Nigeria’s Apex Women Honoured at ‘Founding 50’ Legacy Launch in Abuja

The inaugural cohort of 19 women marks a national archive preserving Nigeria’s female leaders, their achievements, and blueprints for future generations.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Nigeria’s most influential women gathered in Abuja for the Founding 50 National Legacy Archive & Apex Women Awards, an event organisers describe not as an awards night, but as a national legacy project.

Hosted by Eventville Magazine and ROtv24 in partnership with the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), the evening marked the launch of a digital and cinematic archive documenting the “success blueprints” of Nigeria’s trailblazing women, ensuring that their contributions are preserved for posterity.

Peace Magazine gathered that the first cohort of honorees includes: Dr. Umma Adamu Sani, Barr. Amina Oyiza Yahaya Bello, Princess Edna Didi Azura, Obonganwan Geraldine Etuk, Hajia Saratu Mama Shafii, Dr. Hannatu Usman Ayuba, Barr. Hajiya Maimuna Yaya Abubakar, Dr. Aisha Shehu Adamu, Hajia Medina Dauda Nadabo, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Engr. (Dr.) Maryann Ada Mbanaso, Dr. Aisha Liman, Engr. (Dr.) Atinuke Wuraola Owolabi, Maryam Abdullahi Alkali, Dr. Ezinne Otuka, Arc. Asmau Sani Shaaban, Omowumi Oladele representing Udofiah Udeme.

The inaugural 19 honorees represent a spectrum of Nigerian achievement across security, law, health, social housing, and governance, a group that organisers expect will eventually expand to 50, forming a national compendium of women whose impact shapes society.

Mrs. Uduakobong Godwin, the event’s convener, opened the evening by stressing the imperative of preserving excellence. “A nation that does not record its achievements risks erasing its future,” she said, highlighting the untold stories of women from small communities. “Many dream without seeing the pathways to success because no one preserved them. We live in a world where achievements are reduced to fleeting headlines, but tonight, we change that.”

She framed the evening as a transfer of legacy: a moment when the achievements, struggles, and courage of Nigerian women become permanent, accessible, and instructive for future generations. “Their journeys are no longer hidden. Their stories now belong to you. Their lessons are now your blueprints. Their courage is your permission,” she said.

Representing Her Excellency, Dame Pauline Tallen, Princess Edna Didi Azura emphasised that being named the “Anchor of the Founding 50” is responsibility, not recognition. She reflected on her life from Shendam, Plateau State, and the persistent gap between women’s contribution and their presence in decision-making.

“Somewhere a young girl is watching. She may not know your name, but she will live in the world you helped shape,” she said. She urged women to claim spaces where they are not expected, transform systems, and build enduring legacies. “Do not just occupy space. Transform it. Do not just inherit systems. Improve them. Do not just chase legacy. Build it. When women rise, nations rise.”

Dr. Kingsley Oghogho Kundaye, chairman of the day, praised the initiative for going beyond a ceremonial event. “These women are not mere icons. They are the architects of our future. They have reached the apex not by luck, but through discipline, vision, and unwavering commitment to excellence,” he said. He highlighted their accomplishments in architecture, entrepreneurship, security, governance, and nation-building, describing the archive as a living manual for leadership and societal transformation.

Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi closed the evening by reinforcing the theme of legacy over recognition. Celebrating the honorees as role models for the nation, she said: “By capturing the journeys of these women, we are providing instruction, inspiration, and direction for the next generation. Leadership is not about gender, it is about the impact you create and the systems you leave behind.”

Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi stressed that the women honored embody resilience, leadership, and vision, and that documenting their work transforms individual achievements into collective national assets. “May your impact endure. God bless the Nigerian woman, and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she concluded.

The inaugural Founding 50 National Legacy Archive & Apex Women Awards positioned itself as a foundational intervention in Nigeria’s historical record-keeping. With 19 women recognized in this first cohort, the initiative promises to expand, preserve, and inspire, ensuring that Nigeria’s women at the apex are remembered not only for their achievements but for the legacies they leave behind.

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