Introduction

| |- Well, it’s quite easy to say you admire a female role model, but this admiration means little, if we can’t put ourselves in the shoes they wear, the challenge they face on daily basis in a male dominated society and the silent battles they fight.

I was interested in participating in this challenge because of the recent event that took place in the upper chambers in the Nigerian National Assembly regarding the suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who isn’t fighting for herself alone but also the entire girl child in Nigeria.

Before going ahead, I’ll love to invite @kingcent, @goodybest and @humblecyril to participate in this post.

https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/02/24/16/45/march-4876769_1280.png [source](https://pixabay.com/illustrations/march-eight-design-women-4876769/)

What qualities in a woman inspire your admiration and desire to become a better person?

| |- There are three qualities that inspires my admiration in a woman and they are: * Resilience * Sense of purpose and * Courage. Senator Natasha meets all three of them. This beautiful lady is just not a politician, she’s a force to reckon with especially in a country like Nigeria where politics is seen as a men’s game. In the senate house, we’ve about 109 seats and out of this large number, the women occupies only 4 seats, (3.7%) the remaining 105 seats (96.3%) are men.

Natasha dared to be different by refusing to be intimidated by powerful political figures in the senate and she proved that sometimes, strength is not about winning every battles that comes your way but having the courage to fight them in the first place. Sen. Natasha did this by telling the senate president to his face that she’s not afraid of him.

In fact, if you have been following this story for the past weeks, you’ll know that greatness is not just handed over to any Tom, dick and harry, it’s taken by persistence and boldness against all odds.

How do you think a woman’s dedication and sacrifices impact those around her?

| |- Someone that’s dedicated, is similar to that of pillar in a house that holds other structures up even when they are about to collapse. That’s one of the main reasons children are always closer to their mum because she’ll go any length to protect her children even if it will cause her an arm and a leg.

Let’s bring it down to our central character, senator Natasha. This woman didn’t fight for herself alone, she fought for the decades of oppression of the women in politics, she stood for her senatorial district (kogi central) and the marginalized. Even though she has been suspended, her sacrifice is something that has awakened silent voices of the masses especially from the female folks, challenging her unfair trial and setting a precedent for women in leadership.

Do you know of any stories about women that have deeply influenced you and made you reflect on strength and kindness?

| |- Senator Natasha journey into politics was like a roller coaster ride. She was face with lots of opposition from the male folks and political system that was determined to silent her voice. Before she became a senator, she once contested as a governor of her state but she was face with strong opposition not because she was not capable but because she was a woman.

She decided to contest once again as a senator, in the bid to kill her dream, it was alleged that the governor of her state ordered an excavator to dig the middle of the road leading to her home town, so that cars won’t be able to drive to her home town to vote for her but because of the love her people have for her, they covered the road back with shovels for smooth access and she won the election despite the fact the odds were against her. Her story makes me rethink what it truly means to be strong and challenging status quo.

In what ways can a woman be a beacon of hope to the world?

| |- https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2018/01/24/19/49/friendship-day-3104635_1280.jpg [source](https://pixabay.com/photos/friendship-day-black-women-portrait-3104635/) A woman can be a beacon of hope in several ways like; * breaking records or barriers * Facing adversity and refusing to be silent * By empowering people or coaching them * Standing up for what is right * Showing act of kindness * Leading by example.

If you had the opportunity of showing gratitude to a woman, what would you say to convey her significance to you

| |- I will love to appreciate Senator Natasha for standing tall despite been thrown to the wolves and also been judged by her own persecutor (Senate president) without any fair hearing. Nigerians.

To all the ladies out there that faces same challenges or fight battles that no one sees, I say thank you for lending out your voice.

Thank you for walking so that others can run. Your impact goes beyond the shores of this nation