10 Nigerian Heroines That Cannot Be Forgotten. [A Thread]

1. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

In the year 1965, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti received the national honor of membership in the Order of Nigeria, and was also bestowed the honorary doctorate of laws.....[1]

Throughout her career, Funmilayo was known as an educator and activist. She joined forces with Elizabeth Adekogbe in providing dynamic leadership for the women’s rights in the 1950s. She founded an organization for women in Abeokuta, that had more than 20,000 women as members.

2. Queen Moremi

Moremi Ajasoro, Princess of the Yoruba, was a figure of high significance in the history of the Yoruba peoples. She was a very brave and beautiful woman who, in order to deal with the problem facing her people, offered anything she had to give in sacrifice....

to the Spirit of the river Esimirin so that she could discover the strength of her nation’s enemies.
Moremi decided upon a strategy. She went to the nearby river Esinmirin, and vowed to deity that she would make the greatest sacrifice possible if they allowed her to discover..

the strength of her nation’s enemies. Then, she went to a place that was raided frequently, and when the raiders did come she allowed herself to be captured. Being very beautiful she was taken as booty to the Igbo King. She was very confident and skillful, and soon won the...

the trust and affection of the King and people in Igbo land. Moremi became familiar with their customs and tactics of warfare. She found that the Igbo, in preparation for battle, would cover themselves from head to toe with Ekan grass and bamboo fibres.

She realized that if someone could pass amongst the Igbo warriors with a torch that they could be defeated. Feeling that she had adequate knowledge, she escaped, to the great surprise of her Igbo captors.

She returned to her first husband, King Oramiyan of Ife (and later Oyo), who immediately had her re-instated as his Princess Consort. Knowing the warfare secrets of the Igbo, the people of Ife were forever freed from the terrors of these previously invincible warriors.

3. Queen Amina Bakwa

Amina was the daughter of Bakwa of Turunku. When Bakwa died in 1566, the crown of Zazzua passed to Amina’s younger brother, Karama. Amina chose to hone her military skills from the warriors of the Zazzau military.

As a result, she emerged as leader of the Zazzua cavalry. Many accolades, great wealth, and increased power resulted from her numerous military achievements. She eventually became king after her brother died.

Amina led her first military charge a few months after assuming power. For the rest of her 34 year reign, she continued to fight and expand her kingdom to the greatest in history.

The objective for initiating so many battles was to make neighbouring rulers her vassal and permit her traders safe passage. In this way, she boosted her kingdom’s wealth and power with gold, slaves, and new crops. Because her people were talented metal workers.

Amina introduced metal armor, including iron helmets and chain mail, to her army. o her credit, she fortified each of her military camps with an earthen wall. Later, towns and villages sprung up within these protective barriers.

4. Florence Nwanzuruahu Nkiru Nwapa

She was a Nigerian author best known as Flora Nwapa. Her novel Efuru (1966) is among the first English-language novels by a woman from Africa. Born in Oguta, was the forerunner to a generation of African women writers.

While never considering herself a feminist, she is best known for recreating life and traditions from a woman’s viewpoint. In 1966 her book Efuru became Africa’s first internationally published female novel in the English language (Heinemann Educational Books).

5. Nana Asmau

Nana Asma’u was a princess, poet, teacher, and a daughter of the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate, Usman dan Fodio. Of all these, Nana is revered as an advocate for the education of Muslim women. She was devoted to the education of Muslim women.

She published her first long poem, “The way of the Pious” in 1820, and it was followed by 60 more, which is studied in international academic institutions till date. Nana became the first pioneer of women’s education in what later became Northern Nigeria.

She trained a large network of women as educators and placed a strong emphasis on women leaders and rights of women within the community ideals of the Sunnah and Islamic law. She was an accomplished author and respected scholar in communication with scholars.

6. Barmani Choge

She  was one of the best female Hausa singers from Northern Nigeria. Barmani Choge popularized the mature Hausa women genre of music called Amada, which is centered around five upturned calabashes floating on water and played with the hands by elderly women.

Without fear of tradition or religion, her songs talked about serious social issues like women’s education and importance of small-scale trading by women, to vulgar topics like co-wives as idle snobs, voluptuous women’s backsides, etc.

7. Alimotu Pelewura

Alimotu Pelewura was the woman who led the Lagos Market Women’s Association in its struggles for women’s right to vote and against taxation during the colonial era. Even though Pelewura was an uneducated fish seller...

She greatly influenced decisions to the favor of her fellow market women. During the colonial era, she paid clerks and hired lawyers to represent them in their struggles. She wielded so much power that she became a source of concern to the British officials.

8. Buchi Emecheta

Florence Onyebuchi “Buchi” Emecheta was born in 1944, a time when there was a gender bias towards women. While she stayed at home, her younger brother was allowed to go to school. Buchi’s dream of becoming a writer came alive through an older aunt....

who told her stories during dinner.

Opportunity came, when a year after her father died, she received a full scholarship to attend the Methodist Girls School. Through some of her books, Buchi revealed that her marriage was a violent one as her husband was abusive.

In fact, her first book, “The Bride Price” was burnt by her husband and she had to write another one in 1976. Buchi left her husband at the age of 22. While working to care for her 5 children, she earned a BSc degree in Sociology at the University of London.

9. Agbani Darego

Agbani Darego born Agbani Asenite Darego, is a Nigerian model and beauty queen, best known as the first native African to win Miss http://World.In  2001, Darego was crowned Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria.

Contrary to popular belief, Darego did not replace Valerie Peterside after the latter was dethroned, as she had won Miss Nigeria. A few months later she was a contestant at Miss Universe, and became the first Nigerian to place among the top 10 semi-finalists, finishing seventh.

10. Hon Abike Dabiri Arewa

Dabiri-Erewa fondly called “Mother Teresa of the tube” prides herself in her outstanding career as a broadcaster. She spent 15 years of distinguished and meritorious service at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

While in NTA she gained a strong understanding of the industry because of her dedication, inquisitiveness and professionalism. She anchored the weekly NTA Newsline programme to the delight of millions of Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe or religion.

Dabiri-Erewa wormed her way into the hearts of many with her gallantry efforts of using television as an effective tool to draw attention to the millions of Nigerians suffering from the pains of poverty and injustice.

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