Over 220 remarkable women gathered in Abuja on May 24th, 2025, for the second edition of The Bridge, hosted by visionary leader Aisha Abdullahi Adamu, this year’s theme, ‘Celebrating Our Passage on the Bridge,” This year’s edition was born out of a reflection of last year’s conference, where a bridge of information was built but not of connection.
This year’s edition was designed as a society brunch, a gathering for extraordinary women who are crossing life’s many bridges, undergoing career shifts, identity shifts, motherhood, grief, healing, and growth.
In her opening remarks, Aisha spoke from her heart, saying “The Bridge is created to honour the transitions that don’t make it to Instagram, the quiet crossings, the sacred stretch between who you were and who you are still becoming. The Bridge is never about applause, but about arrival, about grief that went unseen, joy that was delayed, strength that no one clapped for. It is about choosing yourself again and again even with shaky hands”.
The Bridge is more than brunch, it is a love letter to becoming, a mirror for healing, and a sacred space for truth.
The gathering featured an impactful keynote address by Hon. Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who offered timeless life lessons. She spoke about dependability, integrity, goal setting, and the importance of drawing vision boards that involve family. She emphasized that honoring one’s parents, saying “no” to preserve freedom, and celebrating both small and big wins are key to leading a meaningful life. “Invest in people, even for free,” she encouraged, “and always make others feel important.”
The Day’s Highlights:
Unlike a typical brunch or formal gathering, The Bridge is intentionally designed to go deeper. With soft music, handwritten prompts, and shared stories, the event offered an atmosphere of vulnerability and celebration. The centerpiece of the experience was;
The Memory Bridge Wall – not a mere décor, but an emotional archive where women anonymously hung personal reflections, what they’ve crossed, what they are releasing, and what they want to remember.
The Bridge Toast – led by Aisha Abdullahi Adamu herself, invites women to a powerful ritual to raise their glasses in honor of the women we have become and an opportunity to speak courage over what lies ahead.
Live storytelling rounds featuring 10 deeply inspiring women who took the stage as storytellers, each sharing a piece of their passage across life’s bridges. This powerful lineup includes Adanma Okoro Ekedebe, COO of UNNO Health Group, Dr. Mariya I Abdullahi, Chairperson of High-Level Women Advocates (HiLWA) on Girl Child; Dr. Hilda Ashio Titiloye, Founder and Group CEO of UNNO Health Group; Ruqyya Tofa-Basheer, Founder of Raw Beauty, Ummi Foundation and ABBA; Aisha Abba Kyari, a Public Wealth ManagementProfessional; Rukkaya Mohammed, Founder of REEDAS/ SEE by Rukkayah; Zara Muhammad Buhari-Indimi, Founder of ZMB Homes and In Conversation with Zahra; Olu Olufemi-White, CEO Alami Capital; Aisha Falke, founder of NorthernHibiscus; Lanre Da Silve Ajayi, Creative Director of LDA. Each story reminded the room that healing, growth, and courage often begin in silence.
The event was further graced by distinguished Special Guest such as Hauwa Indimi, CEO of Thel; Aisha Sani Dangote, CEO of Ayce Gelato; Zainab Zira, Senior Regulatory Officer of NUPRC, Haj. Ramatu Dalhatu Musa MFR, mni, Former National President of National Council of Women Societies in Nigeria; Rt.Hon. Amb. Princess Nikky Onyeri, Secretary General of the Association of Women Traditional Title Holders in Nigeria; Haj. Barr. Khadija Abdullahi Adamu, Founder of Child Rights Foundation; Mrs. Cecilia Philips Dada, School Proprietress Business Entrepreneur; Hafsat Almakura; Nneamaka Okafor, Special Adviser and Communication to the Minister for Petroleum Resources (Oil); Haj. Hauwa Abdullahi Albashir; Dupe Olusola, CEO of DOVA Capital, whose presence brought warmth and inspiration to the room.
Reflections on The Bridge 2025 By The Host Aisha Abdullahi Adamu
When I think back on The Bridge 2025, the moment that stands still in my heart is when Olu Olufemi-White shared her story. It felt like time slowed down, like every word she spoke was an invitation for us all to see ourselves, to honor our own becoming.
There was also an unexpected encounter that pierced my heart: I ran into my late friend’s sister. Seeing her there in this space that was meant for connection and healing made me realize just how deeply The Bridge holds space for every story, even the ones we thought we had tucked away. It reminded me that we carry the past and the future together.
As I spoke to the women who attended, they told me: “I’m so glad I came. I would have been sad if I missed this. This was exactly where I needed to be.”
That affirmation wasn’t just for the event, it was a whisper to my soul that this work is necessary, and it’s only just beginning.
Of course, not everything went as planned. We ran longer than I expected, and a few storytellers didn’t express the depth of emotion I had envisioned. But the Memory Wall filled with reflections and the Bridge Toast, raised high in unison, made up for every hiccup. And perhaps the most poetic detail? The venue itself overlooks an actual bridge, a visual echo of our inner journeys.
I was moved by how many people left their words on the Memory Wall, and how I got to meet almost every woman who placed her card there. The stories were heavy, hopeful, and holy.
During The Bridge Toast, the room lifted, people smiled, they clapped, they cheered. It wasn’t just a toast; it was a collective blessing.
When it was over, I didn’t feel tired. I felt fulfilled. Energized. Excited. Like I had accomplished something real and lasting.
If I could sum up The Bridge 2025 in one phrase, it would be:
We came. We heard. We connected.
And through it all, I’ve learned something profound:
I am an actual bridge.
A bridge between generations, between silence and story, between fear and truth.
And there are so many women who are drawing strength from that bridge.
This isn’t just a brunch. It’s a movement.
And it’s only just beginning.
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