Laila Dogonyaro’s life journey began with a roadblock. She was a bright young girl on her way to secondary school, but in Northern Nigeria at the time, education for girls was not a priority. Instead, at just 13, she was married off, her academic dreams cut short.

For many, that would have been the end. For Laila, it was only the beginning. She refused to let her circumstances define her and instead channelled her experiences into a lifelong fight for women’s empowerment. In 1963, she co-founded Jam'iyyar Matan Arewa, an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of Northern women through education and political participation.

Determined to take her advocacy further, she entered politics in 1977, contesting for a seat in Kaduna State. By 1979, as a member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), she was challenging deeply entrenched patriarchal norms, demanding a seat at the table for women in governance.

Her leadership extended beyond politics. She led the Kaduna State chapter of the National Council for Women’s Societies (NCWS) before becoming its national president. Her relentless advocacy earned her the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger in 2001.