Adunni Oluwole: The Preacher Who Challenged Colonial and Nationalist Power

Adunni Oluwole was a preacher, performer, and agitator who broke from conventional nationalist narratives. At a time when independence was the rallying cry, she warned that unprepared leaders could be as dangerous as colonial rulers. Born in Ibadan in 1905, Adunni grew up near St. John’s Church in Lagos under the care of Bishop Howells. She founded Western Nigeria’s first professional theatre group for women and honed her oratory skills as an itinerant preacher before turning to activism. During Nigeria’s landmark 1945 general workers’ strike, Adunni rallied women to join strikers, marched alongside leading nationalists, and used her funds to support families. She framed the protest as a fight against colonial exploitation and helped secure concessions after 45 days. In 1946 she co-founded the Nigerian Commoners’ Liberal Party, opposing rapid independence in favor of gradual reform. Though banished from Ibadan for her confrontational style, she continued campaigning for workers’ rights and women’s political inclusion. Her prescient warnings about elite power and ethnic divisions remain deeply relevant in Nigeria’s history.

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