“What happens in Aba stays in Aba?” Maybe not, since Aba is not Vegas. Stephanie Linus, the award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, is telling the story to the world with her latest project, “When Women Were Counted.” The ‘documentary’ film focuses on the Aba Women’s Protest, also known as the Women’s War, which took place in colonial Nigeria in November 1929. The film aims to shed light on the events that led to the first major revolt by women in West Africa.

The protest began when thousands of Igbo women from southeastern Nigeria gathered in the town of Oloko to protest against the Warrant Chiefs, whom they accused of restricting the role of women in the government. The women were dissatisfied with colonial rule due to increased school fees, corruption by native officers, and forced labor, and the introduction of direct taxation sparked the protest.

Stephanie Linus and her team have been working on the film since 2018, and the project has been a spiritual awakening for them. The film showcases the stories of the women of that era, the foremothers who were communal, brave, outspoken, unashamed, and fought for what they believed in. Sisterhood started in 1920, and it was a bond so strong that even Europeans with guns acknowledged that women cannot be silenced.

The movie, currently in production, will be a testament to the power of collective action and the role of women in shaping history.

Stephanie Linus invites women across Nigeria to participate in the casting call and be a part of history. “When Women Were Counted” promises to be a thought-provoking and inspiring film that brings to light the bravery and resilience of the women who fought for their rights and changed the course of history.

Sabistation Media supports projects like this and has vowed to provide media and publicity assistance. It is a great project.

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