…. Empowers 2000 of them at August meeting grand finale in Owerri
….. Governor Uzodinma, wife harp on women’s role in national development
Wife of Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday in Owerri told a mommoth crowd of Imo women to come out on November 11, 2023 to massively vote for the reelection of their performing Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, saying that already, the Governor has the backing of the current administration at the centre to complete his second term in office.
Nigeria’s First Lady spoke at the Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu Square in her capacity as Special Guest of Honour at the 2023 Grand Finale of Imo Women’s August meeting organised by the First Lady of Imo State, Barr (Mrs) Chioma Uzodinma.
Also at the occasion, Governor Uzodinma and his wife were in agreement that women have great roles to play in the development of the Nigerian society and are, indeed, doing a lot already and should be encouraged to be the best they can.
The event which attracted women clad in motley of beautiful attires from the 27 local government areas of Imo State, was also graced by wives of serving and former Governors, ministers, lawmakers, All Progressives Congress stalwarts, captains of industries, traditional rulers, among other dignitaries.
The wives of the Governors of Abia, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Nasarawa, and former wives of Governors of Kano and Oyo States attended the event.
It was an event where Mrs Tinubu announced the empowerment of 2000 women from Imo State in support of the efforts by Mrs Uzodinma to lift the women and the girl child out of poverty, with a pledge to do more in line with her Renewed Hope Empowerment Initiative.
In her remarks, Mrs Tinubu described the Women August meeting as a wonderful occasion “worthy to be borrowed by every tribe in the country.”
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the voices of women are heard, their needs are addressed, and their legacies are preserved.”
She said, “empowering women is not just a slogan, but a commitment towards a better life for families in every State of the Federation because when we support women and uplift their status, we uplift the entire society.”
She described her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) as a concept which focusses on women and families, with scope in agriculture, education, health, economic empowerment and social investment.
On the forth coming Imo State governorship election, Mrs Tinubu said: “As we navigate the part towards the governorship election in Imo State let us not lose sight of the transformative power that women hold.
“I call on all of you great women of Imo State, to come out en mass and vote overwhelmingly for Governor Hope Uzodinma for a well-deserved second term and to complete the good work he has started, and I believe you know that he has the backing of this present administration.
“I believe that you will give him that vote so that his dreams and aspirations for the people of Imo will be actualised.
“With his re-election by the grace of God, Imo State will be set for a greater lease of life. I urge you, all of us here present, to stand united behind Governor Hope Uzodimma who has championed gender equity and parity. He has continued to pursue the course of a better life for all the people of Imo State.”
Mrs Tinubu who said she was delighted
to be here in Owerri to celebrate the wonderful women of Imo State
extended her appreciation to Mrs. Uzodinma for inviting her “for the first time to experience the Imo Women August Meeting.”
”I salute her commitment to the course of the great women of Imo State and her resolve to ensure that the women get the best dividends of democracy. Thank you, Your Excellency.”
“We join our voices with that of Her Excellency, Barrister Chioma Uzodinma and indeed that of His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma, against all forms of sexual and domestic violence, fight against trafficking in persons, drug abuse and other gender-based vices in the society.
“Empowering women is not just a slogan for us in the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI, but a commitment towards a better life for families in every State of the Federation.
“When we support women and uplift their status, we uplift our entire society. And this empowerment extends to women of all ages, from the young girls who dream of their future to the elderly women who have shaped our past.
tomorrow, emphasising that there is every need for women to love one another.
On the theme for the meeting, she said: “Women should support one another, because; women have common problems, women achieve more when they support each other. When women support each other their children are better off and women by nature like to give assistance… for every successful woman there is another supporting her. Women benefit more by cooperation than competition.’’
Mrs. Uzodinma recalled that the Governor had executed projects in Imo State aimed at empowering the women, youths and moving them away from crime and criminality, identifying the programmes like the Skill-Up programme, skills acquisition and empowerment and more importantly, conducive environment for the youths to thrive as part of them.
Mrs Uzodinma said that her office has keyed into the programmes of the Governor and his women friendly government and by doing so, “Imo women have gained a lot beyond mere empowerment,” through the offices of the Chief Judge of Imo who is a woman, several women Commissioners, SAs and SSAs and Chairmen of Commissions and Agencies.
In her opening remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye expressed joy for being part of the August Meeting Grand Finale in Imo and used the opportunity to reveal that the World Bank has some packages for Nigerian Women to enhance their economic growth.
The minister said her Ministry plans to assist women to uplift themselves and appealed to the girl child to protect herself by being responsible and asking all women to stay away from crime.
In his brief remarks, Governor Uzodimma on behalf of the Government and people of Imo State thanked the wife of Mr. President for finding time to attend the programme in person and for supporting the women empowerment programme through counterpart funding.
He also congratulated the wife and members of the Organising Committee for mobilising Imo women in such organic manner and magnitude that was “overwhelming in the eyes of all present.”
“I sincerely congratulate all the women, and more importantly, my adorable wife, the First Lady of Imo State, Her Excellency Chief (Barr.) Chioma Uzodimma, for well-thought-out theme for this year’s Meeting: Women Supporting Each Other Makes Things Happen.
“I have always known that women are strong believers in the maxim, ‘united we stand and divided we fall.’
“Therefore, I am not under any illusion that the strength of our women lies more in their ability to work together to achieve results, the reason they make a lot of differences where the men folk flounder.
“As you round off your activities for the 2023 August meeting, be rest assured that my 3R government which most of you are key players, and which has shown
considerable interest in the welfare of the entire womenfolk in our State, will stop at nothing to promote the positive ideals that you as our wives, mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters represent.”
The ceremony featured other programmes like march past by different women groups in Imo State and had in attendance the three Senators from Imo State, Federal House of Representatives members, female Ministers, traditional rulers and distinguished Nigerians too numerous to mention.
