Elizabeth Adekogbe

Elizabeth Adekogbe was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, and women's rights leader. She was the leader of the Ibadan-based Women's Movement. In 1954, the movement changed its name to Nigerian Council of Women and in 1959, merged with the Women's Improvement League to form the National Council of Women Societies,Attahiru Jega; 'Identity Transformation and Identity Politics under Structural Adjustment in Nigeria'. Nordic Institute of African Studies, 2000. pp116-117] a dominant pressure group and a leading women's coalition in Nigeria.

Women's movement

The Women's Movement was formed in Ibadan in 1952. The group's objectives were universal suffrage, admission of women to Native Authority councils, the nomination of members to the Western House of Assembly, enrollment of more girls in secondary schools, a reduction in the bride price and controls over Syrian and Lebanese trading monopolies. [Jega (2000) p116-117] The organization was sometimes aligned with the Action Group.Cheryl Johnson-Odim, For Women and the Nation: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti of Nigeria. University of Illinois Press, 1997. p 101. ISBN 0252066138] However, few or zero politicians and parties put forth women candidates in federal elections during the period, though women played a major role in electioneering at the time. The women groups were more likely used for gaining votes. [Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch, African Women: a modern history, Westview Press. 1997.p173. ISBN 0813323614]

Early battle and the Action Group

In 1953, a women's conference was convened in Abeokuta. The conference contained all the major women's organization in the country. A leader of the assembly, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who was favorably disposed towards the political group, NCNC, named the congregation: the Federation of Nigerian Women's Society. However, there was a battle of wills among the two prominent women at the assembly: Adekogbe and Kuti. Adekogbe lost, and left the assembly. Later, she supported an alliance with the women's league of the Action Group. [Odim (1997) p101]

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