For Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, change begins with action. Her career, spanning journalism, advocacy and public service, reflects a consistent commitment to amplifying unheard voices and expanding opportunities for women and vulnerable groups in society.
As Executive Director of Fame Foundation, she has led several initiatives focused on empowering women and girls, promoting social responsibility and advocating reforms that strengthen inclusion in governance. Through mentorship, partnerships and advocacy campaigns, Atoyebi continues to encourage more women to step forward into leadership roles.
In a wide-ranging conversation with The Guardian, she shared her thoughts on the possibility of a woman becoming the president of Nigeria; the structural barriers women still face in politics, the ongoing debate around reserved legislative seats for women and the progress being made in addressing gender-based violence.
According to Atoyebi, despite Nigeria’s largely patriarchal political culture, the emergence of a female president in the country remains a real possibility.
“I do believe it is possible for Nigeria to elect a woman as President, even though our political culture has traditionally favoured men,” she said.
She noted that the presence of women in leadership positions across different sectors – from the legislature to ministerial appointments and heads of key agencies – demonstrates that women are capable of leading effectively and earning public trust.
“Changing attitudes takes time, but awareness about gender equality is growing. More people are recognising the importance of women’s voices in decision-making and leadership,” she added.
Political parties, she noted, are gradually including more women in their structures and campaigns, while civil society organisations and the media continue to advocate broader participation.
She, however, emphasised that achieving such a milestone would require cultural, institutional and political shifts that move society beyond gender stereotypes.
“People have to recognise that women can lead just as effectively as men,” she stressed.
Atoyebi also argued that political parties must create practical pathways for women to emerge as leaders through mentoring, institutional support and equitable access to opportunities within party structures.
“Political parties should create clear pathways for women to emerge as leaders by identifying talented women early and exposing them to the processes of campaigning, policymaking and negotiation.”
Reflecting on her personal journey, Atoyebi traced her interest in governance to her early years in journalism, when she reported stories about struggling communities and marginalised groups.
“Leaders can change someone’s life overnight, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. As a young journalist, I covered stories about communities that were struggling, about women and girls who were being ignored, and about systems that were failing people,” she recalled.
Those experiences, she explained, ignited a deeper desire to move beyond reporting problems to actively contributing to solutions.
“I realised that reporting on problems was important, but I also wanted to be part of creating solutions. That curiosity and sense of responsibility grew over time,” she said.
According to her, public service eventually became the natural path through which she could channel that passion into meaningful impact.
“Public service and governance became a path where I could take that fire and turn it into action, making sure the people whose voices were often unheard could actually be seen and listened to.”
For Atoyebi, leadership is fundamentally about guiding people and creating opportunities for growth.
“What I enjoy most about leadership is guiding people, helping them grow and working together to achieve goals,” she said.
Equipped with Executive Education at Harvard University and University of Cambridge, among other educational and professional qualifications, she also addressed what she described as a persistent misconception about women in leadership.
“A common misconception is that women are less capable of leading or making tough decisions. The truth is that leadership is about vision, commitment and action, not gender.”
For young Nigerian women aspiring to leadership roles, she emphasised the importance of confidence and determination.
“Leadership is not about waiting for permission; it is about making the move, taking responsibility and showing what you can do.”
She added that integrity, perseverance and focus have helped her navigate criticisms and challenges throughout her career.
“I believe in doing the right thing even when it is difficult and staying committed to my goals regardless of what others say.”
On the issue of women’s political representation, Atoyebi described the debate around reserved legislative seats as a matter of democratic inclusion.
“Nigeria currently records one of the lowest levels of female parliamentary representation globally, with women occupying less than five per cent of seats in the National Assembly,” she noted.
According to her, reserved seats should be viewed as a corrective policy designed to address structural imbalances in political participation.
“Reserved seats should be understood as a policy instrument designed to correct historical imbalances.”
She pointed to global examples where similar policies have improved women’s representation. In Rwanda, for instance, constitutional quotas guarantee women a minimum number of parliamentary seats, and women now occupy more than 60 per cent of those positions.
Assessing women’s inclusion in governance under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atoyebi said women are beginning to play more visible roles in government institutions.
“Since President Tinubu came into office, women have started to take more visible and better roles in governance,” she observed.
Although Nigeria has yet to meet the 35 per cent representation target recommended by the National Gender Policy, she believes the growing presence of women in leadership positions is a positive sign.
On gender-based violence, Atoyebi acknowledged that Nigeria has made measurable progress in recent years.
She highlighted advocacy campaigns such as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and legislation like the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act as important steps towards protecting victims.
However, she warned that stronger implementation remains essential. “Laws alone cannot solve the problem. Implementation is critical,” she noted.
One of the most memorable moments in her career, she recalled, was the #PayFalcons campaign in 2016 after Nigeria’s women’s national football team won the African Women’s Championship but had not been paid their allowances.
“Within 48 hours, the players received their payments. That experience showed me the power of action.”
She also acknowledged the influence of Nigerian women who have achieved global leadership roles, including Amina Mohammed and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
“Seeing Nigerian women operate at that level has always reinforced my belief that with dedication and consistency, it is possible to lead with purpose.”
Atoyebi said she hopes her work will be remembered for creating opportunities for others and contributing to a more inclusive society.
“I would like to be remembered as someone who used her voice and work to create opportunities for others and make things better wherever she could,” she said.
