Yaa Asantewaa

Queen mother who led the Ashanti rebellion against British colonialism in West Africa

Yaa Asantewaa (1840–1921), the Edwesohemaa (Queen Mother) of the Ashanti Empire, orchestrated the War of the Golden Stool against British colonial forces in 1900. This marked the final Anglo-Ashanti conflict and became a symbol of African resistance to imperialism.

When British governor Frederick Hodgson demanded the sacred Golden Stool - the very soul of the Ashanti nation - Asantewaa famously declared: 'If you men will not fight, we women will!' She mobilized thousands of warriors and personally commanded battlefield strategies at age 60, employing innovative guerrilla tactics against superior British firepower.

Though ultimately captured and exiled, her leadership preserved the Golden Stool's secrecy and inspired subsequent anti-colonial movements. Modern Ghana recognizes her as the first female general in West African history. Her legacy challenges stereotypes about women's roles in pre-colonial African societies and warfare.