Ekumeku Movement facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ekumeku Movement |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 British Empire |
Ekumeku organisation | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Major Festing, W. E. B. Crawford Coupland, Lt. Col. H. c. Moorhouse, S. O. Crewe | Dunkwu Isusu of Onicha-Olona, Maya nwa Isusu of Onicha-Olona, Ikwa Gwadia of onicha-olona, Ochei nwa Aghaeze of Onicha-olona, Elumelu Okachi of Onicha-Olona, Nwabuzo Iyogolo, Awuno Ugbo, Nzekwe, Agbambu nwa Oshue of Igbuzo, Idabor of Issele-Ukwu, Abuzu of Idumuje-Unor, Idegwu Otokpoike of Ubulu-Ukwu, Ochie Agodi, Agbambu Oshue, Chidi Nwaoji etc | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Hundreds of soldiers | Hundreds of Ekemeku members | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Minor | Minor with mass imprisonment | ||||||||
The Ekumeku Movement was a series of uprisings against the growing power of the Royal Niger Company (RNC). This company was part of the British Empire. The uprisings were led by the Anioma people in what is now Delta State, Nigeria.
The British tried to take control of Nigeria. But people all over the country fought back. In the southern part, the British had to fight many wars. This included battles against the Aro in Eastern Igboland from 1901 to 1902. The Anioma people in Western Igboland also fought from 1883 to 1914.
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The Fight for Freedom
The Anioma people strongly resisted the British. They fought a series of wars against them. The Ekumeku were very well organized. Their leaders had made secret promises to each other. They used smart fighting methods called guerrilla tactics. This means they used surprise attacks and hid well.
Thousands of young Anioma people joined their forces. They caused many problems for the British. But the British fought back hard. They used strong weapons and destroyed homes, farms, and roads. Even though the British won, the Ekumeku Movement became a big symbol of Anioma pride and unity.
Why the Ekumeku Movement Was Special
The Ekumeku Movement stands out in Anioma and Igbo history for two main reasons. First, it lasted for a very long time. The fighting went on for thirty-one years! Second, it was a rare attempt to unite different towns. These towns had been separate before. They came together to fight the powerful colonial army.
The Anioma communities were usually much smaller than the British army. This difference in size was a big reason for their defeat. The British decided to attack first. In December 1902, they sent a strong group of soldiers. They destroyed several towns and put their leaders in prison. The British thought this would end the Ekumeku. They believed the "Ekumeku and other secret societies have been completely broken."
The Ekumeku Rise Again
But the Ekumeku rose up again in 1904. This time, they changed their fighting plans. They stopped using united guerrilla warfare. Instead, each town tried to defend itself. This change might have been a mistake.
The last part of the Ekumeku story began in late 1909. It started because of a disagreement over who should be the next leader in Ogwashi-Uku. One of the people who wanted to be leader was Nzekwe. He was the son of the previous leader, Obi. Nzekwe worried the British would stop him from becoming leader. So, he decided to fight for his right.
On November 2, 1909, the British sent soldiers to Ogwashi-Uku. But their mission failed. The British felt that people across the whole Asaba area supported the Ekumeku. They thought people wanted to get rid of British rule. In 1911, the British finally rounded up many Ekumeku leaders. They were put in prison once more.
The acting governor of the southern areas sent an urgent message. He said, "The whole country is... in a state of rebellion." More soldiers arrived from Lokoja. The British then faced the Ekumeku in a battle at Akegbe. British records describe this battle at Nkwo market.
Major Battles
The Ekumeku war began after the British attacked Ndoni in 1870. They also bombed Onicha-Ado (Onitsha) on November 2, 1897. The Royal Niger Company (RNC) was led by Major Festing. They fought against Ibusa in 1898.
In 1904, the people of Owa and Ukwunzu fought the British. W. E. B. Crawford Coupland, a British officer, asked for more weapons to defeat these western Anioma communities. Owa fought the British again in 1906. In this battle, a British officer named S. O. Crewe lost his life.
Finally, on November 2, 1909, it was Ogwashi-Ukwu's turn to fight the British. In this battle, the British had many soldiers injured or killed. One of them was H. C. Chapman.
What Happened Next
Even though the Ekumeku Movement ended in 1914, the western Anioma people still remember it. They see it as a very important part of their history. Heroes like Ikwa Gwadia of Onicha-Olona and Dunkwu Isus of Onicha-Olona are still remembered. Others include Nwabuzo Iyogolo of Ogwashi-Ukwu and Awuno Ugbo, Obi of Akumazi. Also remembered are Agbambu Oshue of Igbuzo, Idabor of Issele-Azagba, Ochei Aghaeze of Onicha-Olona, Abuzu of Idumuje-Unor, and Idegwu Otokpoike of Ubulu-Ukwu.
The Ekumeku War was one of the strongest fights against the British Empire. It even inspired other rebellions later on. One example is the Mau Mau in Kenya.
