Award-winning filmmaker and media entrepreneur, Chude Jideonwo, has named Senator Natasha Akpoti as his Culture Icon for 2025, describing her as the figure who most vividly embodied the Nigerian spirit over the past year.
Jideonwo, the host of the acclaimed talk show #WithChude, announced the selection in a statement released on Friday, emphasizing that the annual honour recognizes impact and significance rather than mere popularity or consensus.
According to Jideonwo, a Culture Icon is the individual who best explains the Nigerian condition at a particular moment in time.
He noted that Akpoti’s selection was defined by a specific brand of courage one that stands where others retreat and challenges power without apology.
“If you look at that person, you can understand a lot of Nigerians just by watching how they show up, how they fight, how they exist in the world,” Jideonwo stated. “In Natasha Akpoti, I saw that courage expressed in a deeply Nigerian form: bold, strategic, audacious, and unafraid of power.”
Jideonwo described his choice for 2025 as beyond doubt, citing Akpoti’s resilience in navigating public scrutiny, legal battles, and political isolation.
He likened her struggles ranging from court appearances to international advocacy to a modern David standing firmly before Goliath.
The media personality highlighted a specific incident that crystallized Akpoti’s significance, her decision to arrive by helicopter after allegedly being blocked from returning to her constituency by road for a homecoming event.
“That is someone who understands power, and understands how power works in Nigeria,” Chude noted.
The citation also acknowledged the gendered hostility Akpoti faced, pointing out the isolation she endured when no fellow female senator publicly defended her during her tribulations. Despite being prevented from speaking for her constituents in the Senate, Jideonwo praised her for maintaining a connection with the grassroots by returning home to commission projects.
“For all of it, for the courage, the audacity, the refusal to be silenced, and for the future she is forging, not just for herself, but for those watching her, Natasha Akpoti is my Culture Icon of the Year 2025,” Jideonwo concluded.
Senator Akpoti joins a diverse list of past honourees, including investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo and music stars Naira Marley and Rema, who Jideonwo believes captured the essence of Nigeria in their respective years.
