It was an evening steeped in inspiration and sisterhood as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan welcomed over fifty young women from across Nigeria to her home, opening both her doors and her heart in celebration of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.
The gathering, aptly titled “An Evening with Senator Natasha,” was more than a formal event. It was a living conversation about courage, identity, and the power of women leading change. Drawing from the global theme “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” the session offered a rare opportunity for young women to engage directly with one of Nigeria’s most vocal advocates for gender equality and inclusive leadership.
With candor and conviction, Senator Natasha spoke not as a politician, but as a woman who had walked through challenges and emerged stronger. She urged her audience to look inward before looking ahead.
“It’s important to identify the girl that I am,” she told the participants. “Many of us grow up with society defining who we should be. But before you find your path or your purpose, you must first know who you are — your values, your strength, your truth.”
Her message struck a deep chord. The room, once buzzing with chatter, grew silent as the senator shared stories of perseverance, lessons from failure, and the price of breaking barriers in a world that often tries to silence women’s voices.
“For too long,” she continued, “women have been raised to take the shame, wear the blame, and zip their mouths shut. That narrative ends with us. We must find the courage to speak, to dream, to lead — even when the world tells us not to.”
Throughout the evening, the senator’s words wove a thread of empowerment through every conversation. Participants opened up about their own struggles — from self-doubt to societal pressure — finding strength in shared experiences and renewed confidence in their potential.
Among the speakers was Yakubu Oyiza Hope, an anti-human trafficking advocate whose personal story of survival moved the audience to tears. Once a victim of abduction and violence, Oyiza now fights tirelessly for the protection and rehabilitation of trafficked persons. Her journey, she said, is proof that pain can become purpose.
“If I could rise again after all I went through,” she said, “then every girl here can rise and lead too.”
By the end of the night, the young women — future leaders, activists, journalists, and dreamers — stood taller.
Many called for a structured mentorship initiative to continue the empowerment that the event had sparked.
Media personalities, including Sadiyat Inoh Abah of AIT, attended the event and lauded Senator Natasha’s commitment to amplifying women’s voices and nurturing a new generation of female leaders.
As the evening drew to a close, the air was charged with renewed optimism. The young women pledged to return to their communities — not just inspired, but ready to be the change they seek.
And in their reflections, one message lingered: the girl I am is the change I lead.