At QC, Her Story of Nigeria Rekindles Women History

Yinka Olatunbosun

School children lined up outside the school hall in anticipation of guests arriving for the big day. The prestigious girl-school, Queen’s College (QC), Yaba on April 22nd witnessed a flagship launch of Her Story of Nigeria, an initiative by ASIRI Magazine in collaboration with the British Deputy High Commission. The project is an effort to document, archive, and amplify the contributions of Nigerian women who have been historically overlooked in mainstream narratives.

The project is aimed at creating a centralised digital repository of women’s history, covering their roles in political resistance, economic systems, education, and community organization.

In his opening remarks, the founder, ASIRI Magazine, Dr. Oludamola Adebowale described it as “a passion project” in response to the need to fill the knowledge gap in history studies in Nigerian secondary schools and the systemic exclusion of women in Nigerian history studies.

“The focus is particularly on the transformative years between 1910 and 1950, though the project aims to preserve history from the 18th century to the present,” he added.

By engaging students directly, the project seeks to transform history from a “distant theory” into a lived experience. The young girls were made to recognise their place in national history, fostering critical thinking, identity formation, and leadership aspirations.

The flagship launch at Queen’s College (QC), signals the beginning of a tour across at least 10 public secondary schools in Lagos State and beyond.

Founded in 1927, QC itself is a home of women in history, having produced numerous pioneering Nigerian women—”women of firsts”—who have broken barriers in academia, medicine, law, and corporate leadership.

These include First Nigerian Female PhD holder, Mathematics professor and University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Grace Alele-Williams,
and University Vice-Chancellor, Grace Alele-Williams; first female judge in Nigeria, Modupe Omo-Eboh; first female doctor to graduate from a Nigerian University, Dr. Florence Adeniran; First Nigerian woman to be published in English, Phebean Ogundipe; first black woman to obtain a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas, Arlington, Wendy Okolo amongst others.

Expectedly, the initiative has received support from various stakeholders, including the British Deputy High Commission, UBA Foundation, and other cultural and media partners.

In documenting these untold stories, ASIRI magazine aims to ensure that future generations do not grow up with a distorted national memory where women are viewed merely as footnotes rather than central figures.

The project highlights iconic figures such as Queen Amina of Zazzau and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, urging students to not just consume history but to actively question, research, and seek out the “missing voices” that have shaped the nation.

Deputy Head of Mission, British High Commission in Lagos, Simon Field, said history remained essential to understanding the present and shaping the future.

Field said, “The government of the United Kingdom is really keen on promoting women and this is an amazing opportunity for girls at Queen’s College to learn about history.

In her keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, stressed the importance of history in education.

“In today’s world of instant gratification and social media, people forget yesterday very quickly. But history can never fade,” she said.

Atta, who is an alumna of Queens College, affirmed that education remained the strongest tool for empowerment and social mobility.

“Education is the gateway to success, the gateway out of poverty, and the gateway to staying out of poverty,” she added.

Her Story of Nigeria project is supported by UBA Foundation, IHS, BellaNaija, Archiving Greatness Group, Zapphire Events, and Ms. Lanre Shasore.

The event also featured a quiz session for the students, anchored by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as well as folk songs and a poetry performance titled “I Am That Girl, That Woman is More Than Enough” presented by Dr. Debbie Ohiri.

Also in attendance was the Principal of Queens College, Dr. Adetutu Obabori, and representatives of partner organisations.