Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900- 1978) – Nigeria

Born in Abeokuta, Nigeria, Ransome-Kuti was among the first female students to attend the local grammar school and became the city’s first woman to drive a car. She helped establish the Abeokuta Ladies Club in 1932, initially focusing on charity work, sewing and adult education; however, she started moving in a more political direction by 1940. Renamed the Abeokuta Women’s Union in 1946, with Ransome-Kuti as president, they focused on fighting unfair price controls and taxes imposed on market women. In 1949, Ransome-Kuti helped create and served as president of the Nigerian Women’s Union to better support women’s enfranchisement across the country.

After independence in 1960, Nigeria introduced universal adult suffrage for men and women. This brief description does not do her work justice – she is a fascinating and impressive force in Nigerian political life.

Oil paint and embroidery on linen canvas.