Agbekoya
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The Agbekoya Parapo Revolt of 1968-1969, popularly known as Agbekoya or the Egbe Agbekoya Revolt, was a peasant revolt in Nigeria's former Western region, home to the majority of the country's Yoruba population. It is the most well known peasant-driven political riot in western Nigerian history, and continues to be referenced by grassroots organizations as a successful example of collective action against unpopular government policies. The revolt was predominantly aimed at agitating for a reduction in taxes, though some believed there were also political catalysts.
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[edit] Background
During the 1950s, the colonial government of Nigeria established local commodity depots in many parts of the country. The depots served as stores of exchange for goods the government was interested in buying from peasants. The prosperous Western region was one of the world's most prolific producers of cocoa, and the regional government hoped to increase its tax revenues from farmers by regulating the sale of the crop through marketing boards. Most of the products to be sold were to undergo a process of grading, examination, and sometimes bargaining before purchase. Against this backdrop, a farmers' organization was created to represent the interest of the farmers within the new marketing system.[1] Translated from Yoruba, Agbekoya Parapo means "the union of farmers who reject suffering." Part of an indigenous system of work cooperatives akin to trade unionism, the Agbekoya Parapo drew on a tradition of occupational associations that had regulated working standards and policies for centuries in the region. Yoruba workers in various professions traditionally organized themselves into "egbes", peer groups and guilds that protected the interests of their members in situations that required collective action.
Originally a loose organization that intermittently acted as a voice on matters concerning peasants in western Nigeria, members of what would become the Agbekoya first developed more militant tactics during an epidemic of swollen-shoot disease on cocoa plantations during the 1950s. Calling themselves the Maiyegun ('Life Improvement') League, they resisted attempts by government representatives to destroy affected trees on the premise that farmers could not afford to lose their crops without compensation. Several violent clashes occurred before the matter was settled in favor of the league. As the local depots became institutions in the economic life of average farmers, the organization and many other peasants continued to complain about other issues they found unjust: the arbitrary standards used for examination, which meant that significant amounts of harvested cocoa were discarded as unfit for sale, and also the low prices they received for the goods that reached the marketplace. The farmers also complained about the wretched roads they had to travel to reach the depots. Moreover, they were also asked to pay a flat tax, a hefty imposition during times of economic uncertainty. During the early part of Nigeria's independence, a systematic approach to solving the general problems of the region was taken by the Action Group, the leading political party in the Western Region. Many roads leading to villages were tarred, credit was extended to cooperative societies, and schools were equipped for better education. However, as the political scene heated, politicians came to view the peasants as pawns to be used for electoral strategies. The local depot officials also began to see themselves as minor vassal lords, demanding bribes and other concessions from farmers before accepting their harvest for sale. The provided amenities began to slide towards deplorable conditions, even though the government continued to demand taxes for their upkeep.[1]
[edit] Prelude
Military rule soon descended on the political scene as a result of the perceived failures of the previous administration by many, including the peasants. Some political elites were soon left from government participation. Also, a few university-educated citizens began to emerge as a result of the education policies of the region in the 1950s. The combination of these elites, mixed with a much more sophisticated leadership among Agbekoya Parapo, created a juxtaposition of sort and a stronger political movement was born.[1] The Agbekoya leaders of the time were Mustapha Okikirungbo, Tafa Popoola, Adeniyi Eda, Adeagbo Kobiowo, Rafiu Isola and Mudasiru Adeniran. The leaders decided to set an organizational target as follows:
- The removal of local government officials pillaging their villages
- The removal of some Baales
- A reduction of the flat Tax rate from $8
- An end to the use of force in tax collection
- An increase in the prices of cocoa
- An improvement of the roads leading to many villages
[edit] The Riots
Peasants shouted Oke mefa laosan! Oke mefa laosan! as they marched through the village after village to persuade the local farmers not to pay any taxes to the Adebayo government. Soon, some farmers and there leaders gradually left the villages and marched towards Mapo hall, the seat of the regional government. There, they ransacked the offices of officials, declaring that they would only pay $1.10. Mayhem then descended on the capital city and many villages.
To curtail further violence, the government employed the use of force and violence to quell the uprising and arrested some of the Agbekoya leaders.[1] However, farmers took to violent reprisals on government structures, as a result, many officials where killed. The peasants also set free thousands of prisoners and their jailed leaders. The government was inherently corrupt, and therefore was at a disadvantageous position to mediate on the concerns of the peasants. The local authorities were not respected by the farmers. These circumstances most likely led to the proliferation of violence and the inability of the government to quickly control the situation. However, a regional leader named Awolowo, a few traditional leaders and some prominent individuals were called on to quell the riots. The regional government later passively elected to reach a compromise.[1]
