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Home » Magazine » Natasha Akpoti: Breaking African Women Silence

Natasha Akpoti: Breaking African Women Silence

African women are speaking up, and their voices are impossible to ignore  | By CHIDIPETERS OKORIE

April 3, 2025
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Across Africa, a profound silence has lingered over the political sphere—a silence imposed by patriarchal systems, social norms, and political structures that have long relegated women to the margins of decision-making. But this silence is being shattered. In Nigeria, a dramatic political scandal involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio has become a rallying cry for women not just in Nigeria but across the African continent. The battle between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio is not just about accusations of sexual harassment or political rivalry—it’s a fight to break the silence that has historically kept women from speaking out, holding power, and making change.

The story of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s struggle embodies the deep-seated challenges that women in politics face in Africa. Her journey from a victim of political attacks and sexual harassment to a symbol of resistance against patriarchal oppression illustrates a larger fight that resonates with women across the continent. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s courage has become a beacon of hope for many African women who have been silenced by centuries of discrimination and exclusion in politics.

For African women in politics, the challenges they face are often steeped in gendered power dynamics that are centuries old. Historically, political power in most African countries has been dominated by men, with women relegated to secondary roles in governance or excluded altogether. While some women have broken through the barriers to achieve political power, they have done so in a system that is still largely controlled by men, where their voices are often stifled or ignored.

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In Nigeria, where patriarchy has long governed both the public and private spheres, the fight for women’s representation in politics has been particularly challenging. Despite the election of a handful of women to key political offices, the country still lags behind in terms of gender equality in politics. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s story is emblematic of the struggles women face in this environment.

In July 2024, one of Nigeria’s most powerful men, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, issued an apology on the floor of the Senate, a rare moment of public humility for the man who held sway over the legislative body and was the third most powerful figure in the country. Akpabio had previously chastised his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for speaking out of turn, dismissing her with a remark that many Nigerians found condescending: “We are not in a nightclub.” His comment sparked a backlash from the public, with many Nigerians perceiving it as an attempt to silence a woman in a space dominated by men.

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In response to what he described as a flood of insulting text messages from across the country, Akpabio offered an apology. This public reversal, however, would turn out to be just the beginning of a much larger, more significant political and gender-related controversy that has since rocked Nigeria. At the center of this storm was Akpoti-Uduaghan, a senator from Kogi State and a rising star in Nigeria’s opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Her fight has transcended accusations of sexism, sexual harassment, and political rivalry. It has become a symbol of the deeply entrenched systemic misogyny faced by women in power across the African continent.

The events that unfolded after Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment would echo far beyond the Senate chambers and challenge Nigeria’s traditional political structures, making her a figurehead in the wider battle for gender equality in Africa. The scandal has illuminated the profound silencing of African women in political power, revealing the lengths to which entrenched patriarchal systems will go to crush the voices of women who dare to speak out.

For women in Nigerian politics, the challenges are multifaceted. The political arena has long been the exclusive domain of men, where women are marginalized and their voices drowned out. Women in Nigerian politics face not only the challenge of navigating a system that is historically male-dominated but also the burden of confronting harmful stereotypes that question their authority, capability, and morality.

Nigeria’s political history reveals a consistent absence of women in positions of real power. No woman has ever served as Nigeria’s president, vice president, or governor. While women have made significant strides in terms of participation—there are currently only four women serving in the 109-member Senate, a significant decline from the seven women elected in 2015—they still face monumental obstacles. The recent erosion of the number of women in the Nigerian Senate is reflective of broader societal attitudes toward gender roles. There’s a deeply embedded cultural belief in Nigeria that politics is a man’s world, and any deviation from this norm is met with fierce resistance.

Women who manage to break into politics are often faced with systemic marginalization, harassment, and a silencing mechanism that manifests in different ways—be it through verbal abuse, social media campaigns, or the direct exclusion from important political roles. Their every move is scrutinized more harshly than their male counterparts. And if they dare to challenge the status quo or raise uncomfortable issues—especially those related to sexual harassment—they are often vilified and rendered politically powerless. This has been the painful reality for Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose rise to the Senate was anything but smooth.

In February 2025, during a televised interview on Arise TV, Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment. The accusations were stunning: she claimed that during a series of encounters with Akpabio, the Senate President had made inappropriate advances toward her, including offering to support a motion she was trying to advance in exchange for “taking care” of him. In another incident, Akpabio allegedly invited her to his home, holding her hand and telling her, “I’m going to create time for us to spend quality moments here… You will enjoy it.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations were not just a personal attack on Akpabio’s character; they were also an indictment of the entrenched culture of sexual harassment and gender inequality that runs deep in Nigeria’s political landscape. Akpabio, a powerful political veteran and close ally of President Bola Tinubu, denied the accusations, calling them “false and malicious.” But the accusation was serious enough to provoke national attention.

The scandal became a focal point in a wider conversation about the pervasive culture of sexual harassment in Nigerian politics, one that extends beyond the Senate and into government offices, political parties, and civil society. For Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, the stakes were much higher than just exposing one man’s misdeeds. She was challenging the very system that allows such behavior to persist unchecked.

But the political fallout from her allegations came swiftly. On March 6, 2025, the Senate’s Ethics Committee dismissed her sexual harassment petition on procedural grounds, suggesting that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition had not followed the correct format and had been authored and signed by her personally, rather than by a fellow senator, as the rules prescribed. In what seemed like a retaliatory move, the committee also imposed a six-month suspension on her without pay, citing her “unruly and disruptive behavior” during an unrelated argument in the Senate over seating arrangements.

The decision was a blow to Akpoti-Uduaghan, but it also sparked widespread outrage, especially among women’s rights groups and civil society organizations. Protests erupted across the country, with hundreds of women taking to the streets of Lagos, Enugu, Edo, and Kaduna in support of the embattled senator. The civil society coalition Womanifesto organized the rallies under the slogan “We are all Natasha,” a call to action for the women of Nigeria to stand together against the silencing of women in politics.

Akpoti-Uduaghan herself remained defiant. Speaking to TimeAfrica from New York, she made it clear that she would not be silenced. “This was orchestrated to silence my voice,” she said. “That action is an assault on democracy… I am not apologizing for speaking my truth.”

The controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan didn’t end with her suspension. Soon after, a petition purportedly signed by her constituents in Kogi State was submitted to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling for her recall. The petition claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan had failed to represent her constituents effectively. However, there was little evidence to support the claim, and many saw it as a politically motivated attempt to remove her from office.

INEC, however, rejected the petition, citing improper filing. The decision was a clear indication that those behind the recall effort had overstepped, and that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s position in the Senate remained secure for the time being. However, this did little to quell the attacks on her. Social media campaigns aimed at discrediting her became increasingly aggressive, with false rumors circulating about her personal life and unsubstantiated claims about her character.

But the attacks failed to deter Akpoti-Uduaghan, who returned to Nigeria after nearly a month abroad, where she had been speaking at various international forums on women’s rights. Despite the Kogi State Governor’s attempt to ban any rally in her honor, an unprecedented crowd turned out to welcome her back, with thousands of supporters lining the streets in a show of solidarity.

The massive turnout marked a watershed moment in her political career. It was not just a personal victory; it was a statement to the Nigerian political elite that women’s voices could not be so easily suppressed. The images of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s jubilant return to Kogi sent a powerful message about the resilience of women in Nigerian politics.

What is unfolding in Nigeria is not an isolated case. The silence of African women in political power is a pan-African issue, rooted in centuries of patriarchal traditions and the persistent marginalization of women in decision-making spaces. Across the continent, women are often forced to contend with not only the weight of traditional gender roles but also with overt discrimination, harassment, and even violence in political spheres.

From the streets to the halls of power, African women in politics face a deeply entrenched system that seeks to diminish their contributions. Many political structures are intentionally designed to keep women from assuming positions of influence. In Nigeria, women like Akpoti-Uduaghan are often accused of being “too emotional” or “too ambitious,” stereotypes that are used to dismiss their qualifications. When they speak out against injustices, as Akpoti-Uduaghan did, they are not only questioning the behavior of powerful men but also challenging the very structures that uphold patriarchal rule.

Women’s rights activists across Africa have long called for reforms that would ensure greater participation for women in politics. However, despite significant efforts, progress has been slow. The imposition of silence on African women in politics has not only limited their voices but has also stifled the potential for change.

As Akpoti-Uduaghan’s fight continues, her case remains a touchstone for the broader struggle of women in Nigerian and African politics. Her courage has ignited a conversation about the treatment of women in power, one that challenges the silence that has so long defined their roles in political life. However, despite the increasing number of women rallying to her cause, the question remains: has Nigeria truly entered a new era of gender equality in politics? Or will the status quo continue to silence women and reinforce the patriarchal systems that dominate Nigerian governance?

While Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case has drawn international attention, it is ultimately a fight for all women who have been silenced by political power structures. Whether her voice will lead to real change in Nigerian politics—and whether it will inspire a broader revolution for women’s rights in Africa—remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: Akpoti-Uduaghan’s resilience in the face of adversity is a testament to the enduring strength of women who refuse to be silenced.

African women are speaking up, and their voices are impossible to ignore.

Tags: African WomenGodswill AkpabioNatasha Akpoti
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