When you know the main character you are, don’t forget to head to and get your tickets before it runs out!!

Take this quiz and find out if it鈥檚 helping you or holding you back.

This is Lolade鈥檚 story as told to Sofiyah. 

I was raised by two heavily religious people. Mum is a deaconess, and Dad is a pastor, so all five of their daughters, including me, were raised in the way of the Lord. Growing up in a staunch Christian household meant that our childhood was riddled with conservatism.

We were told that listening to secular music was not something God approved of, and we couldn鈥檛 watch certain shows because they were considered 鈥渟atanic鈥�. And as we grew up and became aware of ourselves as women, we were told sex was something only married people did. If you participated in premarital sex and got pregnant, you should not even think of abortion because that鈥檚 murder.

This was drummed into our ears even in our 20s. I ignored their warnings against premarital sex and was having sex with my boyfriend, Tade*. I believed what they said about abortion being murder, so imagine my surprise when I found out I was pregnant at 21, and Tade brought up abortion.

Tade was my first boyfriend. He and I were coursemates, and he鈥檇 approached me to help him with a group assignment, and that was how our story started. Being raised by emotionally unavailable parents meant that I grew up as a woman who was constantly starved for affection.  When Tade started showering me with all the affection that my parents didn鈥檛 give me, it was so easy to fall for him.

When he said sex was not a bad thing and my parents didn鈥檛 know what they were saying, I agreed with him, and that was how we started having sex. 6 months into our relationship, I got pregnant, and he suggested abortion because 鈥渋t鈥檚 something everyone does.鈥� I agreed with him even though I didn鈥檛 actually want to.

I wanted to tell someone else about the pregnancy, but I didn鈥檛 really have friends. Just acquaintances. I couldn鈥檛 tell my sisters because I wasn鈥檛 that close to them, and I knew what would happen if I told my parents. Tade was my only person, really, so when he sat me down and told me that having a child right now wouldn鈥檛 be good for either of us, seeing as we were both students still financially relying on our parents, and that abortion was the only option, I agreed with him.

The next day after I agreed, Tade took me to this doctor鈥檚 house. The man didn鈥檛 look certified, but I didn鈥檛 ask any questions because Tade assured me he knew what he was doing. I don鈥檛 like to think about how the procedure went.

I was convinced that I was going to die, and I started begging God for forgiveness. Fortunately for me, I didn鈥檛 die, and when I was okay enough to form words, I told Tade that we would start taking protection more seriously, and he agreed.

For months after the procedure, the believer in me struggled a lot with my actions, and there would be nights when I would wake up with cold sweats, and there were even times when I would tell Tade that we were going to hell because of it, but he kept assuring me that it wouldn鈥檛 happen because God knew we weren鈥檛 prepared to have a child. I let those words comfort me, but I still made sure to tell him that I wouldn鈥檛 be getting an abortion again. Two years into our love story, his condom broke, and I got pregnant. Again.

When I found out, I was happy because in my head, 23 was a perfect time for marriage. My parents knew about him, and his parents knew about me. We鈥檇 been dating for two years and had already started talking about what life would be like when we got married in the future, so I thought that should be enough.

We weren鈥檛 done with university yet, but I was convinced I could juggle school, motherhood, and marriage. Some of my coursemates did it, so how bad could it be? I told Tade, and my heart broke as the disappointment began to show on his face in real time. Before he even opened his mouth, I already knew what he was going to say, and my stomach dropped because I knew I was going to agree with it.

You’ll Love: What She Said: My Teacher Tried to Rape Me. The School Made Me Pay for It

I wish I could say my second procedure was smoother than the first, but unfortunately, it wasn鈥檛. The pain was just as bad, and I left the doctor鈥檚 place hollowed out. Over the couple of years that Tade and I had been dating, I鈥檇 been able to suppress the staunch believer in me, but in my head, the voice of my mum calling people who abort murderers would occasionally creep in.

I struggled with that voice after my second abortion, and I would ensure to avoid my mum every time I was at home because I didn鈥檛 want her to take one look at my face and find out that something was going on. It took me almost six months to feel okay after the second procedure, but I had Tade by my side, and to me, that was enough, even though he could never in his life understand what I went through. I told myself that when we finally got married, all of this would be behind me. Honestly, it felt like life was playing a sick joke on me because by the time Tade and I were celebrating our fifth-year anniversary, I鈥檇 already gotten two more abortions.

One would think that after having two procedures, I would get used to the other two, but no, I still had a hard time grappling with them. Even switching to a female doctor, as Tade鈥檚 best friend鈥檚 fianc茅e, Tayo*, suggested, didn鈥檛 make it any more pleasant. I was beginning to worry about how these procedures might affect my body because these doctors barely provided any instructions on how to take care of my body after each procedure.

This was something I obsessed over, but when I shared my worries with Tade, he told me not to worry and that even if the procedures affected my ability to have children, he wouldn鈥檛 love me any less. I was such a silly woman in love, and I believed him.

Three months after our fifth anniversary, Tade began to grow distant. At first, I didn鈥檛 notice because I was focused on getting a better-paying job than my current one, but later I started to notice, especially when he forgot my birthday, even though he had never done anything like that in all the years we were together. When I let him know how hurt I was by that, he apologised, but it felt flat. I didn鈥檛 think much about it because I knew how much the job market was also stressing him out. It was when this weird, distant thing started to stretch that I became really worried.

He went from visiting my parents鈥� house at least twice a week to not visiting at all, and he stopped dropping by my workplace, even though he loved doing so. It was the day my mum dragged me to the side and asked what was going on with him that I realised that I wasn鈥檛 the only one noticing the weirdness. Whenever I managed to reach him to ask what was going on, he would tell me nothing was happening and that I was just reading into something that wasn鈥檛 there.

I tried to believe that, but I remember one time when I was sharing my worries with Tayo, who I鈥檇 grown really close to, and she gave me the most pitying look. I didn鈥檛 understand what that look meant until two months later.

The day the news got to me was like any other. It was a Saturday, and Tade was even more distant than before, and the anxiety of losing someone who had become the only person my whole world revolved around pushed me to go to Tade鈥檚 best friend鈥檚 house.

I was hoping to ask him, for the hundredth time, to help me ask Tade what to do to fix our relationship, but when I knocked, it was Tayo who answered. She was the only one home, and when she saw me, her face immediately crumpled into that same pitying expression, and before I could finally ask why she always wore that look around me, she grabbed my hand and took me to their shared bedroom, sat me down, got me a cup of water and then handed me a wedding invitation card.

At first, I thought it was her and her fianc茅鈥檚 invitation card, and I was even about to congratulate her before I fully read the names on the card. I couldn鈥檛 recognise the woman鈥檚 name, but I knew Tade鈥檚 full names and it was right there, engraved on the card. Seeing that knocked the air out of me, and I could barely comprehend my surroundings for a proper hour. When Tayo realised that I wasn鈥檛 listening to anything she was saying, she just sat down beside me until I forced myself to come back to my senses. When I did, the first thing I asked her was to tell me everything, and she began to share the little information she could gather because her fianc茅 was also very secretive about the entire thing.

Apparently, five months before our fifth anniversary, Tade had met this woman at a work event. She was a high-ranking executive at her company, and he liked that, so he pursued her. Fast forward three months, and he鈥檇 introduced her to his parents as the woman he wanted to marry, and two months later, he proposed.

I still remember bursting into laughter when Tayo broke down the timeline for me. I was laughing, thinking about how he was sure of a woman after ten months of knowing her, but he decided to string me along for five years. Five good years where I made my body go through unsafe procedures four times because the love of my life had promised me that no matter what happened, he would still love me very much. The sobs that came after that laughter almost took my entire breath away, and I am very glad for Tayo, who held me through it.

Despite everyone鈥檚 advice, I never approached Tade. I never got closure from him either. All I did was tell Tayo to wish him well on my behalf. My parents and sisters wanted me to do more, and if I had, I would probably still be in jail now. Acting like he didn’t exist was my best option. He is still very much married to that woman, but I, on the other hand, am not. I no longer trust men, and I never want to associate with any of them. Their existence irritates me, and that鈥檚 because every one of them reminds me of Tade.鈥嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧�嬧��

Next Read: I Earned More Than My Husband. He Put a Knife to My Throat

Kids across the country show us what real courage looks like, and the Indomie Heroes Awards ensures the rest of the world gets the chance to see it, too. Big hearts. Bold moves. Moving stories. 

Here are five reasons this award hits differently. 

1. Courage Has No Age 

You really do not have to be grown to be brave. The Indomie Heroes Awards is set on celebrating children aged 0 to 16 who are doing amazing things. From small acts that mean the world to big acts that change lives, the kids are proof that bravery can always start early.

2. Not All Heroes Look the Same 

There are different ways to be a hero. Some take action. Some speak up. Some propose solutions no one has ever considered. 

It鈥檚 exactly this reason why the awards recognise Physical, Social, and Intellectual Bravery. Every kind of courage counts here.

3. Real Stories. Real Impact.

These are not just feel-good moments. They are real stories from real kids making a difference.

Every year, hundreds of entries are submitted, and each is carefully reviewed. The ones that shine the most are the ones that truly make an impact on lives.

4. The Big Stage Moment

This is where everything comes together.

Hosted by notable personalities like Nancy Isime and Tomike Adeoye, the ceremony is filled with energy, emotion, and countless unforgettable moments. The heroes get their spotlight, and their stories get the round of applause they deserve.

5. A Whole Celebration

Yes, there are prizes. Each winner gets 鈧�2 million and a one-year supply of Indomie.

But it is also about the vibessss. The excitement. The joy in the room. The shared moments. And plenty of Indomie to go around, of course. 

Do you know a young hero?

Visit to submit their story.

Everything is neatly separated.

Law students stay with law students. Engineers stay with engineers. Courses are arranged in credit units. Knowledge arrives through lectures, assignments, and exams. If you follow the structure carefully enough, you eventually graduate.

For decades, that structure has been the default design of higher education.

But the world outside the university rarely works like that.

Real problems don鈥檛 show up politely labelled by the department. A business issue might involve technology, psychology, law, and communication simultaneously. A public policy problem might mix economics, politics, culture, and ethics in ways that refuse to stay in one discipline.

Some universities have started quietly asking whether education should look more like the world students are actually preparing for.

At Veritas University in Abuja, that question seems to be shaping a number of small experiments across campus.

When Students Stop Waiting to Graduate Before Doing Real Things

One of the first things you notice about the campus is that a lot of activity happens outside formal classes.

In one corner, students are arguing over public policy questions as part of a debate team that has gone on to win major competitions across Africa and beyond.

In another space, students experiment with media production, storytelling, and digital tools inside a growing creative hub. Some are learning photography, some fashion design, and others are exploring music production or visual storytelling.

Elsewhere, sports teams train with a seriousness that suggests competition beyond campus recreation.

None of these activities is new to universities. What feels different is how central they seem to be to the student experience.

They aren鈥檛 treated as hobbies that sit on the edge of academic life. They are becoming environments where students test ideas, build confidence, and develop skills that rarely appear on course outlines.

The Pattern That Starts to Appear

Over time, something interesting begins to show up.

Students who immerse themselves in these environments start producing outcomes that look unusually early for people still in university.

A school debate team begins collecting international trophies, including victories at the Pan-African Universities Debate Championship and strong performances on Commonwealth platforms.

One student earns recognition within Microsoft鈥檚 developer community while still early in his academic career.

Others begin working on media projects, community initiatives, or entrepreneurial ideas that stretch beyond the classroom.

None of these achievements is presented as part of a grand institutional theory. They simply appear as the visible results of students operating in environments that encourage experimentation.

When a Campus Starts Behaving Like a Community

Another thing you notice is the way different parts of the university interact.

Lecturers still teach classes. But many of them also supervise projects, mentor student initiatives, or guide teams working on ideas outside traditional coursework.

Alumni occasionally return to collaborate with student groups or offer practical feedback.

Industry professionals appear not only during ceremonial events but also in conversations about real projects.

The boundaries between 鈥渓earning鈥� and 鈥渄oing鈥� begin to blur.

The phrase 鈥淥ne Community,鈥� which the university often uses, starts to make more sense when viewed through this lens. It isn鈥檛 only a cultural slogan. It describes how different parts of the university seem to interact with each other.

An Experiment Still Taking Shape

None of this suggests that the university has discovered a perfect model for education.

If anything, the campus feels like an experiment still in progress.

New initiatives appear each year. Some gain momentum; others quietly fade away. Students graduate, and new ones arrive with different ideas.

But the broader direction is becoming clearer.

Instead of treating university primarily as preparation for real life, the institution appears to be creating environments where students encounter real challenges earlier.

Whether that approach becomes more common across higher education remains to be seen.

For now, it simply raises an interesting question:

What if universities didn鈥檛 wait until graduation before letting students experience the world they鈥檙e preparing for?

This is Maria鈥檚 story as told to Sofiyah. 

I鈥檝e never known what it means not to have money. My dad founded an automobile company that raked in millions, and my mum had a corporate job stable enough that she could leave my dad if she ever wanted to. Between them, they had enough money to raise five children, but because my mother has always preferred exploring the world over staying in one place, they decided to have only one. That child was me. 

I won鈥檛 pretend I wasn鈥檛 privileged. I was. From a young age, I had access to rooms that people thrice my age were praying to enter. I interned at companies owned by my parents鈥� friends, had a packed CV by the time I graduated from university, and landed a well-paying job at a big firm before I turned 25. Everything was handed to me on a silver platter, and I used it. 

I was 25, successful, and, like my mum, ready to see the world when I met Daniel* at a friend鈥檚 wedding. He was introduced to me as one of the groom鈥檚 friends, and I fell for him almost immediately. He was this handsome, charismatic person who had a really good way with words, and I appreciated that very much. I was glad when I found out that he鈥檇 only asked to be introduced to me because he found me attractive. 

What followed was blissful. Our love reminded me of all those fairytale romances I鈥檇 only read in books. He was calm, patient, and understanding. I鈥檇 never cared much about a partner’s bank account, and I didn鈥檛 really mind that he was in an entry-level position and I was earning 5 times as much as he was. I loved him, and I didn鈥檛 care about any of that. 

Maybe I should have. 

We鈥檇 been dating six months when he proposed. I was surprised at the pace, but I said yes without hesitation. My parents, however, were less certain. From the moment I鈥檇 introduced him to them, they鈥檇 not been very welcoming, and they even became colder when they heard how much he was earning. 

I remember my mum pulling me aside and asking me if the love of my life was really a man earning chicken change. I told her she was being elitist, and she said she was just being cautious because, before my father, she had had boyfriends who hated her because of how much she was earning. I assured her that Daniel wouldn鈥檛 be like that, and although she was wary, she and my father eventually gave us their blessings. 

Daniel and I got married on the first anniversary of our relationship, and for three months, I basked in the honeymoon phase. I think I would have continued to do that if Daniel hadn鈥檛 lost his job due to a company downsizing. That was when hell started to break loose. 

For months, Daniel searched for jobs, and as he kept receiving rejections, he grew bitter. He went from an easy-going guy to a bitter complainer who made everyone鈥檚 life miserable because of how he turned every gathering into a complaint session. No one wanted to be around him because nothing good ever came out of his mouth. You couldn鈥檛 even talk about your achievements around him without him making it about himself. The day I got a promotion at work, a part of me told me not to tell him, but I ignored it and told him anyway. 

When I told him about the promotion, he didn鈥檛 even try to pretend that he was happy for me. He went straight into a tirade of how I must have had it easy to get a promotion because the owner of the company was my dad鈥檚 best friend, and how I must be blind to the struggles of non-privileged people like him. It stung because he knew better than anyone how hard I worked, even when I didn鈥檛 have to. I鈥檇 used that same privilege to help him look for a job countless times. It wasn鈥檛 my fault that he wasn鈥檛 qualified for them. However, I swallowed the hurt and told myself it was the joblessness talking. 

I think I shouldn鈥檛 have swallowed it. 

You’ll Like: Getting Pregnant Didn鈥檛 Ruin My Life. The Marriage My Parents Forced Did

A year passed. Daniel had given up on finding a job and was content with doing nothing because, in his words, 鈥測ou鈥檙e bringing in money, so why should I even bother?鈥� At the beginning of our marriage, I鈥檇 suggested opening a joint account to save for any child we brought into the world, but as Daniel refused to get a job, I began to regret the joint account because not only was I the only one putting money in there, but he was spending it recklessly on whatever he wanted. 

Our first major fight happened on the day I found out that he鈥檇 withdrawn 90% of the money to spend on something he never told me about. The next day, after the fight, I froze the account, and the fight escalated. It even got to the point where he almost hit me. Honestly, noticing that should have raised alarms in my head, but I ignored it and told myself that it wasn鈥檛 like he hit me or anything. I wanted to ask my mum for her opinion, but I knew she would tell me to leave right away, and I couldn鈥檛 let that happen. Despite everything he鈥檇 been doing, I鈥檇 loved him very much. 

My silence came at a cost. Because I needed something to fall back on once the corporate life started to exhaust me, I decided to build a house to rent out. I told Daniel about my plans, and he ignored me to watch TV, so I assumed he didn鈥檛 care, as he no longer did about me or our marriage. 

But then I bought my land, and when he found out I鈥檇 bought it in my name, he became enraged. He asked why I would put just my name there when he, my husband, existed. I reminded him that it was my money. His anger turned into something worse, and for the first time in our marriage, he slapped me and called me ridiculous. 

As he was still yelling about the land matter, I was processing the slap, and when I remembered that my mother taught me never to accept abuse wrapped in love, I slapped him back, but unfortunately for me, he was bigger than me, so the next hour after that was hell.

No one had ever hit me before. Daniel was the first person who had ever laid his hands on me, and the pain of being knocked against walls, slapped and punched constantly was excruciating. It felt like my breath was constantly leaving me. At some point, I couldn鈥檛 even scream out loud and at that moment, I began to pray for death. 

When he stopped and left the room, I thought it was over. I was still struggling through the pain, reaching for my phone to call my mother, when he barged back in with a knife. When I saw it, a scream that I didn鈥檛 realise was capable of leaving my mouth escaped me. As he approached, I begged him, but it was as if he was possessed because he didn鈥檛 listen to me. I鈥檇 heard stories in the news about men killing their wives. I never thought I would be one of those women. He placed the knife against my throat and asked if I was curious to see how it would slice through my skin. 

I remember begging him not to do it. 鈥淧lease鈥� kept spilling out of my mouth. I even promised that if he didn鈥檛 kill me, I would transfer everything I owned, but he didn鈥檛 listen to a word I was saying. It was so obvious that he loved the fact that I was at his mercy, and I couldn鈥檛 escape him. I had never been more scared for my life. 

I was so ready to accept my fate. I was this close to just telling him to get it over with instead of just telling me how he would gut my insides with a knife when the front door opened, and our gateman appeared. He looked worried, and his face went from worried to alarmed when he saw the position we were in. It felt like something divine had been looking out for me, and my body finally gave in to the pain. 

I don鈥檛 know what happened while I was unconscious, but when I woke up after a few days, I was in my family’s hospital, and my parents were there. My mum didn鈥檛 even allow me to ask about Daniel before she let me know that he was in police custody, and I didn鈥檛 need to worry too much about him. My dad had connections to someone important in the police force, and he assured me that Daniel wouldn鈥檛 go scot-free for what he did to me. At that, I could finally rest, and a week after my discharge, I left the country to avoid the pressure from Daniel鈥檚 family to release him. 

It has been over a decade since I last saw Daniel, and while many people have asked if I would like to see him to get closure, I don鈥檛 think there is any need for it. I have nothing but hate in my heart for him, and it is because of him that I have a hard time giving a chance to men who earn less than me. Now, I鈥檓 only giving a chance to men who are above my tax bracket, and even then, I鈥檓 still wary of the fact that the current man I鈥檓 with might wake up one day and do what Daniel did.聽

Next Read: What She Said: My Situationship Was Dating Me, My Coworker and His Long-Term Girlfriend

Take this quick quiz to see if your phone is truly keeping up, or if it鈥檚 time to upgrade to something that matches your energy and multi-hustling lifestyle. 

Your hustle deserves a phone that can actually keep up.

With powerful performance, fast charging, and long-lasting battery life, the Infinix NOTE 60 Series is built for people who do more every day.

In this article, five Nigerian women share the money moves that made them feel like the main character. 

1. 鈥淓very Time I Think of the Fact That I Own Land, I Get So Excited鈥� 鈥� Asake*, 30聽

While I have made many money moves since I became serious about my life and career, my biggest was the day I finalised the purchase of my land. Right from the day I went to my aunt鈥檚 home-warming and saw how content she was to have finally built her house, I started manifesting to be a homeowner like her. 

Since I鈥檓 the type to immediately start working toward what I want, I knew I had to take my high-paying corporate job seriously so I could get a raise. When I did, I made sure to save the majority of my salary until I finally reached my savings goal to purchase. I signed my land ownership documents last year, and although getting a land really drained me financially, even though I had saved for it, I am pleased with myself. Every time I think of the fact that I own land, I get so excited, and I just get this urge to scream about it to the rest of the world. 

Before the year ends, I will have gotten halfway through building my dream house, and I have my fingers crossed for that. 

2. 鈥淚t Took the Bumps and Lagos Roads With Grace鈥� 鈥� Mary*, 45聽

I got my first car when I turned 35. Before, I鈥檇 been quite content with letting my friends and my husband drive me around because I felt that, since I didn鈥檛 know how to drive, what was the point of getting a car? But one day, one of my closest friends pulled me to the driver鈥檚 seat and asked me to drive a short distance. I almost caused quite a few accidents that day, and while that might have discouraged someone else from driving again, I just saw it as a challenge and decided to buy a Toyota Sienna so I could learn to drive. It was my first big money move. 

Although I have changed cars since then, and they are way more expensive than my Sienna, I still think of it as my proudest money move. It helped me grow as a driver, and it took all the bumps and Lagos roads with grace, and that鈥檚 why I鈥檒l forever think of it. 

3. 鈥淚鈥檝e Always Known That the UAE Would Be the First Country I Visit鈥� 鈥� Ololade*, 28聽

My most significant money move was booking a solo trip to Dubai sometime around last year. I鈥檝e always been curious about Dubai, and I鈥檝e always known that the UAE would be the first country I would visit. Thus, it was a no-brainer that when I got my first big-girl check, I booked my trip to Dubai, and I did not regret any of the moments I spent there. I really loved exploring the city, going to places I鈥檇 only seen on TV and the internet. It was an extremely fulfilling trip, and meeting strangers and having conversations with them was a wonderful experience.

You’ll Love: 鈥淚 Think Every Woman Should Experience HERtitude鈥� 鈥� 6 Hot Babes on HERtitude and What It Means to Them

4. 鈥淚t Cost Me the Kind of Money That I Can鈥檛 Even Mention in Public鈥� 鈥� Chioma*, 50聽

About a month ago, I finalised the purchase of my first house. It鈥檚 this stunning duplex I鈥檝e had my eye on for a long time. When January 1st rolled around, I decided to gift it to myself on my birthday in February, and that’s precisely what I did. I鈥檝e made hundreds of big money moves in my life, but the house definitely takes the cake because it cost me the kind of money that I can鈥檛 even mention in public. The money was definitely a lot, but whenever I step into the house, I always feel this sense of calm, so I don鈥檛 regret buying the home in any way, and I really love the fact that I don鈥檛 have to pay rent anymore.聽

5. 鈥淚 Have Been at My Most Productive With My iPad鈥� 鈥� Amina*, 24聽

I鈥檇 always wanted an iPad. I work in fashion, and realised it was a tool that would greatly aid my career and side projects, so I knew I would get one way or another. For a very long time, I just kept saving whatever I could, and before I knew it, I had enough money to get it. While the money was quite a lot, I do not regret getting it in any way. I was right when I said getting it would aid my career because I have been at my most productive with my iPad.聽

HERtitude is turning 5 this April 2026, and it would be such a shame if you missed out on all the fun. Make sure to secure your tickets . We can’t wait to see every one of you!!

The  exclusion of women and youth  from governance in Nigeria was among the important issues  addressed at the 91大神 Citizen Townhall 2026.

Held on Saturday, February 28, at Four Points by Sheraton in Lagos State, the Town Hall welcomed over 200 Nigerians to examine the question, 鈥淲ho shapes the Nigerian life?鈥� 

During a panel discussion titled Women, Youth, and the Cost of Exclusion, experts examined the economic, political, and security costs of excluding women and young people from governance, emphasising that this exclusion is not just a fairness issue but a structural problem with clear national consequences. 

BellaNaija Editor, Funmilola Sanya, who moderated the panel, kick-started the discussion by focusing on representation and decision-making. She asked the audience to reflect on policies made without their input and questioned whether the outcomes might have been different and better if the policy-makers 鈥渓ooked like you鈥� or 鈥渓ived like you.鈥�

She continued by pointing out that exclusion shouldn鈥檛 just be regarded as a moral concern but as a tangible national problem, highlighting that exclusion 鈥渁ctually costs a country real, measurable things鈥� 

EIE Nigeria Director, Ufuoma Nnamdi-Udeh, noted that exclusion often weakens policymaking because those most affected by policies are often absent from the decision-making process. 

鈥淭he people that make the laws don鈥檛 bear the repercussions of those things鈥�, she said, explaining why issues affecting women and youth are not treated as urgent policy priorities. 

She argued that this disconnect is especially visible in healthcare policy, where decisions on issues such as maternal health and even debates around abortion laws are often made without the participation of the women who can actually relate to them. 

鈥淥nce that perspective is not in the room from the beginning, then there is no way that you can have proper execution or implementation of those policies,鈥� she added. 

The discussion also highlighted the economic consequences of exclusion. Nnamdi-Udeh pointed to sectors such as banking and fintech, where women are beginning to be recognised and are taking on leadership roles, noting that similar progress is nowhere to be found in political leadership. 

From a security perspective, she pointed out that women and children are often the most vulnerable during crises and yet, they are rarely included in peacebuilding processes, resulting in policies that fail to address their realities. 

Head of media and communication at Chess in Slums Africa, Adebukola Benjamin,  expanded the focus of the discussion to marginalised youth, who are often absent from conversations about inclusion. She described a persistent gap between these young people and government institutions: 

鈥淵ou will find that there is no trust whatsoever between them and the government,鈥� she said. Many see themselves as pawns in political conflict rather than as stakeholders in governance. 鈥淲hen the system that is supposed to protect them is exploiting them, they create their own system for survival,鈥� she explained. This alienation, she believes, has long-term economic and security implications, as young talent is diverted into harmful pathways. 

Benjamin continued to emphasise that inclusion cannot be symbolic or left to chance. 

鈥淩epresentation cannot be left to charity alone,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has to be intentionally planned, funded and enforced as part of governance.鈥� Being in the room, she argued, is just the first step. Marginalised voices must be empowered to meaningfully influence decisions. 

The panel also highlighted practical entry points for participation beyond elections. Local politics was highlighted as the most accessible avenue for engagement. 鈥淧olitics is local,鈥� Ufuoma Nnamdi-Udeh said, urging citizens to attend ward-level meetings, hold officials accountable, and organise strategically over multiple election cycles. 

Adebukola Benjamin also emphasised the need for foundational civic education. 鈥淲e have to go back to grassroots civic education,鈥� she said, stressing the need for citizens to cultivate participation as a habit. She also pointed to early and consistent engagement, as key to ensuring that women and young people can sustainably influence policy. 

The session concluded with the acknowledgement that meaningful change requires both institutional reform and shifts in societal attitudes, and it was agreed that only through intentional, sustained participation and structural reforms can Nigeria bridge the gap between the population and its leadership.

Panellists at the 91大神 Citizen Townhall 2026 have faulted the lack of active citizenship as a blocker to the collective freedom of Nigerians.

Held on February 28th, 2026, at the Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos, the Citizen Townhall themed 鈥淲ho Shapes The Nigerian Life?鈥� featured four panel sessions that shed light on important societal and political issues affecting the average Nigerian citizen.

During a panel discussion titled聽 鈥淎wareness to Pressure: How Accountability Actually Works In Nigeria,鈥� experts and activists examined why knowledge of societal issues does not necessarily translate into sustained action. Throughout the discussion which was moderated by TechCabal Audience Editor, Zia Yusuf, the panellists highlighted structural and personal challenges and emphasised the need to translate awareness into pressure.聽

One major emphasis of the panel session was the importance of stability before activism. Executive Director of ,  Gbenga Sesan, was of the firm opinion that young Nigerians must establish their personal foundations before they can properly influence systemic change in the country. 鈥淏e okay first. Nigeria will be okay if you are okay. Because if people who are not okay are trying to make a country okay, when they get their first chance to be okay, they will forget the country,鈥� he said.

The panel also emphasised the need to focus on a single issue to achieve great results. Sesan recalled historical campaigns that achieved significant success due to their narrow focus. 鈥淎lmost all of the success stories we have today are from single focus activism,鈥� he said, pointing to the Bring Back Our Girls movement as an example of how effective single-focused activism can be.

The panellists went on to stress the importance of actionable information and localised civic engagement; according to them, knowledge of the actions that lead to results is as important as awareness itself. 鈥淎wareness is only noise until it鈥檚 converted to pressure,鈥� Eromz Adene, director, , said. Citing the recently passed electoral bill, he remarked that policy makers would have bowed to pressure to change the bill if the number of protesting citizens were enough to 鈥渂lock cars.鈥� 

The audience was also encouraged to focus on elections at all levels, not just the presidency. Local government, state assemblies, and federal representatives were identified as avenues where young people can exercise meaningful influence. 鈥淐hange can happen in every other election that is being held. And the more people represent us, the bigger the win for us.鈥� Eromz said.

The discussion also tied activism to historical precedent, showing how earlier civic actions shaped subsequent outcomes. 鈥淓very protest plants a seed,鈥� Gbenga Sesan observed, linking the outcome of the 2015 elections to the Bring Back Our Girls movement of 2014. He also highlighted the same pattern in the 2023 elections to the  EndSARS movement of 2020. These examples, he said,  show that campaigns make a difference despite how they might look. 

The session closed with a reminder of the systemic challenges that persist in Nigeria, particularly selfishness among the elite. 鈥淭his elite selfishness is something we need to deal with,鈥� Sesan said, linking such selfishness to the 鈥渄isdain that we have for participation in processes.鈥� According to him, this practice causes those with influence to detach themselves from civic and institutional processes, ultimately weakening the very systems required for long-term national development. 

Through these insightful discussions, the panel made it clear that awareness alone cannot be enough. For young and active Nigerians, the road to change requires preparation and pressure.