By Dami Oshodi
Social media, particularly platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter, have introduced us to countless buzzwords that have quickly become part of our everyday lives over the years. I vividly remember FYI, TTYL, IMO, IYKYK, and ‘TBT,’ which is still very much in use today (it stands for Throwback To or Throw Back Thursday). And then there’s TGIF and MCM, which means Man Crush Monday. It’s quite funny how we immediately understand what those letters stand for whenever we come across them. But one of my absolute favorites is Woman Crush Wednesday, a day to honor and celebrate the impact of women.
In Nigeria, it’s been a myth for a long time that young people can’t make a global impact. At least one certain president said something about “lazy youths,” although the statement was misconstrued and most likely taken out of context. But it’s heartwarming to see that in every sector—from entertainment to academics, sports to film and media—our young women are shattering stereotypes and breaking barriers.
A new generation of women is emerging in Nigeria, redefining what’s possible in fields like music, sports, digital technology, and literature. These women, with their grit, intelligence, resourcefulness, and talent, have not only reached the top but have inspired many along the way.
There are so many incredible women in our midst that it’s hard to mention them all. So, we’ve selected seven remarkable young women to highlight.
Ayobami Adebayo
Since the break-out of Chimamanda Adichie two decades ago with the publication of her coming-of-age novel “Purple Hibiscus,” the Nigerian literary-scape has struggled to mint a literary heroine who has managed both fame and critical acclaim. That is, until 2017, when Ayobami Adebayo announced herself with her debut novel “Stay With Me.” Centering a young couple, the novel is a keen-eyed study of the ups and downs of a childless marriage. Such was its quality that it was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize and the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction; was long listed for the International Dublin Literary Award and the Dylan Thomas Prize; and it won the 9mobile Prize in Literature. In 2017 Adebayo was awarded The Future Awards Africa Prize for Arts and Culture. “A Spell of Good Things,” Adebayo’s second novel, was published last year and was nominated for the 2023 Booker Prize.
Olamide Olowe
As a teen, Olamide Olowe dealt with chronic skin conditions like acne, and while it chafed her self-confidence it yielded an understanding of the relationship between skin conditions and mental health. In founding Topicals, a skin care brand, in 2020, Olowe imagined leveraging the understanding gained from her pimply teenage years in creating awareness on how skin conditions affect mental health and in ending the stigma around conditions like psoriasis and hyperpigmentation. Topicals, according to Forbes, has donated in the region of $50,000 to support nonprofits providing mental health services to marginalized communities.
Two years ago Olowe was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. The same year, according to the magazine, she was the youngest black woman ever to fundraise $10 million.
Eniola “Korty” Olarewaju
Korty, born Eniola Olarewaju, is a self-taught creative who spent most of her formative years in Ibadan. She would leave for Lagos after getting the job of content writer in the newly formed new age publication Zikoko, but even in the new job a long-standing ambition brewed: she wanted to make videos. She inched closer to this reality after getting her own apartment, which came with a freedom unavailable to her in a relative’s apartment that she had lived in the previous year.
Leaving Zikoko, Kotry joined Mr Eazi’s Empawa Africa as a content lead, broadening her experience. Writer aside, Korty has worked as a graphic designer and videographer, but it is her videos that have made her, at just 26 years old, one of the most important Nigerian Internet personalities—she has about 250,000 followers on Instagram. Shot in a confessional style, her video-taped interview sessions have featured many celebrities, like Wizkid and Asa and Bella Shmurda.
Taaoma
It’s often been said that women generally aren’t funny. The late, great public intellectual Christopher Hitchens toed that line in a 2007 essay in Vanity Fair, citing evolutionary evidence. The success of female comedians like Maryam Apaokagi, or Taaoma as she is commonly called, rebukes the popular stereotype of feminine humorlessness. Like many creatives, Taaoma is multi-talented : she is a content creator and cinematographer too. Though Nigeria-born, Taaoma spent some of her early years in Namibia where she completed high school. Returning to Nigeria, she attended Kwara State University, getting a degree in tourism and hospitality.
Her comedy career began in 2015 when she learned video editing from Abdulaziz Oladimeji (Abula), whom she would later marry. In 2019 she rose to stardom with a skit based on Nigerian parents, and most of skits are set in the domesticity of Nigerian family life.
She is the CEO and founder of Chop Tao, a food company, and she directs for The Greenade Company, a cinematography firm.
Arya Starr
Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, known professionally as Arya Starr, was born in Cotonou, Benin Republic. After releasing covers of popular songs starting in 2019, she released an original song, “Damage,” catching the attention of many, also crucially Don Jazzy’s. A record label deal with Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records would soon follow, marking the start of Ayra Starr’s global domination.
She now has an EP and two albums to her name, has won a Headies award and has been nominated for a Grammy. Her latest album “The Year I Turned 21” has set some records, such as garnering 1.27 million streams on Spotify on its first day, the most ever for a Nigerian female artist. She has also just recently surpassed South Africa’s Tyla in becoming the most streamed African artist on Spotify.
Ada Nduka Oyom
Watching Nancy Meyers’ movie “The Intern,” Ada Nduka Oyom would fall in love with the world of digital technology. While a student at University of Nsukka, where she read microbiology, she taught herself software development. In her second year she was a member of the Google Student Club and in her third year she led GDG UNN, her university’s chapter of the Google developer group. Her commitment to learning, despite having no academic background in software development, would allow her in 2018 to become the developer relations lead at Interswitch Group, a leading African digital commerce platform.
In 2016 Oyom would establish herself as a force in the Nigerian tech space by founding She Code Africa to bridge the gender gap in the African techscape. The non-profit organization has since afforded digital and technological skills to tens of thousands of African girls and women. An advocate for open source, Oyom in 2017 co-founded Open Source Community Africa to contribute to the development of open source technologies by African software developers and designers. It’s now one of the largest communities for open-source enthusiasts, advocates and experts across Africa.
Tobi Amusan
Tobi Ayomide Amusan, the youngest of 3 children, was born in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
She showcased her exceptional talent from a young age, winning silver medals in the 200m and 100m hurdles at African youth competitions in 2013 and 2014. She then went on to claim gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2015 African Junior Athletics Championships and the All-Africa Games.
The Nigerian track and field star has firmly established herself as one of the world’s premier 100m hurdlers. She set the current world record of 12.12 seconds at the 2022 World Championships, becoming the first Nigerian to win a world title and set a world record in athletics. With back-to-back wins in the Commonwealth and African titles, as well as three consecutive Diamond League championships, her remarkable achievements have solidified her place among the sport’s elite athletes.
Regardless of all the school na scam that we have faced in Nigeria, and all the chaotic nature of our academic and professional systems, it is quite endearing to see young women who are going against all odds to still put our dear country on the global map.
You know, I’m really curious – who do you think might be the next big thing to emerge from Nigeria in the next few years? There’s so much promising young talent out there, it will be exciting to see which names start making waves globally.