If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Nigerian women know how to stand out — whether it’s in wickedness or politics. This article spotlights some of the baddies who’ve graced the Nigerian political scene.
Dr Ify Aniebo
She’s not exactly a politician, but even though. If you’ve spent enough time on Obasanjo’s internet in the last two weeks, you must have come across Dr Ify, wife to Lagos state gubernatorial aspirant, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
We don’t know what “baddie wife” means here, but if it’s referring to the fact that Dr Ify is an award-winning scientist, Oxford and Harvard alumna, and gorgeous, gorgeous woman, inject it.
Ojei Princess Chichi
Princess Chichi is proof that what a man can do, a woman can do with ice on her neck, a deep-wave weave, red lipstick and a turban. She may not have won, but contesting against 17 male candidates in the 2023 presidential election has won her a spot on our list. She also has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the North Eastern University, USA and an MBA from the Regent’s Business School, London (intellectual purr). Prior to politics, she worked as a finance specialist and the Executive Director of Nuel Ojei Holdings. If not for INEC’s bias for secondary school certificate holders, what’s election that she can’t win?
Margaret Obi
One-time First Lady of Anambra state and wife to presidential aspirant Peter Obi. This philanthropist, entrepreneur and women’s rights activist was instrumental in the establishment of the family court at Anambra’s Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Development to tackle domestic violence and abuse. She also provided agricultural grants for women and youths. Now we just need her to point us in the direction of her wig vendor because it’s all in the hair, TBH.
Stella Obasanjo
Because all the beautiful women fighting for a space in politics have reminded us of how much of a baddie the late First Lady was. After her husband’s election as president in 1999, she swung into action and founded Child care Trust, a non-profit organization for underprivileged and disabled kids. She also joined the campaign against Female Genital Mutilation in 2003.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Her style is simple, but her level of dedication and hard work needs to be studied. She’s been the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance (twice) alongside Coordinating Minister of Economy, and now, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, nobody is touching the hem of our mama’s signature head tie.
Franca Afegbua
From making hair to making laws, Franca Afegbua is THAT babe. She became popular within the Etsako community in Edo state for winning an international hairstyling competition in 1977. She rode on that to contest for a Bendel North senatorial seat in 1983. By targeting female voters (and maybe even promising cheap braids), she became the first woman to ever be elected senator in Nigeria. Women supporting women, for real.
Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu
Next, we have the first Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and Nigerian representative at Miss Universe and Miss Africa, 1964. Lynda Ikpeazu served as a member of the House of Representatives in 1999 and won the National assembly election in 2004 for her second term representing Onitsha North and South constituency — proof you can be beautiful and still lead.
Dame Virginia Ngozi Etiaba
Can we take a minute to appreciate this holy drip? Her Excellency found the sweet spot between the RCCG mama and British royalty. Although she was only governor of Anambra for three months after which the court nullified the impeachment of the previous Governor, Peter Obi. She set the record as the first and only female Governor of Nigeria in 2007.
Special mention: Margaret Ekpo
Margaret walked so that every other person on this list could run. Activism, feminism, jail time, she was an overall baddie. And she became the first woman ever to be elected to a political office in Nigeria after she won a seat at the Eastern Regional House of Assembly in 1961.
Read all about it: Meet Margaret Ekpo, Nigeria’s First Female Politician, OG Feminist
