Nigeria’s political space is a battlefield where the strongest survive. It is not a place for the faint-hearted or those who cannot stomach the heat of power struggles. It is a terrain where women are often told to lay wait in the other room or sit on the sidelines, clap for men, and wait for crumbs. But Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has refused to be caged by tradition or intimidated by the political boys’ club. She has stepped into the arena, fighting battles that even men have feared to face. From exposing the decay in the Ajaokuta Steel Mill to standing against corruption, sexual harrassments and injustice, she has proven that leadership is not about gender but about courage, vision, and resilience. She is not just a politician; she is a spiritual political drummer—beating the rhythm of change, calling forth justice, and shaking the foundations of a system built to silence people like her.
Her journey has been anything but easy. In 2018, when she first contested for the Kogi Central Senatorial seat under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), she was met with stiff resistance. The political godfathers saw her as an outsider, a woman who had no business challenging the status quo. She lost that election, but she did not lose her voice. She dusted herself up and returned, this time under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). After a long and heated battle, the Court of Appeal declared her the rightful winner of the 2023 senatorial election. Many thought that was the end of her struggle, but the real war was just beginning.
In March 2025, she made a bold move that sent shockwaves across Nigeria—she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. It was a moment of reckoning, a challenge to the culture of silence that has protected powerful men for generations. But instead of receiving justice, she was suspended for six months. The message was clear: she was being punished for daring to speak up. However, what her accusers did not anticipate was the fire that her suspension would ignite. Women across Nigeria took to the streets, chanting, “We Are All Natasha.” They saw in her their own struggles—the harassment in offices, the bullying in politics, the constant attempt to silence women who refuse to bow. Like a spiritual drummer, her courage sent vibrations across the nation, awakening voices that had long been buried in fear.
But Natasha’s fight is not just about herself. Unlike many politicians who see their seats as personal thrones for wrapper legislations, she has remained deeply connected to her people. In December 2023, she commissioned six constituency offices across Kogi Central, ensuring that governance was not just a word but a visible reality. She understands what many in government have forgotten—that power belongs to the people. And that is why, despite the attacks, her support base continues to grow. Because when leaders work, the people see it, and no amount of political scheming can erase the truth.
Her story is a reminder that change does not come from waiting—it comes from fighting. It is a warning to the men who believe they can push women out of politics with threats and manipulation. The days of silent suffering are over. Nigerian women are watching. The world is watching. And no matter what obstacles are placed in her path, one thing is certain: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will not back down. She will continue to beat the drum, calling for justice, refusing to be drowned out by the noise of oppression. Her ongoing recall petition was never the will of her constituency but a scheme orchestrated by Yahaya Bello, driven not by love for Natasha or his people, but by his own selfish interests.
The road ahead may be rough, but she has already proven that she is tougher. And if Nigerian democracy must grow beyond the stronghold of godfathers and political cabals, then it needs more women like her—women who dare to fight where even men have trembled. Women who, like spiritual drummers, awaken the nation to the sound of a new dawn. Even if they push her down, they cannot silence God’s voice of love in the hearts of the masses for her.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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