Franca Afegbua

Franca Afegbua was born in Okpella, Edo State in 1943 and completed her post-secondary education in Sofia, Bulgaria. Prior to the beginning of the second republic, she worked as a hairdresser in Lagos serving high-income clients. She had a close relationship with Joseph Tarka, who introduced her to his party, NPN. In 1983, when she announced her intention to make a challenge for a senatorial seat in Bendel, few felt that she could win. Her party was in opposition and the incumbent governor and senator were respected men in the community. But Afegbua, who had won an international hairstyling competition in 1977, strategized that wooing more women to vote could give her a victory. Her victory in the hairstyling competition had made her name popular within her Etsako community; she targeted women voters, and, as her campaign gained steam, it was too late to curb. She won a slim victory in the August election, defeating John Umolu. She became the first elected woman senator in Nigeria and the first elected black female senator in the world. Her political journey was, however, cut short as the military coup of December 1983 toppled the civilian government less than three months after she assumed office. Afegbua died on 12 March 2023, at age 79. She was eulogized by many Nigerians as a trailblazer and a role model for women in politics.