No Male Running Mate, No Retreat: How Nihad Kafui Mumuni Broke Gender Barriers to Lead Akatsi College of Education
AKATSI, (Volta Region) August 2 2026
For Miss Nihad Kafui Mumuni, the journey to becoming the first female President of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of Akatsi College of Education in the Volta Region was not only a political contest but also a test of courage, conviction, and resilience in the face of deeply rooted perceptions about women and leadership.,
The Level 200 Bachelor of Education (Mathematics and Science) student made history after winning the recently held SRC elections on July 26th 2026, becoming the first woman to occupy the highest student leadership position in the history of the College.
Her victory represents a significant milestone for gender inclusion in student governance, but behind the historic achievement was a difficult path marked by obstacles, uncertainty, and the need to challenge traditional assumptions about who should lead.
When she was engaged by Veritas News GH over the weekend, Miss Mumuni, revealed that one of the most difficult moments in her campaign was finding a running mate for the election. According to her, several male students who were approached to serve as her vice president declined the opportunity because they were uncomfortable with the idea of serving under a female presidential candidate.
She explained that some believed a male candidate should rather lead the ticket, reflecting a perception that leadership positions, particularly influential ones, are naturally suited for men. This, she said, nearly caused her to ignore her dream to contest
Despite these challenges, Miss Mumuni refused to abandon her ambition. She remained committed to her vision and continued searching for a partner who believed in the purpose of the campaign beyond gender considerations.
Her breakthrough came when one Mr Joseph Atsu Akpoto agreed to become her running mate, giving her campaign the support needed to compete successfully in the election.
Mr Akpoto said his decision was influenced by the strength of their ideas, commitment, and desire to serve students rather than the gender of the person leading the team.
“Numerous women are doing well out there in leadership; I believe in the work being done, not who is doing the work,” he said.
He also disclosed to veritasnewsgh that he faced questions from some colleagues who felt he could have contested as the presidential candidate instead. However, he maintained that leadership should be based on competence, vision, and the ability to deliver results.
The experience, according to Miss Mumuni, strengthened her resolve to promote a leadership culture where individuals are assessed based on their abilities rather than stereotypes.
Born as the first child of Mr Alidu Khalid and Madam Amponsah Florence, Miss Mumuni believes her upbringing contributed significantly to the development of her leadership qualities. She said being the eldest child placed responsibilities on her at an early age and helped shape her discipline, accountability, and willingness to serve others.
“Being the firstborn in my family shaped my sense of responsibility and discipline,” she said.
After the running-mate issues, one major obstacle they faced was the ability to convince colleague students to buy into their idea and leadership policies, a situation which forced them to coin policies that would matter to the student welfare being, build a conducive environment for academic excellence, rebrand entertainment to unearth and nurture talents, and also make sports and games more attractive to achieve the core values of the institutions which are Heard, Heart, Hand
And with a strong interest in practical solutions, student empowerment, and inclusive governance, Miss Mumuni built her campaign around her slogan dubbed “Operation 4WARD” agenda, which seeks to introduce a leadership approach focused on measurable progress, student engagement, and improved welfare.
She explained that her desire to lead did not emerge suddenly during the election period. According to her, the inspiration began during her Level 100 year when she observed previous SRC executives and studied their leadership approaches.
Miss Mumuni said while some experiences from previous administrations exposed areas that needed improvement, she also learnt valuable lessons from positive leadership practices that she intends to adopt in her administration.
“I learnt from both the strengths and weaknesses of previous administrations, and these experiences have shaped the kind of leader I want to become,” she said.
Before joining Akatsi College of Education, Miss Mumuni started her education at Presbyterian Basic School, Nungua, before proceeding to Sokode Senior High Technical School, where she continued developing her academic and leadership interests.
Her achievements have already attracted admiration from students, elected executives, and staff members who describe her as hardworking, determined, and capable of leading the College’s student body.
She secured 376 votes, representing 35.94 per cent of the 1,046 votes cast, emerging ahead of her closest contenders, Atiah Richard, who obtained 349 votes (33.36 per cent), and Dzata Shine Anani, who polled 315 votes (30.11 per cent).
A handing-over ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, August 8, 2026, during which the outgoing SRC administration will officially transfer leadership responsibilities to Miss Mumuni and her team.
Ahead of the transition, Master Lawoekpor Derrick, the SRC Secretary-elect, pledged to strengthen communication between students and leadership through innovative engagement platforms to make her administration a memorable one
He announced plans to introduce the “Open Voice Box” initiative, which will combine a traditional physical suggestion box with an electronic feedback system through Google Forms to ensure that students’ concerns are regularly received and addressed.
For many students and observers, Miss Nihad Kafui Mumuni’s journey represents more than an SRC election victory. It reflects the gradual breaking of barriers that have limited women’s participation in leadership and serves as encouragement to young women who aspire to take up influential roles.
Her story demonstrates that leadership is not defined by gender but by courage, competence, vision, and the willingness to serve.
