Nigerian Catholic sister wins $1.2m Opus Prize

A reverend sister from Nigeria has been awarded the 2024 Opus Prize.

Sister Francisca Ngozi Uti, founder and executive director of the Centre for Women Studies and Intervention (CWSI) in Abuja, Nigeria, won the prestigious $1.2 million honor which recognizes extraordinary humanitarian efforts worldwide.

During the award ceremony on November 14 at Santa Clara University in California’s Silicon Valley, Sister Ngozi, a member of the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ), expressed profound gratitude.

“Did I ever imagine being nominated as the laureate? Honestly, no,” she said. “Words seem inadequate to capture the depth of my joy. My heart overflows with gratitude. I never dreamed the work my team and I have been doing in remote communities would gain recognition, not just locally but across the Atlantic in the United States.”

Ngozi thanked the Opus Prize jury for believing in her mission to alleviate suffering among marginalized groups.

Reflecting on her journey, Sister Ngozi credited her father for ensuring she received an education despite societal challenges.

“Thank you, Papa. Your sacrifice was not in vain,” she said, adding that her congregation’s founder, Mother Mary Charles Magdalene Walker, inspired her life of courage and faith.

CWSI, under Sister Ngozi’s leadership, empowers women to become politically aware, socially responsible, and economically independent. The organization also advocates for women’s inclusion in government roles and the enforcement of legal provisions against gender-based violence in five Nigerian states.