Daniel Otera
HerStory International, an initiative of May Publishing Limited, one of Africa’s foremost biography companies, has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the legacies of remarkable women with a commemorative event celebrating 20 years since its founding.
Held at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja on Thursday, 19 June 2025, the exclusive awards dinner and presentation brought together women of impact from across Nigeria to honour their achievements and amplify the often-silenced narratives of women shaping society.
Described by organisers as more than a storytelling platform, HerStory International is a global movement powered by May Publishing Limited. Since its inception in 2005, it has enabled hundreds of women, many of whom had never documented their lives before, to share their journeys through curated biographies, and public showcases.
Dr Udu Yakubu, initiator of HerStory International project and Managing Director of May Publishing Limited, delivered a welcome presentation, reflecting on the platform’s origin and enduring purpose.
“The first HerStory presentation was held exactly 20 years ago,” Yakubu noted. “We travelled across Nigeria, interviewing women whose lives were captured in what has now become an archive of valour. Some of those women are no longer with us, and for many, HerStory remains the only significant documentation of their existence.”
Highlighting a persistent gap in historical recognition, he added:
“There are countless books about men, men in history, men in development but very few about women. Women often shy away from telling their stories, and we’ve made it our mission to change that. HerStory is about women supporting, promoting, and honouring each other. It’s about reshaping society’s consciousness around the power and contributions of women.”
The event not only marked a significant anniversary but celebrated women making meaningful impact at all levels whether in national leadership or within their local communities.
Dr Yakubu stressed that HerStory’s approach was inclusive, celebrating not just high-profile achievers but women whose work often goes unrecognised.
“When people talk about women of valour, they tend to think only of executives or public figures. But true valour includes mothers raising generations, caregivers, and professionals working behind the scenes.
“We celebrate every woman contributing meaningfully to her family, community, and the nation.”
A symbolic highlight of the night was the recognition of Dr Bridget Yakubu, Professor of English at the National Open University of Nigeria and founding editor of HerStory International, for her pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial vision.
The chairman of the occasion, an awardee herself on the night, Mrs Beatrice Eyong, Country Representative of UN Women Nigeria, was represented by Mrs Patience Ekeoba, Acting Deputy Country Representative of UN Women Nigeria. In her address, Eyong reaffirmed the importance of documenting and honouring women’s voices.
“Tonight, we are not merely celebrating achievements, we are uncovering narratives that are often left untold,” she said. “At UN Women, we believe gender equality is not a favour, it is a right. We are proud to support platforms like HerStory that make the invisible visible.”
She outlined five core areas of UN Women’s work in Nigeria: political participation and leadership, peacebuilding and conflict mediation, economic empowerment, prevention of gender-based violence, and humanitarian response.
“Whether in the political space, humanitarian settings, or conflict zones, women continue to lead despite the odds. Documenting these stories is a form of dignity and a way to ensure their agency is respected,” she added.
A diverse array of women were honoured during the ceremony for their work in academia, entrepreneurship, public service, and humanitarian leadership. Award recipients included:
Dr. Adaeze Oreh, a Consultant Family Physician and Commissioner for Health in Rivers State.
Rahama Sadau, an actress, filmmaker, and singer who rose to fame in 2013 through Kannywood.
Hajiya Hardiza Mamood Mohammed, founder and CEO of Green Villa Restaurant Ltd, for her two decades of community-based culinary entrepreneurship.
Prof. Gloria Anetor, a public health educator and Director at the Centre of Excellence in Migration and Global Studies, for her academic service, including her previous role as Assistant Director of Nursing at UCH, Ibadan.
Mrs Hajiya Asma’u MSA Aliyu, wife of a retired Army General, MSA Aliyu, honoured for her steadfast caregiving and family resilience over the last seven years, a powerful but often overlooked form of service.
Mrs Happiness Chikuweze, tech entrepreneur and founder of Happiness Computers, recognised for empowering young women in ICT across Abuja and Lagos.
Dr Vanessa Phala, Country and Regional Director for the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, for her work on labour rights and regional policy development.
Mrs Oluwafunke Amobi, a veteran HR and banking professional with over three decades of service, for her mentorship and leadership in corporate spaces.
More awardees were recognised, many of them unsung heroines whose stories now form part of HerStory International’s growing archive of female impact and leadership.
Globally, women remain vastly underrepresented in public biographies. According to the Wikimedia Foundation, fewer than 20% of English-language Wikipedia biographies are about women. In traditional biographical dictionaries, female entries constitute less than 5% in many cases.
In Nigeria, women make up 49.5% of the population (National Population Commission, 2023), yet their presence in national archives, school curricula, and public recognition remains disproportionately low.
A 2023 review by the African Feminist Archive Initiative revealed that only about 13% of historical figures profiled in Nigerian secondary school textbooks are women. Experts argue that this gendered erasure distorts national memory and perpetuates inequality.
“By deliberately documenting women’s lives across age, status, geography, and occupation, HerStory International is contributing to what researchers call biographical justice, “the right to be remembered on one’s own terms,” said Dr Udu Yakubu.
As storytelling increasingly becomes a tool for empowerment, HerStory International is positioning itself at the heart of Africa’s cultural shift toward recognising women not only as contributors but as central forces in shaping history.
The 2025 HerStory Awards marked more than an anniversary. It signalled a movement, one that insists women’s lives matter not just in the private sphere but in public memory.
“When we tell the stories of women, we are not merely archiving history, we are disrupting silence and placing women where they rightfully belong: at the centre of national and global development,” said Eyong.
With over 20 years of consistent documentation, HerStory International stands as a testament to the transformative power of biography, community, and voice.
