Ireti Bakare Yusuf is a Nigerian media professional, broadcast personality and feminist advocate whose work over the last two decades has centred on amplifying women’s voices, challenging patriarchal norms and advancing gender equity through media, public discourse and activism. As the Principal Partner of NottingHill Media and the founder of the No More movement and Purple Women Foundation (PWF), she has become one of the most visible and persistent voices pushing for social change in Nigeria’s gender discourse landscape.
Early Career and Media Influence
Ireti Bakare Yusuf’s career bridges management, media strategy and public advocacy. She is the Principal Partner of NottingHill Media, a company that operates at the intersection of marketing, public relations and media production. Her experience spans over 25 years in management roles across sectors including media, technology and corporate communications.
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In addition to her executive role, she has built a strong presence on Nigerian radio and television. Bakare Yusuf has regularly appeared as a radio personality and news analyst, particularly on Smooth FM’s Freshly Pressed, where her commentary engages broad audiences on social and political topics.
Her broadcasting work has helped establish her reputation as an opinion leader in public conversations about governance, culture and societal attitudes toward gender. She is also associated with shows such as Borderlines on Nigeria Info FM, extending her engaging presence in the media landscape.
Documentary Filmmaking
In 2015, Bakare Yusuf broadened her media impact through filmmaking. She wrote, co directed and produced the documentary Buhari & the Burden of Expectations, an insightful look into the personal and public dimensions of Nigeria’s then presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari. The film was nominated in the Best Documentary category at the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF), a leading cinematic event in Africa.
This documentary showcased her interest in storytelling that bridges political inquiry and public curiosity, offering nuanced perspectives beyond mainstream news reporting.
No More Movement: A Platform to Break Silence
One of Bakare Yusuf’s most impactful initiatives is the No More movement, a platform she founded to encourage survivors of sexual abuse and harassment to speak out against their attackers.
The No More movement emerged from her recognition that in Nigeria, a culture of silence often compounds the trauma of gender-based violence. The initiative became a rallying point for survivors to find solidarity, share their experiences and demand accountability. It played a significant role in shaping public dialogue around sexual abuse, beyond individual stories and into structural patterns of injustice.
Through No More, Bakare Yusuf has championed a safe space for reporting violations, fostered community awareness and worked to dismantle social stigmas that deter victims from coming forward.
Purple Women Foundation: Feminist Advocacy in Action
In addition to No More, Bakare Yusuf is the founder of the Purple Women Foundation (PWF), an activism platform dedicated to women’s rights, gender equality and the dismantling of patriarchal barriers.
Under her leadership, PWF has been a space for public dialogue and advocacy on systemic gender bias, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and broader cultural barriers that limit women’s political participation and leadership opportunities.
At various public forums and leadership discussions, Bakare Yusuf has called for intentional policy actions, legal enforcement and cultural transformation to address SGBV and deepen women’s representation in decision making. She emphasizes that laws alone are not enough. Societal attitudes and patterns of silence must change for accountability and progress to be meaningful.
Advocacy and Leadership
Central to Ireti Bakare Yusuf’s work is a progressive critique of patriarchy and its influence on governance, social institutions and gender relations in Nigeria. She argues that patriarchal dominance not only sustains inequality in public and private spaces but also reinforces barriers that silence women and marginalize their contributions.
In national conversations about politics and gender, she has drawn parallels between movements like EndSARS, which confronted police brutality and state power, and the larger struggle against gender oppression. She asserts that both require collective resistance to entrenched systems that marginalize voices calling for justice.
Her public engagement extends to speaking out on current issues such as calls for political accountability and critiques of leadership failures.
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Impact: A Voice Beyond Media
Ireti Bakare Yusuf’s influence reaches beyond media production into national gender discourse and community activism. Her work reframes dialogue around abuse, provides platforms for survivors and urges policy and cultural action. She occupies a space where media strategy meets social advocacy, leveraging story, voice and public engagement to challenge norms that silence women.
Her contributions have helped foster more inclusive conversations about gender, justice and leadership in Nigeria, inspiring others to join the pursuit of equality and accountability.
Author’s Note
Ireti Bakare Yusuf is a Nigerian media strategist and feminist advocate whose work amplifies women’s voices, challenges systemic gender bias and fosters dialogue around Sexual and Gender Based Violence. This article highlights her verified achievements in media, documentary filmmaking, public advocacy and initiatives like No More and the Purple Women Foundation, reflecting a career dedicated to social change, empowerment and public engagement.
References
Ireti Bakare Yusuf profile at BellaNaija
Punch Newspapers interview with Ireti Bakare Yusuf
Independent Newspaper feature on SGBV and patriarchy reform
Social Media Week Lagos speaker directory
AFRIFF documentary information
Twitter profile noting roles and affiliations
Law and Society Magazine coverage of advocacy positions
