ABUJA/Nigeria: Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Saturday, brought together young women from across Nigeria in a powerful mentorship and interactive session to commemorate the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, with a call for courage, self-awareness, and purposeful leadership.
The event, themed “An Evening with Senator Natasha,” drew inspiration from the global theme “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis.” It provided an intimate setting for open conversation, reflection, and empowerment, where over fifty young women shared experiences and drew inspiration from the senator’s personal and political journey.
Addressing the gathering, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasized the importance of self-discovery as the foundation of leadership and meaningful change.
“It’s important to identify the girl that I am,” she said. “Many of us, especially girls, grow up without ever taking the time to understand or connect with who we truly are. Society defines and shapes us from childhood, and we’re rarely given the chance to think for ourselves. Before you figure out your career, your drive, or the change you want to make, you must first know who you are.”
She also challenged young women to reject societal expectations that silence their voices and limit their aspirations.
“Women have been raised to take the shame, wear the blame, and zip their mouths shut,” she said. “But that ends with us. We must find the courage to be bold, audacious, and fearless, to break barriers and climb higher mountains.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she would not feel fulfilled until she sees the impact of her work in transforming lives and communities that once lived in deprivation.
The event also featured guest speakers who shared personal stories of resilience, leadership, and triumph over adversity. One of them, renowned anti-human trafficking advocate Yakubu Oyiza Hope, shared how her search for a better life led her through harrowing experiences of abduction, banditry, and violence before she overcame the odds to become a voice for victims of trafficking.
Participants at the event expressed gratitude for the senator’s mentorship, describing the evening as an eye-opening and transformative experience. They also appealed to her to establish a structured mentorship program to sustain the conversation and guidance offered during the session.
The event, which was attended by media personalities including Sadiyat Inoh Abah of AIT, ended on a high note with renewed optimism as the participants pledged to become change agents in their various communities.
