#JusticeForOchanya
Executive Summary
This paper examines the #JusticeForOchanya movement, an intergenerational feminist movement in Nigeria demanding accountability for the death of 13-year-old Ochanya Ogbanje, who passed away on 17 October 2018 from vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) after enduring years of sexual abuse by male relatives. Using a qualitative case study methodology, including semi-structured interviews with key feminist mobilisers and a literature review, the research demonstrates how Nigeria’s ‘Soro Soke’ generation – youth aged 15–29 – is transforming digital activism into civic action despite institutional constraints.
Key findings reveal that decentralised digital mobilisation, intergenerational feminist solidarity, cultural inclusivity through Indigenous language translation, and strategic political engagement generated public pressure, leading to renewed legislative attention in 2025. However, persistent challenges, including legal inertia, financial constraints, and activist burnout, underscore the gap between visibility and structural change. This paper provides key insights into youth movements in Nigeria, emphasising the integration of digital and offline strategies, the cultivation of emotional resilience as a component of movement infrastructure, and the necessity of documentation to translate activism into measurable policy reform.
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Table of contents
| Executive summary | 1 | ||
| 1 | Introduction: Nigeria’s Youth Demographic and Democratic Participation | 2 | |
| 2 | Nigeria’s Soro Soke Generation: Speaking Up Against Injustice | 2 | |
| 3 | The #JusticeForOchanya Movement: Demanding Accountability in Constrained Systems | 3 | |
| 4 | Methodology and Theoretical Framework | 4 | |
| 5 | Key Findings | 5 | |
| 5.1 | Digital Feminist Mobilisation | 5 | |
| 5.2 | Indigenous Narration | 6 | |
| 5.3 | Intergenerational Solidarity | 6 | |
| 5.4 | Emotional Resilience | 7 | |
| 5.5 | Documentation and Data Politics | 7 | |
| 5.6 | Political Engagement and Institutional Barriers | 8 | |
| 6 | Policy Recommendations and Conclusion | 8 | |
| References | 10 |