By Esther Onyegbula

Priscilla Usiobaifo, a name now familiar across gender advocacy circles in Nigeria and beyond, continues to stand tall in her mission to empower women and protect the rights of girls. In March 2025, she was awarded the Empowerment Champion Award by the Edo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, recognising her tireless commitment to education, wellbeing, and gender equity.

This latest recognition comes just months after she received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Uneme-Nekhua National Development Association, acknowledging her dedication to grassroots empowerment.

But Usiobaifo’s journey spans far beyond state accolades. In March 2024, she was celebrated by the U.S. Mission Nigeria as a Woman of Courage, a prestigious award conferred on women breaking cultural and legal barriers to advance human rights. She earned the honour for her role in reforming laws and challenging harmful sociocultural norms that perpetuate gender-based violence (GBV).

In an interview, she noted: “We can’t keep burying our girls in silence. Advocacy is not just about talking, it’s about shifting mindsets, policies, and lives.”

Usiobaifo’s advocacy for bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) gained her global recognition in 2021, when she was listed among Apolitical’s 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy worldwide. That same year, she was awarded by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for her grassroots work in child protection and women’s rights, particularly in underserved rural areas.

Her earlier recognitions include being named an Orange Champion by the U.S. Embassy Nigeria and a Beijing Eaglet by UN Women Nigeria in 2020. In 2019, she received the Yemisi Ransome Kuti (YRK) Leadership Award, a landmark recognition for young women leaders advancing gender justice in Nigeria.

Even as her influence grows, Usiobaifo remains a student of change. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Health, Law, and Policy at the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State. She holds a B.Sc. in Political Science, a National Diploma in Public Administration, and several international certifications.

Among them is a certificate in Strategic Leadership for Family Planning and Reproductive Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also a fellow of the Action Coalition Learning Exchange (ACLE) funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and an alumna of both the ARSRC Sexuality Leadership Development Fellowship (SLDF) and the CREA Sexuality, Gender and Rights Institute.

Beyond boardrooms and conferences, Usiobaifo’s work is deeply rooted in the field. She has led rescue efforts for girls at risk of child marriage, facilitated legal aid for survivors of abuse, and spearheaded campaigns that challenge silence around taboo issues.

Community members credit her with transforming lives. “She gave my daughter a voice,” said a parent in Edo State whose child avoided early marriage due to Usiobaifo’s intervention. “She fights for people who cannot speak for themselves.”

As gender-based violence continues to rise and women’s rights remain under threat, voices like Priscilla Usiobaifo’s have never been more critical. Her fight is not without challenges, but her resolve is unwavering.

“We don’t just need laws; we need justice to reach the people,” she said. “And that starts with courageous, consistent action.”

From rural Edo to global policy tables, Usiobaifo’s impact continues to ripple. For many women and girls in Nigeria, she is more than an activist, she is hope, walking.