Black women have a proven record of being excellent in the rooms they find themselves in. It’s in our blood. For Women’s Month, we pay tribute to 8 African women who have left an indelible mark on history and society. From trailblazing leaders and activists to pioneering athletes and cultural innovators, these women have shattered barriers, challenged norms, and inspired generations with their remarkable achievements. As we honour these extraordinary individuals, we acknowledge their invaluable contributions to Nigeria, Africa and the world, serving as beacons of empowerment, progress, and hope for women everywhere.
1. Dr. Adaora Umeoji
At the age of 52, Dr. Adaora Umeoji made history on March 20, 2024, by becoming the first female General Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, a tier-one bank, since its inception in May 1990.
Dr. Adaora’s star power lies in her remarkable academic qualifications, which are so impressive they will blow you away. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, and a First-Class Honours in Law from Baze University, Abuja. She also holds a Master’s of Laws from the University of Salford, UK, and an MBA from the University of Calabar.
Adaora’s academic achievements also include a Doctorate in Business Administration from Apollos University, USA, along with certificates in Economics for Business from MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School, and Strategic Thinking and Management from Wharton Business School. She has completed courses in Leading Global Businesses from Harvard Business School, Boston, USA.
Additionally, Adaora is a member of esteemed professional institutes such as the Chartered Bankers Institute of London, Chartered Institute Bankers of Nigeria, Institute of Credit Administration, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, and Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators, among others.
We are giving Dr. Adaora a 10/10 for breaking glass ceilings in male-dominated leadership positions and for acquiring an insane amount of academic qualifications.
2. Adejoke Bakare
On February 5, 2024, Adejoke Bakare the founder and head chef at Chishuru—a restaurant in the United Kingdom that specializes in West African Cuisine— made history by becoming the first black female Michelin-starred chef in the UK.
Adejoke’s love for the culinary world began when she started collecting cookbooks at age 11. However, she was encouraged to follow more traditional career paths so she studied biological sciences at a University in Kaduna state. At that point, her only culinary experience was running a fish and chips cart. She eventually moved to the United Kingdom and worked in various industries including the care and property management sector. Having always dreamed of opening a restaurant, she arranged a supper club in 2017 before she won a competition that led her to start making food professionally.
Some dishes made at Adejoke’s restaurant include include sinasir (fermented rice cake), moi moi (bean cake) and ekoki (corn cake). Interestingly, Adejoke says that most of her customers were unfamiliar with west African cuisine. We are giving Adejoke an 11/10 for giving West African food its much needed and well deserved PR outside the continent.
3. Aisha Bakari Gombi
Aisha Bakari Gombi (known as the Boko Haram Huntress, the Chief Female Hunter or Queen Hunter) is one of the few women who the Nigerian Army has recruited as a volunteer to fight the terrorist group on an ad hoc basis.
Aisha was born and raised near the infamous Sambisa Forest, the headquarters of the insurgent terrorist group, Boko Haram. As a child, she hunted antelopes, Guinea fowls and baboons with her father. Now, with her improved hunting skills, she wields a gun on a motorcycle that speeds from one town to another, to hunt terrorists. With limited military experience, Aisha still leads a group of male hunters into the forest in search of terrorists and their captives. Aisha joined the fight against insurgents because she experienced first-hand the way terrorists were abducting and murdering innocent and defenseless people, damaging property and razing whole villages.
Aisha’s passion for hunting and her positive atitude inspired many women to pursue hunting. By 2020, Adamawa State boasted of nearly 100 female hunters.
4. Grace Orwoba
Grace Orwoba is a politician from Kenya who has served as a Senator representing women in the Senate of Kenya since 2022. She has been vocal in the fight against period poverty, pushing for increase in the Kenyan government funding for free sanitary pads and provision of female hygiene products in all public schools. In 2023, she also tabled a request that Kenyan schools be equipped with the correct equipment to dispose of feminine hygiene products.
On 14th February, 2023, she attended a senate sitting with a white pantsuit that had her menstrual blood stain on it. Apparently, she had noticed the stain before entering the building and went ahead to attend, planning to use the incident to champion the eradication of the stigma against menstruation in Kenya.. Grace’s actions caused an uproar not only in the Kenyan parliament, but also on the internet. While some senators called her “indecent” and “a shame”, others endowed her with praise for her actions. The Governor of Nairobi City County, Johnson Sakaja, called Orwoba’s actions “bold and provocative” and promised to promote the availability of free sanitary pads throughout Nairobi.
Showing up to a formal legislative meeting in blood stained white trousers on Valentine’s day, to make a statement on the lack of access to safe and hygienic menstrual products for low-income girls and women, is pretty iconic. Grace might have broken the scale.
5. Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh
Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, who passed away in 2014 at 58 years old, was the Nigerian physician who not only led the medical team at First Consultant Hospital that treated Liberian citizen Patrick Sawyer —the harbinger of the Ebola virus in Nigeria—but also played a significant role in preventing the 2014 Nigerian Ebola outbreak from spiralling out of control.
Sawyer informed Dr. Adade that he was suffering from Malaria but failed to mention his recent visit to Liberia, where he had been in contact with his sister, who died from Ebola. The next day, despite intensive treatment, Sawyer showed no signs of improvement, causing concern for Dr. Adade and her colleagues at First Consultants Hospital. Dr. Ada then sought the expertise of her superior, Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, the Senior Consultant, who promptly suspected Ebola and ordered tests. Unfortunately, Dr. Adadevoh had already attended to Patrick Sawyer and realized later on that he was infected with Ebola.
Despite Sawyer’s insistence on being discharged and pressure from the Liberian Embassy to release him for the ECOWAS Summit in Calabar, Dr. Adadevoh, aware of the grave consequences of his departure, adamantly refused. Instead, she quarantined Sawyer, initiated barrier nursing, and promptly notified the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Health. Adedavoh was the first doctor and the fourth Nigerian to die from the virus.
Adadevoh was a Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, and a member of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the British-Nigerian Association. She obtained an MBBS degree from the University of Lagos Nigeria, as well as a Diploma in Endocrinology from the University of London. A Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College, Dr. Adadevoh practiced in the United Kingdom and Nigeria for more than three decades. Until her death, she was the Lead Consultant at First Consultants Medical Centre Lagos.
We give Dr. Adedevoh a posthumous rating of 100000/10 for sacrificing her life for millions of Nigerians.
6. Pamela Adie
Pamela Adie born on April 15th 1984, in Calabar, Cross River state, is a Nigerian is a Nigerian LGBT rights activist, public speaker, screenwriter and filmmaker. She gained prominence for her documentary “Under the Rainbow,” which explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in Nigeria. She is the executive director of the Non Governmental Organization, Equality Hub.
In 2020, Pamela Adie produced Ìfé, deemed as as the first full-fledged lesbian feature film in the history of Nollywood. The project was initiated jointly by Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim and Pamela Adie in collaboration with the Equality Hub. The film’s release was postponed due to censorship issues, and Pamela Adie, along with the film director, was threatened by the authorities with possible imprisonment after allegations arose regarding the attempt by the filmmakers to release the film internationally.
Pamela’s dream is that “Ife” will help combat homophobia by showing how the protagonists, Ife and Adaora’s love struggles in the face of pressure from their families and wider society.
7. Hilda Baci
Hilda Effiong Bassey, born 20 September 1996, is a Nigerian chef, restaurateur, actress, and the former holder of a Guinness World Record. Hilda Baci graduated from Madonna University, Nigeria with a degree in sociology. However, she was inspired by her mother, Lynda Ndukwe, to embark on her culinary career.
In March 2023, Hilda announced she would be attempting the Guinness world record for the longest cooking marathon which at the time was previously held by Lata Tondon at 87 hours, 45 minutes in 2019. On 11th May 2023, she commenced her attempt at breaking that world record, terming it a “Cook-a-thon”, and continued through to the 15th of May, 2023, cooking over 100 pots of food. Notably, to set a new record of the longest cooking marathon, Hilda was originally set to cook for 96hrs, but later extended her goal to a 100 hours cooking marathon.
By 15th May, 2023, Hilda broke the record for longest cooking marathon by any person hitting 87 hours 50 minutes above the previous record holder in 2019. Almost seven hours were deducted from her final total because she mistakenly took extra minutes for one of her rest breaks early on in the attempt. According to Hilda, she attempted to break this particular record to put Nigerian cuisine on the map and to inspire young African women to chase their dreams.
8. Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan
Oluwatobiloba Amusan popularly known as Tobi Amusan, born 23rd April 1997, is a Nigerian track and field athlete that specializes in the 100 metres hurdles. Amusan is the current world record holder in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.12 seconds, which she set at the 2022 Women’s World Athletics Championship 100 metres hurdles semi final, followed up by a 12.06 seconds in the finals. Thus, becoming the the first ever Nigerian world champion and world record holder in an athletics event at 25 years old.
Tobi Amusan born in Ijebu Ode has always been an athlete. She was the 200 metres silver medallist at the 2013 African Youth Championships held in Warri.A year later, she took her first major medal in the 100 metres hurdles, which was also silver, at the African Youth Games. She then claimed gold in the event at the 2015 African Junior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa. Also in 2015, while making her All-Africa Games debut as an eighteen-year-old, she won the gold medal in the 100 m hurdles.
When she moved to the United States in 2016, she went global for her running skills, breaking international records along the way. In March 2024, Tobi Amusan, effortlessly claimed victory in the women’s 100mH final at the African Games, posting a time of 12.89s and also securing her third consecutive African Games title in the event.
Tobi Amusan earns a rating of 10/10 for showing unwavering consistency in her running career. And an extra 10 more points for still being, at the time of making this list, a world champion.