In this stirring TEDx talk, Her Excellency Hafsat Kolere Buni, First Lady of Yobe State, Nigeria shares the deeply personal journey behind her decision to reclaim her freedom, and why education is the key to giving girls that same right. It’s a call to empower the girl child with the tools, voice, and freedom to choose her own path. With raw honesty and quiet strength, she unpacks the emotional and societal toll of choosing autonomy in a world that often punishes women for saying no. It is a story of courage, choice, and the transformative power of education. Her Excellency Hajiya Hafsat Kollere-Buni is a compassionate humanitarian, gender advocate, and the First Lady of Yobe State, Nigeria. With a solid academic foundation in Political Science, she brings a rare combination of intellect and empathy to her mission of creating inclusive opportunities for women, youth, and underserved populations across Northern Nigeria, especially North-East. She is the visionary Founder of the Ma’aruf Foundation, a platform through which she leads impactful programs in education, women and youth empowerment, health, digital empowerment, and community development. Her recent initiatives include digital literacy and artificial intelligence training for women in Damaturu, the EDULIFT Project that supports secondary school students preparing for WAEC and NECO exams, street children rehabilitation campaigns, and targeted empowerment programs for victims of flood disasters. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx