Zuriel Oduwole, a 22-year-old advocate for peace, education, and gender equality, has been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The recognition is due to her incredible work promoting peace and education around the world.
The young Nigerian-American has already met with 31 world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, to discuss important issues like education and peace.
She’s not your average teenager. At just 13 years old, she tried to mediate a territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela! She even met with then-President David Granger at the United Nations to emphasize the importance of peaceful dialogue.
Zuriel received the Forbes Women Achievement Award in 2024 and the Ban-ki-moon Leadership Award in 2022.
Education is Key
Oduwole believes that education is essential for both development and stability. She was inspired to become an advocate for education when she saw young girls in Accra selling goods instead of attending school.
This experience led her to use documentary filmmaking to raise awareness about the barriers to education.
Empowering Young People
Ms Oduwole founded “Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up” to empower young people, especially girls, to advocate for their rights and future opportunities. Through storytelling and diplomacy, she has inspired change and influenced policies around the world.
Zuriel’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize shows the growing impact of youth advocacy in global policy and peace efforts.
Yet, she’s not the only Nigerian to have been nominated for the prestigious award. In 2018, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education, Dr (Mrs) Obiageli Ezekwesili was one of five nominees eventually won by Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad.
We wish Nigeria a better luck this time.
The winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday, 10 October this year.
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