By Moses Kolo
Mr Israel Audu, Executive Director, Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF), says film and storytelling can inspire girls and change perceptions about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Audu stated this on Friday at a gathering on “The Science of African Women”, organised by the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria in collaboration with KADIFF and Women for Africa Foundation in Kaduna.
He said film could go beyond entertainment to create conversations, change perceptions and build bridges across sectors and cultures.
According to him, the event demonstrates how cinema can serve as a tool for education, advocacy, cultural exchange and social development.
“We must continue to create opportunities for young girls, particularly those in underserved communities, to see science not as a distant field, but as a space where they belong, can lead and can transform lives,” he said.
Audu said supporting women in science was not simply about inclusion but an investment in Africa’s future.
He said when women and girls had access to opportunities, resources, mentorship and platforms to excel, society would benefit from their contributions.
The KADIFF executive director said the festival believed in partnerships that promoted creativity, education, cultural diplomacy, inclusion and empowerment.
He expressed appreciation to the Embassy of Spain, Women for Africa Foundation and other partners for creating a platform to highlight the contributions of African women scientists.
Also speaking, María Almela, Coordinator, Science by Women Programme, Women for Africa Foundation, said African women had the talent to excel in science but needed more opportunities to lead and thrive.
“It is not that talent is not there. It is not that African women in science do not exist. It is that simply there are not many programmes that are designed for them to lead and to thrive specifically,” she said.
Almela said the programme sought to create opportunities for scientific collaboration, leadership and long-term partnerships between African women scientists and institutions in Spain.
She stressed the need for African women to participate in decision-making processes where scientific priorities and funding were determined.
“We need to create spaces where scientific creation is actually co-led, is co-created, is co-owned,” she said.
Prof. Gloria Chechet, a molecular parasitologist and Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said women could contribute to emerging areas of science, including artificial intelligence (AI), even without being computer scientists.
Chechet said her own scientific work had evolved from biochemistry and parasitology into the application of AI in disease diagnosis, demonstrating the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.
She urged young women to remain open to different possibilities, stressing that “you may start with biology today and you end up working with computers.”
Dr Ibetade Jawonisi, a biochemist at Kaduna Polytechnic, called for improved science education, mentorship and the use of creative methods to make science more accessible to girls.
“Science is not difficult. But we can make science friendly,” Jawonisi said, advocating the use of practical experiences, puzzles and visual materials to make learning more engaging.
She also called for the emergence of more female role models in science, describing them as “she-roes” who could inspire girls to pursue careers in STEM.
Mrs Gloria Ibrahim, Commissioner for Youth Development, Kaduna State, said changing the mindset of young people remained critical to helping them identify and maximise their potential.
Ibrahim said mentorship was important because young people needed guidance to avoid mistakes, discover their strengths and find ways of turning their abilities into productive livelihoods.
She said every young person had unique strengths, adding that society needed to help them discover, harness and maximise those abilities.
The gathering brought together women scientists, government representatives, filmmakers and other stakeholders to highlight the achievements and contributions of African women in STEM.(NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
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