TRIBUTE: MARGARET EKPO, THE DOYEN OF WOMEN EMANCIPATION AT 90
By George Onah

August 1, 2004 - (Vanguard) She will be quick to tell you that she did not lead the Aba market riot of 1929. But she will not hesitate to tell you that she formed the Aba Market Women Association in 1946 According to her, in her autobiography, Breaking Barriers, she said the riot took place when she was only 15 years old and so, could not have led the riot.

The forming of that association was her turning point to big time politicking. The seed of politics was, however, sowed in her as a result of the treatment meted to her husband by the colonialists. Margaret recalled that her husband was a medical doctor and was always complaining about the despising attitude of "the white men who were equally medical doctors".

As was the practice of the colonialists to relegate the blacks, to the background, even if the blacks were of equal status with the whites, Dr. Ekpo (Margaret's husband) was treated as inferior to his white contemporaries. Although Margaret felt some indignation against the system, there was nothing she could do about it at the early stage. The opportunity, however, came for her to show the stuff she was made of. On that day in 1946, some top politicians went to Aba for a rally. They included Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macauley, Mbonu Ojike and others.

The theme of the discussion was to seek independence and chase the white oppressors out of Nigeria. As it happened, she said she was the only woman there. At that point, the die was cast. The association remained intact until the Enugu Coal Miners shooting.

It was a golden opportunity for her to ascend to the peak of her goal -- to fight the colonialists out of Nigeria. Margaret led her association to a wild and wide demonstration, condemning the killings, which included women. She "got in touch with other women groups which got together to protest these killings", as she stated in "Breaking Barriers". She was later picked up along with other politicians and released when the women associations threatened to set Aba and other towns on fire.

Again, this remarkable woman led the women in her fold to fight an injustice meted to a female prisons officer who was killed by a male colleague because she refused his love advances. According to her, Mrs. Onyia was murdered when a six-inch nail was driven into her head. This was at Enugu prisons department in the early 1950s. Angered by the murder, the Aba women hired two railway coaches from Aba to Enugu to do battle with the murderer.

At Enugu, the head of the prisons, a white man, refused to oblige the women entry to the compound. An ultimatum of ten minutes from the women forced the man to change his mind. The woman's body was later exhumed and taken to court with the suspect. He was convicted and executed. Margaret and her group won. Sufficiently equipped for politics in a broader perspective, she moved to the mainstream.

To actualize this aim, Margaret who was then in her 40s wooed the wife of Azikiwe, Flora to form and lead the women's wing of the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC. When Nigeria got independence in 1960 and Zik was made president, his wife vacated the leadership of the women's wing of the party. Margaret who was the second in command assumed control. Such was the active life of this energetic and fearless woman activist.

Born in Creek Town in the present Odukpani Local Government of Cross River State on July 27, 1914. Margaret's father was an Igbo man called Okoroafor Obiasulor. The man hailed from Agulu -- Uzo Igbo near Awka, the present capital of Anambra State. Obiasulor who was a trader sailed to Adiabo Okurikang in Cross River State where he later settled.
The man changed his name to that of a man who was his mentor and friend and later became Sampson Ekpenyong Efa. It was there that he met Margaret's mother Inyang Eyo Aniemewue. Margaret who was the sixth of nine children (and the only surviving c hild now) met and married John Udoh Ekpo who was from Ikot Eyo in Eket, in present-day Akwa Ibom State.

They had two children Edward (Eddie) 64, and Winston Ekpo.

Eddie is a journalist and Winston is a retired army major.

Margaret has 12 grandchildren and 13 great grand children. One would expect that as a Calabar woman, she would flex her muscle and champion women's emancipation in her domain since charity is said to begin at home. But life rolled her over to Aba when as a school teacher, she was transferred from Holy Trinity School, Calabar to St. George"s Primary School in Aba, in present day Abia State in 1936. Right there, she moved from school to school until she walked into the young man who married her and who was also based in Aba.

Margaret who said her role model was Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome Kuti was nominated in 1954 as a special member to the Eastern House of Chiefs in Enugu to represent Women's interest as she recalled, "the appointment was a moment of triumph and pride for the Nigerian woman". She was there from 1954 to 1957. She was also a delegate of the NCNC to the Nigerian Constitutional Conference in Lancaster House, London.

She also used her privileged position in the NCNC to campaign for women's right to vote and be voted for. She was elected as a member representing Aba Urban North Constituency in the Eastern House of Assembly in 1962. Her low point in life was when the Biafran Leader Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu detained her throughout the war from 1967 -- 1970. President Olusegun Obasanjo presented her with a Peugeot 604 car recently to mark her 90th birthday on earth.

So did General Ibrahim Babangida presented her with a Peugeot 505 when she marked her 70th birthday. She has 43 awards from governments and institutions all over the world, including the Calabar International Air Port which has been named after her.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200408020616.html