“I have never sought recognition, only to speak up where it’s needed.”
At just 22 years old, Nigerian-American advocate Zuriel Oduwole has been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing her significant contributions to peace, education, and gender equality. Born in Los Angeles to Nigerian grandparents, Oduwole has engaged with over 35 world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, to discuss policies aimed at improving education access for marginalized communities and promoting systemic change.
Oduwole’s commitment to education began at the age of nine when she observed young girls in Accra selling goods instead of attending school. This experience inspired her to use documentary filmmaking to raise awareness about educational barriers. In 2013, she founded the “Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up” (DUSUSU) initiative to empower youth, especially girls, to advocate for education and leadership opportunities. The initiative has reached young people across Africa and the Caribbean, providing tools to promote gender equality.
Her diplomatic efforts are equally noteworthy. At 13, Oduwole mediated a territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, meeting with then-President David Granger at the United Nations to emphasize the importance of peaceful dialogue. In 2020, she consulted with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on global peace strategies during the Arab blockade of Qatar, which concluded peacefully in 2021.
In 2022, Oduwole received the 8th UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Leadership Award in New York, recognizing her decade-long mediation efforts and advocacy for gender parity. Her involvement was instrumental in ending child marriage in Mozambique in 2019, following discussions with President Filipe Nyusi.
Upon learning of her Nobel Peace Prize nomination, Oduwole expressed humility and surprise, stating, “I have never sought recognition, only to speak up where it’s needed.” Her nomination underscores the growing impact of youth advocacy in global policy and sustainable peace efforts.
