by Favour Richard
Frances Olufunmilayo ransom kuti was born on 25th October 1900 in Abeokuta in what is now known as ogun state. She attended Abeokuta grammar school and she was the first female student to attend the school .She was called Frances then not until she got married then changed her name to olufunmilayo Ransom kuti .Her husband name is called Isreal oladotun Ransom kuti . Her children name are Dolupo Ransome-Kuti (daughter)olikuoye Ransom kuti (son) Fela Ransom kuti (son) Beko Ransom kuti (son) She chose to work as a teacher because she thinks the future of a child is potential .she organized some of the first preschool classes in the country and arranging literacy classes for lower-income women.
During the 1940s, Ransome-Kuti established Abeokuta woman’s union and advocated for women’s rights, demanding better representation of women in local governing bodies and an end to unfair taxes on market women. Described by media as the “Lioness of Lisabi”,she led marches and protests of up to 10,000 women, forcing the ruling Alake to temporarily abdicate in 1949. As Ransome-Kuti’s political influence grew, she took part in the Nigerian independence movement, attending conferences and joining overseas delegations to discuss proposed national constitutions.
Funmilayo Ransom kuti was Nigeria pioneer who was the first person to ride a car in Abeokuta,Nigeria . she advocated for Nigerian woman’s right to vote and became a noted member of international peace and women’s rights movements.
She fought for the women in Egba land and began a protest.she told the king of Alake to stop the three most important things.First she mentioned the flat rate tax on the market women should be abolished,second the price of the water rate ,then lastly the salaries of his slave man won’t be taken from the market women then after that the king ran away from the palace because he could no longer handle them again and they won in the protest . After she won with the protest she lost her husband who died with the cause of cancer.
Ransome-Kuti received the Lenin peace prize and was awarded membership in the order of the Niger for her work. In her later years, she supported her sons’ criticism of Nigeria’s military government . She died at the age of 77 after being thrown away from two story building her son compound Fela kuti by a military raid on family property. Ransome-Kuti’s children included the musician Fela kuti (born Olufela Ransome-Kuti), doctor and activist Beko Ransome kuti ,and health minister olikuoye Ransom kuti