Agbekoya Parapo Uprising

The Agbekoya Parapo Uprising was a peasants' revolt and class war from 1968 to 1969 within what we now call Western Nigeria. The uprising was highly successful and led to a better of economic conditions for farmers in the area and a significant expansion of political rights.

Background

Western Nigeria had been one of the worlds most profitable areas for cocoa production, produced by a system of farmers' cooperatives rooted in indigenous culture. The state had hoped to expand its tax base by regulating and taxing this economy. They began to manage the cooperatives through 'marketing boards' (decreasing productivity, as bureaucracy became more and more common), and installed officers to collect taxes. Corruption set in very quickly, as officers headed extortion rings and demanded bribes, and the government only saw the farmers as pawns to be manipulated for political gain.

Events

Peasants began to march from town to town, attacking government symbols of power, such as offices and courts, while executing government officials. Prisoners were freed from jails and violence with the police and military escalating, with the government eventually caving in to the peasants demands.

Results

The uprising led to five major changes, which benefited the peasants:

• The removal of the corrupt officials administering local villages
• Reduction in the flat tax rate
• The end of force
• An increase in the price of cocoa
• The improvement of roads leading to the villages