armine Nutting Gosling opened my eyes even further.
Her life showed me that the fight for women’s rights — especially the right to vote and be part of political life — is not just a Nigerian struggle.
It is a global one.
Armine’s story mirrors that of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
Both women founded unions to create safe spaces for women to express themselves and step into spaces the world once shut them out of.
In Armine’s words:
“No class, or race, or sex can have its interests attended to... unless it is represented by direct suffrage.”
To anyone who hears the sound of my voice or reads these words — remember this:
Your vote and your voice matter.
Never let anyone silence you.
|
Jennifer Ifunanya Obiekwe
Ifunanya is a Business Administration student at Memorial University with a deep interest in women's rights and social justice. She is passionate about telling the stories of women who have paved the way for future generations. |
