Wonder Woman of the Week: Madam Yoko

The often overlooked history of West Africa is filled with stories of powerful women. Among these was the politically strong 19th Century Madam Yoko who challenged not only gender norms in a patriarchal society, but the entire British Empire who attempted to colonize the region. Madam Yoko was born to the Gbo Chiefdom of the Mende People in modern-day Sierra Leone and rapidly rose to power on her dancing skills (literally) by using her talent to attract a strong first husband. After divorcing him before having any children, Madam Yoko married Chief Gbenjei of the Taiama Chiefdom to become his main wife.

As the "great wife" or main wife, Madam Yoko became the economic head of the chiefdom (like a CFO) and made a name for herself as a talented financier. After the death of her second husband, Madam Yoko married again to Gbanya Lango- a staunch opponent of British colonization. After British forces captured Gbanya Lango, Yoko demanded her husband's release from the British governor. The governor was impressed by the woman's confidence and released Yoko's husband who then made Yoko his lead diplomat. Under her new powers, Yoko began taking in young women and girls and helped them find husbands (as opposed to forced marriages as child brides) and established a secret society of women to increase women's power and rights among the Mende.