After months of stakeholder engagements, mobilization drives, and strategic political advocacy, the campaign for Nigeria’s Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349) reached a defining moment on September 22nd 2025 with a march to the National Assembly during the public hearing of the HB1349.

 Olawumi Heavens, Founder of AWIPA Women’s Foundation and the African Women in Politics Arise Platform , emphasized that the coordinated build-up leading to the march represents the collective demand of Nigerian women for inclusion.

She said it called for absolute support from lawmakers and citizens alike to ensure the bill’s passage.

“The Reserved Seats Bill is not just another proposal – it is the result of deliberate strategy, stakeholder dialogue, and grassroots mobilization across states. 

“This bill is a generational dream, and the moment has come for Nigeria to act, ” she said.

She further stressed that as Africa’s “big brother,” Nigeria must set the standard for inclusive democracy. 

Drawing from continental examples, she said Rwanda, where women hold over 60% of parliamentary seats, has experienced steady GDP growth alongside transformative policies in health and education. 

She added that Senegal’s gender parity law dramatically increased women’s representation and contributed to far-reaching reforms.

“The passage of HB 1349 would not only strengthen Nigeria’s democracy but also unleash untapped economic and social potential,” Heavens said. “This is a chance for Nigeria to lead by example.”

The widely-circulated photograph from the September 22nd march is already considered symbolic of the struggle for women’s political inclusion. 

For Heavens, it reflects the resilience and power of Nigerian women- comparable to the suffrage marches of Europe and America or the liberation protests across Africa.

“This image is more than a moment frozen in time.

 “It is a declaration that Nigerian women are no longer spectators – we are active architects of democracy,” she said.

She urged the National Assembly and all Nigerians to support the passage of the Reserved Seats for Women Bill (HB 1349).

She said its success will mark a victory not only for women but for Nigeria’s future as a stronger, more inclusive democracy.