Artist Moniker: MOH Awudu

Artist Name: Mohammed Awudu

Inspiration Poem: The City Holds Our Colors

Artwork Description

Empower Her is a vivid, symbolic mural that celebrates Black womanhood, creativity, and the boundless possibilities of African futures. Blending Afrofuturism with cultural heritage, the piece positions African women—rooted in history yet reaching fearlessly forward—as architects of tomorrow.

At the center stands a powerful Black woman rendered in regal purple tones, her presence radiating strength, transformation, and deep self-awareness. The keyhole on her forehead suggests the unlocking of knowledge, identity, and inner power. Floating beside her, a child in an astronaut suit embodies limitless imagination and exploration, symbolizing a generation unbound by gravity, borders, or expectation.

Cultural icons anchor the work: the Afro pick celebrates pride and natural beauty, while the golden sculptural form nods to ancestral wisdom, royalty, and legacy. Text elements such as “Future is Female—Empower Her” and “Rewrite Your Own Story – Lagos” reinforce the mural’s call to self-definition and gender equity, situating empowerment firmly within African contexts.

A warm tapestry of African textile patterns—reds, oranges, and yellows—grounds the futuristic imagery in tradition, while blue graffiti strokes bring the pulse of contemporary African street culture. Together, these layers form a dynamic visual language honoring women as carriers of light, catalysts of innovation, and writers of new narratives.

Empower Her stands as a declaration: African women are not just part of the future—they are shaping it.