Born: Unknown, Nigeria
Died: Unknown
Country most active: Nigeria
Also known as: Madame Nwanyeruwa
Nwanyeruwa was an Igbo woman living in colonial Nigeria known for her role in the Women’s War against taxation from November 1929 to January 1930. The revolt stemmed from the refusal of Nigerian women to be taxed by their British colonisers amidst the economic hardships of the Great Depression. After an altercation with a male Igbo Warrant Officer, who grabbed her by the throat when she refused to count her property for him, Nwanyeruwa organized 10,000 Nigerian woman in a protest against the colonial and native authorities. While the protest did not result in much concrete changes or acceptance of Nwanyeruwa’s demands, it did result in woman being involved in the colonial Nigerian political system. Historians cite her actions as an important milestone, one in a series of actions which acted as a catalyst for social and political change in Nigerian history, aiding the nascent African nationalist movement in the region and the movement for independence, which culminated in independence being granted in 1960. Her actions marked a milestone in both African nationalism and women’s rights in Africa. Between 50 and 60 women were killed, with several others wounded. However, the British agreed to reform both Native Courts and the Warrant Chief systems, taking women into account when it came to legislative decisions. The riots also delayed for some years the taxation of women.
Nwanyeruwa was called to testify against Warrant Chief Okugo in March 1930, and stated, “We had no money to pay tax. […]I was once a rich woman, but as [Okugo] had been taking money away from me I had now no money.”