Taiwanese NGO honours Karimot Odebode with Global Love of Lives Award

A Taiwanese non-governmental organisation (NGO), Chou Ta-Kuan Cultural and Educational Foundation, in Lagos on Thursday, honoured Nigerian poet and lawyer, Karimot Odebode, with the Global Love of Lives Award.

The poet-lawyer, girl-child advocate, and founder of the Black Girl’s Dream Initiative (BGDI), was honoured with the award for her literary and humanitarian works in empowering young girls and women in Nigeria.

Odebode was officially received by the Head of Mission at the Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria, Andy Yih-Ping Liu.

Liu commented on the Taiwan-Nigeria relationship, noting the spirit of humanity the Taiwanese people embody, as they are always the first to come to rescue in times of crisis, yet being the last to leave.

According to the organisers of the award, part of the honour includes a visit by Odebode and her family to Taiwan this September for the one-week Life is Love, Earth is Priceless Charity Series event.

The foundation also announced the publication of the Chinese edition of Odebode’s poetry collection, ‘A Woman Has Many Names’, in Taiwan.

With support from the Overseas Community Affairs Council and the Taipei Trade Office in Nigeria, the founder of the foundation, Chou Chin-Hua, and the foundation’s chairperson, Guo Ying-Lan, led a six-member delegation of Taiwanese to Nigeria.

Chou Chin-Hua stated that the February visit was in response to invitations from the Global Love of Lives Medal recipients, including Karimot Odedabo, Danish charity angel Anja Ringgren Lovén, and Nigerian child artist Waris Olamilekan Kareem.

The foundation supported the work of the Black Girls’ Dream Initiative with a donation of US$5,000, while recognising the Ayowole Academy of Arts, the Land of Hope, and other organisations in Nigeria advocating a world free from poverty and inequality.

They also donated the English edition of Chang Kuo-Chu’s posthumous work, ‘I Still Have One Leg’, along with gifts from Taiwan to encourage disadvantaged students, artists, and humanitarians across the country.

In Karimot Odebode’s delegation to the Taipei Trade Office were the programme manager of the BGDI, Fatimah Adebimpe; project officer at BGDI, Foyinsaye Ejilola; and Abdulateef Odebode.

Odebode describe the event as a celebration of “Taiwan love, Nigerian affection,” adding that it underscores the growing cultural and civic ties between Nigeria and Taiwan.

She said that the initiative promotes dialogue and collaboration across generations, cultures, and religions, aiming to reach many people — including the marginalised girls — by fostering unity, diversity, empathy, and mutual respect.

Guo Ying-Lan lauded Odebode for the work she does through policy-making, poetry, or social activism, and for building a world where girls receive education, youth are empowered, and feminist leadership shapes the future of development.

Karimot Odedabo has taken her advocacy to the United Nations, uniting global youth to launch the ‘We, the Youth of the World Declaration for Educational Transformation’.