Hajiya Gambo Sawaba: How daughter of Ghanaian immigrant defied socio-cultural barriers to become political activist in Nigeria

Hajiya Gambo Sawaba was an indomitable fighter and advocate for the rights of women and children who vigorously pursued the cause of the talakawa (down-trodden) with a kind of energy that was the envy of many men.

She didn’t stand aloof to address the anomalies, she immersed herself in the murky waters of politics to bring the social change she desired in the north where the system was naturally configured against women. She didn’t allow the social and political construct to stop her, she exhibited virtues that were very rare among women of her time and this launched her into national consciousness.

Born in Zaria, Kaduna State, on February 15 1933 to a Ghanaian father Isa Amarteifo and Fatima, a Nupe mother (Nupe people are the dominant ethnicity in Niger State and other parts of North Central Nigeria – Kogi and Kwara), she was named Hajaratu but also called Gambo, a name given to a child born after a set of twins. It was during her days of political activism that a chieftain of her party the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) gave her Sawabiya meaning Redeemer and was later shortened to Sawaba.

She started exhibiting traits of activism right from her childhood, engaging in street brawls and fighting bullies. Losing her father and mother within three years put an abrupt end to her education at Native Authority Primary School in Tudun Wada in 1943 and she was forced into early marriage as a teenager. This is prevalent in Northern Nigeria. A 2017 study by the World Bank says child marriage is most common in the North West and North Eastern parts of Nigeria where 68% and 57% of women aged 20-49 were married before their 18th birthday.

Her marriage didn’t last too long and this gave her the liberty to go into full time politics joining the opposition NEPU as a teenager and rose to become its women leader at Sabon Gari Branch, Kaduna.

Sawaba’s activism dragged her to Abeokuta where she met and shared from the wealth of knowledge of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who was also an activist and campaigner for women’s rights, but more educated than Sawaba. It didn’t take long before her encounter with Funmilayo started manifesting in her activities. Drawing inspiration from her southwestern ally, Sawaba was said to have become more vocal against injustice, oppression and intimidation of opposition members by the ruling elites on her return from Abeokuta. In July 1958, Sawaba led the women’s wing of NEPU to form an alliance with the Nigerian Women Union (NWU) under the leadership of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

Bearing testament to Sawaba’s influence, a former Governor of Kano State, Abubakar Rimi, was quoted to have said “most people identified NEPU with Mallam Aminu Kano but there were certain members (that) were greater than him in many respects.  Firstly, among the women you have Hajiya Gambo Sawaba”.

She also took her activism beyond the rallies and went from door to door sensitising women in purdah restricted by cultural and religious doctrines from attending political rallies. Gambo campaigned against under-aged marriages and forced labour. She also advocated for western education in the north, however, her activism didn’t go without a price. As a member of the opposition party challenging constituted authority, she was imprisoned several times by the colonial authorities and officials of native administration. One of the times she was imprisoned was during her trip to Kano to help NEPU canvass for women’s support, reports of her activities in the town was said to have reached the Emir. She was arrested and tried before the Alkali court and was jailed. After her release, she was ordered to leave Kano.

When NEPU and other political parties merged to form the Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP), Sawaba became the Deputy National Chairperson.

She also shares the belief of many Nigerians that minority ethnic groups in the country are being suppressed. Speaking on the crises that was said to have rocked the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida in 1987, she said in an interview with defunct New Breed magazine on April 10, 1989; “You don’t know that Babangida comes from the Northern minority, and to these political opportunists here, anybody who does not come from Sokoto, Kano, Bauchi or Borno does not qualify to lead the country. They believe that this country is their personal property and once someone else is at the head, they cause trouble for him”.

Hajiya Gambo Sabawa died at the age of 71 in 2001 at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Zaria, Kaduna State, after a protracted illness.