At the present age when issues of gender equality and respect for social values have begun to gain limelight, women in Anambra State have been reassured of an increased spotlight to have stronger presence in global stage.
The wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Dr Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano,
gave the reassurance in an address at the 2019 Mothers’ Summit, held at the Doctor Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.
Mothers’ Summit is an annual all-women event that brings all the women from the twenty-one council areas of Anambra State to deliberate on social, educational, economic and cultural issues affecting women and to usher in the annual August Meeting.
On display at each of the local government’s stand were hand-made farm produce unique to a particular community, while there were also
distinct attires to differenciate the women from various council areas.
The theme of the 2019 Mothers’ Summit is “Promoting Gender Balance and Social Values”.
Dr Mrs Obiano was of the opinion that women occupy an important place in the progress of any society, hence her passion for championing the course of women identity and survival through her NGO,
Caring Family Enhancement Initiative, CAFE.
The Governor’s wife said her target was to give every Anambra woman,
especially the indigent and widows, a strong foothold in life, and a reason to believe that a woman can make a difference irrespective of barriers.
She described each of the forty women who were presented with different achiver’s awards at the event as true examples of women’s success stories in every facet of life.
The Commissioner for Children and Women Affairs, Lady Ndidi Mezue,
whose Ministry is collaborating with the Governor’s wife to organize
the event, said that a sure way to achieving gender balance was by
empowering both men and women to have control over my their lives:
setting their agenda, gaining skills, building self-confidence, solving their socio-economic problems and developing self-reliance which she noted is a
formula that Mrs Obiano has tapped into.
Two of the keynote speakers, Professor Nkechi Ezeomu and Professor
Carol-Arinze Umobi, said that it had become paramount to accord every
woman the right recognition without pointing to their gender, and outlined preference for male children, female genital mutilation, and right to inheritance, as some of the challenges facing women emancipation in Nigeria and Africa.
Adding his voice, a father, Chief Austin Oguejiofor, noted that mothers must be celebrated considering that they sow the seed for society’s growth .
Among the women who were presented with awards by the Governor’s wife
were Professor Uche Azikiwe, wife of Nigeria’s first President, the late Doctor Nnamdi Azikiwe, Lady Virgy Etiaba, the
first female Governor of Anambra State, Iyom Josephine Aninih, a former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Ifeoma Anigbogu, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development,
Justice Ijem Onwuamaegbu, the present and first female Chief Judge of
Anambra State, Mrs Nijdeka Ezeife, wife of the first Executive Governor of Anambra State, Mrs Flora Nwazojie, a foremost entrepreneur, a popular philanthropist, Evangelist Mrs Ngozi Manchu, wives of the Anglican Bishops of Awka, Enugu, Afikpo, and Niger
Dioceses.
The event was climax with the Governor’s wife giving out garri processing and oil extraction machines to the twenty-one local government Councils , while Anaocha women went home with the trophy for taking first position in the March past and Onitsha North won the best dressed Local Government Council.
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