Nigeria's First Policewoman, 96, Documents Historic Journey

When 25-year-old Stella Okuyiga walked onto the parade grounds of the Southern Police College in October 1955, she became part of a revolution that took decades to win.

She was one of just 20 women accepted into Nigeria's first female police recruit class, ending nearly 100 years of male-only policing. Today, at 96, the retired deputy commissioner has published her memoir to ensure that historic breakthrough never gets forgotten.

The story almost didn't survive. During Nigeria's civil war from 1967 to 1970, Okuyiga lost precious records and photographs while fleeing the conflict, including a treasured image of all 20 pioneer policewomen in their khaki uniforms. "The loss of those materials remains one of my greatest regrets," she writes in her new book, Origin of Policewomen in Nigeria and My Journey in the Nigeria Police Force (1955–1986).

The path to that 1955 recruitment drive was paved by fierce advocates. Women's rights leaders like Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and Oyinkansola Abayomi spent years pressuring colonial authorities through petitions, protests, and legislative arguments. In 1954, Ekpo made her case directly to the Eastern House of Assembly, arguing that women officers would resist the bribery culture plaguing some male officers.

One year later, the colonial government finally opened police recruitment to women. Okuyiga, a fearless young woman from Okrika in present-day Rivers State, jumped at the chance. She and 19 others completed six months of rigorous training at what is now the Police College in Ikeja, entering an institution with no established path for women and no guarantees they would be accepted as equals.

Why This Inspires

Okuyiga didn't just survive in a system designed without her in mind. She thrived, retiring in 1986 as a deputy commissioner after more than three decades of service. She became the first woman from the old Rivers State to join the Nigeria Police Force, reaching a rank that seemed impossible when she started.

Her book does something even more important than celebrating her own achievements. It rescues institutional memory from the fragility of war, aging files, and fading recollections. "I was there, and I witnessed everything firsthand," she says, offering future generations an eyewitness account written with the precision of a police officer and the honesty of a pioneer.

Now, at 96, Okuyiga has given Nigeria's first policewomen the permanent record they deserve, proving that some stories are too important to let disappear.