THE ASANTE WARRIOR QUEEN

The history of Africa is, without an iota of doubt, spiced with courageous stand of its women at one particular period of history or the other. Abraham Lincoln had given two types of people that witness the making of history. He referred to some as spectators and some other as players. Nana Yaa Asantewaa proved herself as a player in the making of history and today, her name is written in gold for generations.
Yaa Asantewaa lived from October 17, 1840 to October 17, 1921. She was queen mother of Ejisu in the then Ashanti Empire- now part of the modern-day Ghana, appointed by Nana Akwasi Afranwe Opese, her brother who was ruler of Edwesu. In 1900, she led Ashanti war, otherwise known as the War of the Golden Stool or Yaa Asantewaa war which was against british colonialism. The British governor-general of the Gold Coast, Frederick Hodgson had demanded the Golden Stool which stood as the symbol of the Asante nation after deporting King Asante Pampeh I, her grandson to the Seychelles. She became regent of the Ejisu-Juaben district afterward. The request of the British representative led to a secret meeting of the remaining Asante government in Kumasi to discuss on how to process the return of their king. During this meeting, Yaa Asantewaa stood and addressed the people present;
 ‘‘Now I have seen that some of you fear to go forward to fight for our king. If it were the brave days of Osei Tutu, Okomfo Anokye and Opuku Ware I, chiefs would not sit down to see their king taken without firing a shot. No white man could have dared to speak to the Chief of Asante in the way the governor spoke to you chiefs this morning. Is it true that the bravery of Asante is no more? I cannot believe it. It cannot be true! I must say this: if you, the men of Asante, will not go forward, then we will. I shall call upon my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight   till the last of us falls on the battle field.’’

She was later chosen as the war leader of the Asante force. No wonder the British referred to her as ‘Joan d’Arc of Africa’ (the young lady who led France to victory during the hundred years war with England). She was later captured and exiled in Seychelles where she died.

No woman is known in the history of the African to have reacted to European power as she did. She defied the men of her time by calling for a war they have been shying away from. She led them without thinking about her life. She is absolutely an embodiment of bravery. This her act justifies the valour of women in the face of suppression. Africa will forever remember her children whose blood, the soil drank during the violent period of colonisation.

Women warriors of Dahomey

DAHOMEY AMAZONS
The Dahomey Amazons, also called N’Nonmiton (which means ‘‘our mothers’’ in Fon), were a Fon military regiment which comprised women in the old kingdom of Dahomey situated in the present-day Republic of Benin. The regiment existed till the end of the nineteenth century when Africa came in contact with colonialism.
The female soldiers were recruited from foreign captives, free Dahomian women while some enrolled at a tender age- as early as 8 years old. There is another account which narrates that N’Nonminton were also recruited from the palace, the ahosi (king’s wives). Some of these women became soldiers voluntarily while some were forcefully enrolled as a result of their rude behaviour.

They spent most of their time in training which involved; wrestling, target practice, obstacle races, large scale simulated attacks, forest trails and initiation in the bush which lasted several days. They also went through several religious rituals by reciting magical incantations to increase their magical strength, wearing of protective amulets and also consulting Bokovon, the seer, who guided them.
They are known to be valorous and never relenting in battles unlike men soldiers who were often punished for fleeing from battle. They are a personification of courage. The havoc they unleashed in Abeokuta during the Egba-Dahomey war in 1851 proved the fact that they were women who could challenge the power of men by reaching their status other than subject themselves to domestic works at home.

They were ferocious, muscular and highly skilled in the way they handled their victims by torturing and decapitating them. They were able to endure pain for a long time that only their bosom proved their femininity. Their undying bravery served them in resisting the French troops during the colonial conquest. No wonder a representation of N’Nonmiton featured in ‘Black Panther’ by making the army comprise fearless women who are ready to sacrifice their life in defending their nation.