From a childhood literary prize to the United Nations, the Nigerian spoken word artist has turned verse into a tool for climate action, youth leadership and social change.
When Victory Ashaka steps onto a stage, he does not simply recite a poem. He creates a moment, his voice rises and falls, his words land like a call to action. For the Nigerian spoken word poet, climate activist and youth leader, poetry is not an escape from the world. It is a way to change it.
His journey began far from the global platforms he now addresses. Born in Namibia to Nigerian parents, he returned to Nigeria at the age of two, he grew up with a love of poetry and the arts. At twelve, a literary competition win gave him the confidence to take his writing seriously. That early victory set him on a path of social impact.
He later studied English Literature at Lagos State University. There, he served as president of the Literary Voice Club and as an ex-officio member of the LASU Debate Society. He also became a certified Leadership Fellow of the Management Institute of Finland in Helsinki, completing a programme designed to equip leaders with practical skills and innovative strategies for impactful management and entrepreneurship.
The turning point in his public life came in 2020. During the pandemic, Ashaka began to reflect on the fragility of the planet. He joined an organisation that used artwork to depict climate change and to create climate solutions.
His first exposure to climate activism came through writing a poem on the subject for a project that drew the participation of the UN Deputy Secretary-General. From that moment, spoken word became his instrument of advocacy.
In 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations nominated him as the Official World Food Forum Poet. He performed a piece on healthy diets, a healthy planet and healing the world. Since then, he has performed at UNICEF headquarters, the United Nations, TEDx platforms, the Italian Consulate and the British Deputy High Commission.
His influence extends beyond performance. He serves as Vice Chairperson of the European Union Youth Sounding Board in Nigeria, where he provides strategic insights on key areas shaping EU programmes, including the green and digital economy, human development, governance, and peace and security.
He is also a member of UNICEF Generation Unlimited’s Young People’s Action Team, where he combines creative expression with strategic action to drive social impact and champion education, digital inclusion and skill development in Lagos State and New York. In addition, he is a Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld, the education charity. He also served as a Lagos State Youth Ambassador, leading the Badagry division.
As Team Lead of the Badagry division, Ashaka led a team of ambassadors to organise more than seventeen social impact projects, reaching over twenty thousand young people. These included the Mega Changemakers Conference, which empowered over a thousand changemakers, as well as Plant A Tree for Life, Climate Education, Tour Badagry and School Sensitisation Tours.
His tree planting and climate education work was the basis for his recognition as a 2024 Diana Award recipient, the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts. The award was established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Recognition has continued to follow. In 2025, he was honoured with the Icon of Impact in Literature Award at the Lord’s Achievers Award, a ceremony organised by Nigeria Distilleries Limited that celebrates outstanding young Nigerians whose contributions are shaping the nation’s future.
The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, congratulated him on the achievement, describing him as a shining example of the university’s culture of excellence.
That same year, he was invited to the Theirworld High Level SDG4 Dinner at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he delivered a spoken word piece and shared a panel with Catherine Russell, the UNICEF Executive Director, Micheál Martin, the Prime Minister of Ireland, and Tom Fletcher, the UN Under Secretary General.
He has also been nominated for the Future Awards Africa Prize for Young Person of the Year and named an SME100 Africa 25 Under 25 honoree.
Despite the accolades, Ashaka remains focused on service. He describes himself as a high energy spoken word performer. His artistic mantra is to serve humanity with profound words, acting as a beacon of hope for others to find their paths. From Badagry to the global stage, his journey is a testament to resilience, creativity and purpose driven leadership. It is also a reminder that a voice from a Nigerian community can resonate around the world.
