In the heart of Egbaland, within present-day Ogun State, the twentieth century brought waves of transformation. The Yoruba city of Abeokuta became a centre of resistance, education, and social change. Among the women who left indelible marks on this history were Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Princess Adenrele Ademola. Though they came from contrasting backgrounds, one the daughter of a Christian schoolteacher, the other born into royal heritage, both represented the evolving identities of Nigerian women at a time of profound change.
Early Life and Education of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was born on 25 October 1900 in Abeokuta, then part of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. Originally named Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Thomas, she was raised in a devout Christian family belonging to the Egba ethnic group. Her father, Chief Daniel Thomas, was a prominent businessman, and her mother, Lucretia Phyllis Omoyeni Thomas, was a respected trader, both strong influences on her moral and intellectual development.
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In 1914, Abeokuta Grammar School opened its doors to girls, and Funmilayo was among its first female students. Her academic success led her to a short teaching career, during which she opened classes for women and children to learn basic literacy and home economics. These early steps hinted at her lifelong belief that education was the foundation for women’s liberation.
Rise of a Reform Leader
The 1940s marked a turning point in her life. Nigeria was still under British colonial rule, and Egba women faced a burdensome system of direct taxation imposed without their consent. Funmilayo, who had become known for her fearless voice and organisational skill, joined with other women to form the Abeokuta Women’s Union (AWU) in 1946. The union united market women, teachers, and professionals in their shared struggle for justice and fair governance.
Under her leadership, the AWU quickly grew into one of West Africa’s most powerful women’s organisations. Their protests reached a peak in 1947, when thousands of women gathered outside the Alake’s palace in Abeokuta, chanting songs of defiance and demanding an end to unfair taxes. The demonstrations were sustained and disciplined, lasting months. Eventually, in 1949, Oba Ladapo Samuel Ademola II, the Alake of Egbaland, temporarily abdicated his throne following mounting pressure from the women’s movement.
The AWU’s victory became a milestone in Nigerian history, a proof that collective women’s activism could reshape colonial authority. Ransome-Kuti’s fame spread nationwide. She became an advocate for women’s political representation and later a founding member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), working alongside nationalist leaders. She represented Nigerian women at international conferences and spoke against both colonialism and patriarchal systems that restricted women’s rights.
Her Later Years and Legacy
Funmilayo continued to champion education and social justice throughout her life. She believed deeply that “freedom for all” required the equal participation of women in governance. Her later years were marked by both admiration and tragedy. In February 1977, during a military raid on the Lagos residence of her son, musician and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, she was severely injured. The injuries led to her death on 13 April 1978. Her funeral in Abeokuta drew thousands who honoured her as the Lioness of Lisabi, a title symbolising her bravery and leadership.
Princess Adenrele Ademola: The Royal Nurse
While Ransome-Kuti fought for women’s rights at home, another Egba woman charted a different path abroad. Princess Adenrele Ademola, born in 1916, was the daughter of Oba Ladapo Samuel Ademola II, the same Alake whose rule the AWU had challenged. Unlike Ransome-Kuti, Adenrele grew up in the royal household of Ake Palace, enjoying privileges rare for women of her time.
In the 1930s, she travelled to Britain for education and later trained as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital in London, qualifying in 1941. During the Second World War, she served as a registered nurse and midwife at several hospitals, including Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital and New End Hospital in Hampstead. Her dedication to patient care earned respect within Britain’s National Health Service, making her one of the earliest Nigerian women to work professionally in the British medical system.
Princess Adenrele’s story reveals a different face of Egba womanhood, one that blended royal tradition with international professionalism. Her achievements represented the capacity of African women to excel within modern, global frameworks while maintaining cultural identity. She later returned to Nigeria, where her example inspired young women to pursue nursing and medicine as respected professions.
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Shared Symbolism in Egba History
Although Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and Princess Adenrele Ademola lived in overlapping periods and shared the same homeland, there is no historical record of the two working directly together. Yet, symbolically, their lives intersect. Ransome-Kuti’s defiance against royal authority and colonial injustice, and Adenrele Ademola’s quiet service within royal and professional structures, represent the two halves of Nigeria’s mid-century transformation, reform and continuity, resistance and responsibility.
Both women embodied the complexity of womanhood in a changing Nigeria. Ransome-Kuti stood for collective mobilisation and political emancipation, while Adenrele Ademola reflected a generation of elite women who embraced modern professions, helping redefine the role of African royalty in a global world. Together, they show that progress came not from a single path but from the combined efforts of women across social classes.
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti’s name endures as a national symbol of women’s strength. Her campaigns led to the recognition of women’s rights in taxation, governance, and suffrage. Schools, roads, and women’s centres bear her name. Princess Adenrele Ademola’s contributions, though less publicised, are increasingly celebrated in British and Nigerian historical studies. Her life bridges the story of African monarchy and modern nursing, a legacy of professionalism, dignity, and cultural pride.
Author’s Note
Together, their stories remind us that Nigerian women have long been agents of change, from palace halls to protest grounds, from classrooms to hospital wards. Their courage continues to echo in the nation’s ongoing pursuit of equality and progress.
References
BlackPast.org — Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900–1978)
IBHM UK — Princess Adenrele Ademola: The African Princess Who Served as a Nurse in the UK During the Second World War
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust — Unsung Nigerian Princess Nurse Inspires Today’s Nurses
Al Jazeera Features — The Lioness of Lisabi Who Ended Unfair Taxes for Nigerian Women
