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Franca Afegbua, First Elected Female Senator, 1943 – 2023

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On Sunday morning, the news of the passing of Franca Afegbua, the first elected female senator in Nigeria, wobbled through the country. She was famous for her role in flipping the political table in Nigeria, paving way for more women politicians despite strong male dominance.
Afegbua’s story was a motivation for women at a time when top political positions were tagged as a terrain for men only and women were kept as party members — or graciously bequeathed the incontestable position of women leaders.
She was a beautician and an outstanding leader who joined politics with the agenda of transforming her community. Born on October 1943 in Kano, she was a native of Okpella – a town in Estako-east LGA of the old Bendel state, which is now divided into Edo and Delta states.
The Edo-born beautician had her education in Kano, Kaduna, and Lagos states. She was said to own a hair care and massage salon in a shopping centre at Falomo in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.
She was a strong entrepreneur who won several beauty awards locally and internationally before the second republic. In 1977, she won an international hairstyling competition in London.
“I contested as Miss Kaduna and I won. I was living in Kaduna then. I contested a few beauty contests and I won,” she had said in an interview.
Afegbua was introduced into politics by Joseph Tarka, a Nigerian politician from Benue state who served as a minister for transport and communications under Yakubu Gowon, former military head of state.
In 1983, she started politics fully and contested the senatorial position of Bendel north under the National Party of Nigeria. She contested against John Omolu, a formidable politician and a trade unionist. Afegbua remained resolute despite the male dominance and canvassed votes through women and their organisations. She earned a slim victory in the election and defeated Omolu. She was then sworn in as the first elected female senator in Nigeria in October 1983.
In an Interview with Okpella TV, Afegbua said her interest in politics was triggered by her desire to provide water and other basic amenities to the people of Okpella.
“When it was time for the regional contest, I contested and I won. The great and greatest inspiration was that I wanted to fight for my people because Okpella is in Nigeria and we had no water to drink. We were so backward,” she said.
“I stayed in Kano and I just came to Okpalla, no water. I lived in Kano, Kaduna, Zaria and I thought how come they have pipe-borne water and we don’t have it? What is wrong? Did the government neglect us? I said what will stop me from going there and getting these things right. So, I decided to go into politics for that purpose.”
At the time Nigeria witnessed the second republic when the military rulers passed power to Shehu Shagari, the civilian president in 1979, there was no woman in the senate. Female politicians were said to have been marginalised by cultural and gender stereotypes with patriarchy posing the greater challenge.
While men occupied the majority of the legislative positions with 230 members, women were said to occupy about five of the seats.
Even though Afegbua had massive transformative agenda, her political career was cut short on December 31, 1983, when the military coup staged by Muhammadu Buhari, a major-general, overthrew the government. This ended the civilian government and the second republic.
Afegbua, in an interview, expressed regret over her inability to fully deliver her mandate to the people of Okpella.
“I couldn’t because there was the coup that ousted us and I didn’t come back, but I did my best to get water to the people,” she said.
“The Nigerian politics now is more political; it is come and chop. The politics of my time was to come and work and get something to your people. Some people worked for the betterment of their environment, and some it was a money-making affair but I didn’t see it as a money-making affair.
“I saw it as an opportunity to fight and get something done for my people and if every politician fights for the country, there will be progress, and this country will be more progressive than it is now.
“Some people are working for their pockets, so there cannot be general progress. The situation is getting worse and it is very pathetic. Politics, I don’t see it as divide and share and all that. I see it as presenting a case and fighting for it. It is not to go and take money. It cannot improve education, anyway. May God help us and may God forgive us.”
Afegbua was a community mobiliser who was highly admired by her people. She was a trailblazer in her community and a passionate advocate of education and women’s right. This earned her the chieftaincy titles, Aidotse of Onwoyeni Town and the Memisesewe of Okpella.
In 2019, when Afegbua marked her 76th birthday, THISDAY reported that Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, described her as a role model to men and women.
Obaseki, represented by Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of the state, said: “Edo government will be building a home for our first female senator in the heart of Benin city. And we are also setting up a trust fund for her upkeep for life.”
“I pray that God will continue to bless you. You are a role model to men and women the world over, whose outstanding achievements and accomplishments continue to inspire many,” he added.
She was also praised by Betsy Obaseki, wife of Edo governor, who described her as “a great woman, a trailblazer, and a mentor to many”.
“The most distinguished Senator Afegbua has been a source of pride to the people of Edo state as well as to women all over the world. She is the first black woman in the world to become a senator at a time when women’s inclusion in the political process was largely unrecognised in Nigeria.” She added.
“What she did was to pave the way for women all around the world to believe that such a feat was possible. The senator did the impossible in 1983 and since then, women all over the world have come to see it as a possibility.
“The world is at an interesting phase, where women at various levels are standing up and demanding inclusion and diversity.”
In May 2014, Afegbua’s autobiography was launched by Women Foundation in Nigeria (WFN). The book, “Walking on hot coals”, detailed her journey into the political world and the Nigerian senate in 1983.
The book, reviewed by Nuhu Yakubu, a professor at Sokoto State University, was not only recommended for women in politics but all men across Nigeria. He described the book as a lesson in perseverance and determination.
Afegbua’s memoir was launched by Edwin Clark who was in the senate alongside Afegbua in 1983. He said she was a fearless woman who was not afraid to blaze her own trail.
Afegbua died on March 12, 2023, at the age of 79.

 

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Rivers Assembly Resumes Sitting After Six-Month Suspension

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The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.

President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.

The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.

The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.

Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.

The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.

However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.

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2027: Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate  … As Lokpobiri, Lyon Shun Meeting 

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The Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) have passed a ‘Vote of Confidence’ on President Bola Tinubu and also adopted him as sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential polls.
Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, during the ’12th Expanded Stakeholders’ meeting of the party, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, stressed the importance of the state’s chapter of the party to its national leadership.
Represented by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, the National Chairman urged all stakeholders to unite to secure victory for the party, come 2027 general elections, adding that the party will give the state chapter the necessary support it requires to win in all future polls.
He appealed to aggrieved leaders of the party in the state to jettison their differences and tow the path of peace, describing the reconciliatory move as commendable while promising that the party’s national leadership will do all within its powers to ensure its success.
“President Tinubu is a pragmatic leader, and a progressive determined to transform Nigeria for the betterment of all. The developmental strides recorded by the  president is attracting governors and National Assembly members from the opposition into the APC.
“We’ll ensure that the interest of the
party is managed. Bayelsa is important to our party, and we must do whatever we have to do, for the victory of the party in the state. We have a very good candidate in the president and that is why the South- South governors are taking the lead to join our party in support of the president for his reelection”, he said.
“Mr. President is on the move to take Nigerians to the promised land, and the only way to achieve this is in unity. The leadership of the party in the state need to show more tolerance and carry everyone along. Other state governors in other regions that are not in our party will soon join us, so that if the president is returned, everything will go smoothly.
“I want the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, to personally lead the reconciliation so we can achieve the unity we desire. Forget all differences and bring everyone together”, he added.
Also speaking, the leader of the state chapter of the party  and former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, noted that the national secretariat of the party  had not treated the state fairly, noting that if the national leadership of the APC had given the state the support it needed, the party would have achieved more.
Chief Sylva called on absentee leaders of the party at the meeting, particularly Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and former Governor-elect of the State, Chief David Lyon, to close ranks and work with other leaders to move the party forward.
“I wonder why the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and former Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon are not here. We’re all Bayelsans, we’re all Ijaw people, they should come and let’s work together for the greater interest of the party. We did well in 2023, but not what we expected.
“2027 is already a done deal, if we have the support of the national leaders of the party. Today we’re more ready than ever before.The only thing we lack is support from the party at the national level. With your support we’ll be the strongest, and nobody will be able to stand us in elections”, Chief Sylva said.
In his remarks, the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, noted that most people thought the party was no more in existence, but that the NWC could see that the party is alive and kicking.
“Reconciliation is on and those in charge are doing well. The party has members in the state who were ‘victory-hungry”, he said.
Earlier, State Chairman of the party, Dr Dennis Otiotio, said the meeting was to critically appraise the performance of the president and also adopt him as the sole candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential election.
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Alleged Smear Campaign Against Yakubu, CSOs Demand Apology From Uzodimma

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The Transparency and Accountability Rights Initiative, a coalition of Nigerian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), has issued a strong condemnation of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, accusing him of orchestrating a malicious smear campaign against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and development advocate Dr. Chima Amadi.

During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.

The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”

“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.

“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.

The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”

They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”

The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”

The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.

  • A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
  • An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
  • A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.

The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”

“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.

“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.

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