Hajiya Gambo Sawaba

Nigerian feminist leader who pioneered women's political participation in post-colonial Africa

Hajiya Gambo Sawaba (1925-2015) was a radical Nigerian educator and politician who fought for women's rights during the country's transition to independence. As Minister of Women's Affairs in Zaria Emirate (1959-1966), she established Nigeria's first girls' secondary school and pioneered literacy programs that taught over 10,000 women to read. Her 1960s campaign to abolish bride price and promote women's land ownership rights led to landmark legal reforms. Sawaba's 1976 book 《Women's Liberation in Nigeria》 became a foundational text in African feminist theory. She famously led the 1960 'Women's War' that forced the Northern Nigerian government to appoint women to local councils - the first such representation in post-colonial Africa. Sawaba's advocacy for polygamy reform and women's political quotas inspired the 2010 Nigerian Gender Equality Act. Her legacy is preserved in the Gambo Sawaba Women's Empowerment Foundation, which continues her work. Despite her impact, her story remains underrepresented in global feminist narratives.