By Princess Eugene Majuru, Princess of Harare
The Woman King serves as a powerful historical reminder of Africa’s indigenous systems of leadership, particularly the central role of women in governance, military command, and nation-building prior to colonisation.
The film draws from the real history of the Agojie warriors of the Kingdom of Dahomey—an elite all-female military force that stood against slavery, foreign exploitation, and internal betrayal.
Their story challenges the false colonial narrative that African leadership was exclusively male or primitive.
As a descendant of the Harare royal lineage, of the Mbari clan founded by King Mbari, I affirm that women’s leadership is not a modern invention—it is an African inheritance.
Colonialism disrupted legitimate African governance by rewarding collaborators with imposed chieftainships, sidelining rightful royal houses, and distorting systems of authority. These disruptions continue to affect African societies today.
Decolonisation remains incomplete until African people reclaim historical truth, restore legitimate leadership, and recognise the role of women as rulers, strategists, and custodians of sovereignty.
The Woman King is therefore not entertainment alone—it is education, correction, and a call to action.
Africa must awaken.
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