Born on July 27, 1914, Chief Margaret Ekpo passed away on September 21, 2006.She was a social activist and women’s rights advocate who also happened to be a trailblazing female politician during the First Republic of the nation. She belonged to a group of traditional Nigerian women activists who inspired women to go beyond ideas of ethnic solidarity. She was a prominent nationalist and grassroots politician in the Eastern Nigerian city of Aba during a period when the movement was dominated by men and hierarchical. The family of Okoroafor Obiasulor, who was originally from Aguluzigbo, a rural town in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, and Inyang Eyo Aniemikwe, gave birth to Margaret Ekpo in Creek Town, Cross River State. She was a descendant of King Eyo Honesty II of Creek Town through her mother. In 1934, she obtained a standard six on her school leaving certificate. However, after her father passed away in 1934, she decided to postpone her plans to pursue a degree in teacher preparation. After that, she began working in elementary schools as a student teacher.
In 1938, she wed John Udo Ekpo, a physician. She was of Igbo and Efik descent, whereas he belonged to the Ibibio ethnic group. Later, the couple relocated to Aba. In 1945, Margaret Ekpo took part in political ideas and associations for the first time. Her husband was furious about how native Nigerian doctors were treated by colonial administrators, but he was unable to attend meetings to voice his concerns because he was a civil servant. Then, Margaret Ekpo attended meetings in lieu of her husband. The purpose of the meetings was to address the unfair practices of the colonial administration in the city and to combat the disparity in racial and cultural advancement within the administrative ranks. Later, she went to a political rally where she was the only female witness to the passionate speeches delivered by Herbert Macaulay, Mbonu Ojike, and Nnamdi Azikiwe.
She established the Aba Market Women Association at the close of the decade in an effort to unionize the city’s market women. She advocated for women’s solidarity within the organization and used it as a springboard to fight for women’s economic rights, economic protections, and expanded political rights. Ekpo’s tenure in politics came to an end when the Nigerian Civil War broke out. She was being held by Biafran officials at the time for three years in a prison that provided enough food. Margaret Ekpo was driven to fight against colonialism’s discriminatory and oppressive political and civil role in the subjugation of women, as well as to demand the same rights for women in her own country, after becoming aware of the expanding global movements for women’s civil rights.
Chief Margaret with Onyeka Onwenu.
She believed that, in comparison to their counterparts in Nigeria, women abroad, especially those in Britain, were already fighting for civil rights and had more voice in political and civil affairs. Later, in order to represent a marginalized group, she joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), which was at the forefront of decolonization. She also joined forces with Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti in the 1950s to oppose the murders of leaders who were opposing the mine’s colonial practices in Enugu. The NCNC nominated Ekpo to the regional House of Chiefs in 1953, and the Aba Township Women’s Association was founded by her in 1954.
She was able to gain the trust of many women in the township as the leader of the new market group and transform it into a political pressure group. Women had surpassed men as voters in a citywide election held in Aba by 1955. After Margaret Ekpo was elected to the Eastern Regional House of Assembly in 1961, she was able to advocate for issues that were relevant to women at the time. There were concerns regarding women’s advancement in political and economic spheres in particular, particularly with regard to rural transportation in general and transportation along main thoroughfares that lead to markets.
She retreated from politics after the First Republic was overthrown by a military coup. The name Margaret Ekpo International Airport replaced Calabar Airport in 2001.She passed away in 2006 at the age of 92, five years later.