The name Barr. Natasha Hadiza Akpoti gives a sound of unequaled record and uncommon valour in the ears of the people of Kogi Central and has become a household name in the senatorial district in recent time.
Her emergence as the new ray for Kogi Central came at a time the people of the senatorial district earnestly need an altruistic leader, a selfless voice that will speak for the land and use her exposure and experience to drive development to the land.
Born to the family of Late Dr. Jimoh Abdul Akpoti and Mrs Ludmila Kravchenko Akpoti of Obeiba- Ihima in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi state. She is the second of four children and only daughter.
Natasha spent her formative years as a child growing up and being primarily educated in her native communities- Okehi and neighboring Okene, Adavi and Ajaokuta towns. Her most fascinating childhood moments were lessons of philanthropy and empathy for humanity that her father taught by practically treating the poor for free, paying tuition for thousands of school children, supporting hundred of local farmers and traders with their businesses and so much more.
She attended Christ the King Nursery and Primary School Okene where she was made the Social Prefect and acknowledged in her testimonial to be very quiet, hardworking and responsible. Thereafter, she proceeded to Government Girls Unity Secondary School Oboroke, Kogi State and Federal Government College Idoani, Ondo state for her junior secondary and senior secondary education respectively.
Yet again, her exceptional academic and personal performances earned her the leadership position of being the Head Girl at F.G.C. Idoani. Graduating in 1997, Natasha’s Secondary School Leaving Certificate and Testimonial acknowledged her of being responsible, hardworking and a diligent prefect.
She holds an LLB in Law from the University of Abuja, and was called to bar in 2005. She also obtained an Masters in Business Administration and LLM Petroleum Law and Policies from the foremost University of Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Through shear determination and doggedness, she excelled in vital modules such as Strategic Management and Organizational Analysis; Leadership and Decision Making; International Arbitration; Management in Energy and Natural Resources Industries; International Petroleum Law and ultimately Business Strategy in the Extractive Industries amongst others but her desire to connect people to opportunities and create a meaningful legacy soon drove her to social entrepreneurship.
Natasha also participated in a high-level workshop organized by the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom which centered on the Bargaining Zone, Anchor Points and Negotiation Tactics) Preparation, First Moves and Concessions) where Natasha scored the most accurate bargain during a delegate-simulation.
While employed as a legal counsel at Brass LNG, an international gas liquefaction company, Natasha participated in and completed many resource development courses some of which are – International Gas Business Management Certificate program offered by the prestigious International Human Resources Development Corporation (IHRDC) in Boston, Massachusetts USA.
Others are, Contracts Used in International Petroleum Development, and Monitoring and Regulation of the Upstream Petroleum Sector (Exploration and Production) both programs were offered by the Center for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP), Scotland, UK.
– Mary Amodu writes from Lokoja
