HerStory of Nigeria: Women, Power and Protest in Colonial Lagos (1910–1950)

When: March 9, 2026

Where: Lagos, Nigeria

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HerStory of Nigeria is an educational and historical legacy project designed to build a living digital archival repository dedicated to documenting and celebrating the history of women in Nigeria. The Project is a history-led education and advocacy programme by ASIRI Magazine, developed as part of the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 celebrations in Lagos, Nigeria.

At its heart, the project seeks to bring women’s stories to the forefront , preserving their contributions, struggles, leadership, and cultural impact from the 18th century to the present day. Through research, documentation, and storytelling, the initiative aims to create an accessible historical platform housing photographs, documents, oral histories, and archival materials that reflect the depth of women’s roles in shaping Nigeria’s past and present.

The programme is designed to promote historical awareness in public secondary schools across Lagos State while using women’s history as a tool for empowerment, re-enlightenment, and social advocacy, particularly for the girl-child.

Focusing on the period between 1910 and 1950, the project highlights the roles of women as political organisers, traders, caregivers, journalists, and community leaders during a formative era in Lagos’ social and political development.

Despite their influence, these women remain largely absent from formal curricula and public memory.

This programme addresses that gap by bringing their stories directly into learning and public engagement spaces.

The initiative is structured around two key components: a 10-day in-school engagement programme across selected public secondary schools in Lagos State, and a 15-day digital advocacy campaign on ASIRI Magazine’s social media platforms.

School engagements will feature guided storytelling, visual learning materials, sketch-based historical portraits, and interactive discussions linking past struggles to present-day realities.

The digital campaign will amplify these narratives through accessible historical content, illustrations, and educational storytelling for wider public reach.

By centring local women’s histories, Herstory of Lagos positions history as an active form of advocacy, challenging historical erasure, promoting gender visibility, and inspiring confidence, leadership, and civic awareness among young girls.

As an IWD 2026 programme, it connects global gender equity conversations with Lagos-based historical narratives, reaffirming history as a living resource for education, identity, and social change.

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