October always feels special. It’s the month Nigeria celebrates her independence, and beyond the flags and green-white-green parades, it’s a time to remind ourselves of who we are and what makes us beautifully unique which is our culture.

When it comes to carrying Nigeria’s culture with pride, a few women stand out, not just because of how they celebrate it but because of how they live it and we want to celebrate a few of them.

Bolanle Austen-Peters

Biodun Austen Peters aka the “queen of theatre,” is a Nigerian award-winning lawyer, filmmaker, and theatre director celebrated for her groundbreaking contributions to the Nigerian arts and culture scene. She is the founder of BAP Productions and the Terra Kulture cultural center in Lagos. Austen-Peters has produced acclaimed stage musicals and films, such as “Fela and the Kalakuta Queens” and “The Bling Lagosians.” She has proven that our history, legends, and even struggles are worthy of world-class performances.

Ifeoma Fafunwa 

Ifeoma Fafunwa is the founder and creative director of iOpenEye Africa, a Nigerian production company driving social change through performance art. With plays like Hear Word!, Ifeoma doesn’t just entertain she challenges us to think. Her theatre projects highlight the strength of Nigerian women, while still rooting every performance in our languages, folklore, and culture. She proves that art can be both powerful and proudly Nigerian. She serves as an inspiration to Nigerian playwright and performers who seek to drive and promote the African culture.

Kaltume Bulama Gana

As the first female Artistic Director of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Kaltume has taken dance, folklore, and storytelling to new heights. Her paintings and tapestries that depict Northern Nigerian traditions and feminist history, her leadership at the History & Culture Bureau in Kano, and her founding of the Herwa Heart of Art Initiative to teach vocational skills to young women affected by the Boko Haram insurgency remind us that culture heals, unites, and must be preserved.

Nike Okundaye

When you think of Adire, tie-dye, and batik, you think of Mama Nike. Through her Nike Art Gallery and years of tireless work, she has preserved and showcased Nigerian textiles to the world. Thanks to her, our fabrics are not just cloth, they are identity, history, and pride.

Yemi Alade

Yemi Alade, aka Mama Africa, wears Nigeria boldly, from her music videos to her global stages, She sings in Yoruba, Igbo, Pidgin, and even French, while rocking Ankara, beads, and traditional dances too. She’s living proof that you can be global and still stay rooted in your culture. These women show us that don’t need to trade your culture to shine globally. Yes, western innovations are tools we can use to grow, learn, and connect but our roots are not something to discard.

So, as we celebrate Nigeria this October, let’s proudly rep our culture, whether it’s by wearing Ankara to work, teaching our children their mother tongue, or simply carrying your culture in your heart, always.