Most supportive and purpose-driven First Ladies of States in Nigeria

FIRST LADIES PROJECT INTRODUCTION

It has go the contented for the wives of the Heads of State and those of authorities governors successful Nigeria to beryllium called First Ladies , and for these women to ain favored projects done which they complement their spouses’ efforts of managing the affairs of the state.In the existent dispensation, specified favored projects are arsenic varied arsenic they are antithetic from each other, but each are targeted astatine making beingness amended for the masses by providing succour mostly to the underprivileged and indigent radical successful their states.

However, a bully look astatine these peculiar involution projects crossed the states by keen observers has shown that immoderate are impacting much connected the populace than others. The crushed for this is attributed to the genuineness of intent , creativity and innovativeness down these favored projects, the attack to their execution and dedication to the projects’ objectives.These favored projects and the First Ladies who are the brains down the superb ideas are the ones The Guardian is featuring successful this peculiar study titled Most Supportive and Purpose-Driven First Ladies of States successful Nigeria .

PASTOR PATIENCE UMO ENO : Development-Focused Altruist, Committed to Impacting Lives Through the GIFA Project

She is simply a resourceful altruist who believes that the intent of beingness is to positively interaction humanity. It is not astonishing that her sanction has been connected the lips of galore radical who respect her for giving meaning to nationalist service, done her life-changing engagements. Pastor Patience Umo Eno, the amiable woman of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno and Founder, Golden Initiative for All (GIFA). Within the archetypal twelvemonth she has held sway arsenic First Lady, Pastor Patience Eno has demonstrated her determination to enactment her imaginativeness to work, by bringing succour to women, youths, the indigent and different susceptible radical successful the state.

In this interrogation she granted, successful effect to her designation arsenic 1 of the Most Supportive and Purpose-Driven First Ladies of States successful Nigeria by The Guardian, the development-focused First Lady, fondly called Eka Iberedem, takes america done her background, guiding philosophies, and the objectives of her favored task – GIFA, among different issues.

Can we person an penetration into your background?

I americium Patience Umo Eno (Pastor) and I was  calved connected Monday, February 20, 1967, successful the past metropolis of Ibadan, Oyo State. My lineage traces backmost to the national of Mr. Friday John Ekong Inyang of Ikot Akpaekop, Ikpa Ibom Clan and his beauteous wife, Justina, of Esa Ekpo, Ibiaku Clan some of the Mkpat Enin Local Government Area successful Akwa Ibom State.

As the eldest kid successful my family, my travel of self-discovery and work began successful Lagos State, wherever I laid the instauration of my acquisition astatine Eleja Primary School successful Surulere. It was determination that I earned my First School Leaving Certificate earlier continuing my world pursuits astatine Idi Araba High School, wherever I proudly served arsenic the Assembly Prefect, shaping my enactment skills from a tender age.

Fuelled by a passionateness ignited by my mother, I picked up my trade successful sewing, a timeless artistry that became my foundation. Eager to grow my horizons, I sought ceremonial acquisition astatine the esteemed Picean Fashions Institute successful Ikeja, Lagos, earning a Diploma successful Fashion Design. My thirst for cognition past led maine crossed continents to Valor Christian College successful Columbus, Ohio, USA, wherever I pursued a grade successful Pastoral Leadership, preparing maine for a beingness of work and spiritual leadership.

My idiosyncratic and nonrecreational travel is intertwined with my cherished concern with my beloved husband, Pastor Umo Eno and together, we person built a bequest of love, unity and faith. Our Union is blessed with children and grandchildren.

What are the philosophies that usher you successful life?

I privation you had said philosophy, which should person conscionable been one, but then, I volition notation 2 similar the question said. This 2 person guided maine done life. The archetypal is the 1 that says “do your champion and permission the remainder to God.” That has arsenic been my watchword ever since I became matured, ever since I realised myself, ever since I understood the relation I americium to play.  And so, I person been doing the champion I can, and I spot God for the rest. I spot God to cleanable the ones I person not been capable to cleanable oregon bash perfectly.

The 2nd is the aureate rule, “do unto others what you privation others to bash unto you.” This has been the eventual for me. I effort to unrecorded right, I effort to bash the close happening with and for radical everyplace I find myself. In dealing with people, I effort to woody with them the close way, bash to them what I would admit if it was done to me. That has helped maine done life. 

What informed your determination to acceptable up the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA) favored project?

Having witnessed archetypal manus the challenges faced by families, I americium driven by the tendency to marque a affirmative quality successful addressing the unsocial needs of each household member, knowing the captious relation families play successful shaping society. GIFA is the level I americium utilizing to heighten household lives by providing enactment and resources tailored to their circumstantial needs. From maternal and kid healthcare to empowering women and caring for the elderly, GIFA aims to physique stronger, healthier and much resilient families. This successful crook volition pb to the wide improvement and prosperity of our society. I americium truly honoured to champion this origin and stay committed to making a meaningful interaction successful the lives of families crossed our state.

Can you item immoderate of the large objectives of GIFA?

The Golden Initiative For All, GIFA, is structured astir 8 cardinal areas, each with its ain acceptable of objectives aimed astatine making a affirmative interaction connected the lives of families. In the country of maternal and kid healthcare, GIFA strives to marque definite moms and kids person amended entree to healthcare services and person indispensable attraction packages to enactment steadfast and strong. Twins, triplets, quadruplets etc person benefited with the proviso of monthly stipends for the parents to cushion the harsh effects of the economical meltdown oregon situation successful Nigeria.

On Women Empowerment, GIFA challenges harmful traditions, enactment the maturation of tiny standard businesses owned by women done the proviso of grants. Known barriers to the engagement of women successful authorities are besides tackled.

Inspired by the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme of Nigeria’s First Lady, we are intentionally attending to the payment and aesculapian needs of the elder citizens of Akwa Ibom State done the GIFA attraction for Elderly.  GIFA supports the elder citizens by encouraging activities each period that support them engaged and connected thereby reducing loneliness and isolation.

In the country of Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response, the Akwa Ibom State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee headed by maine is observing June arsenic GBV consciousness period to standard up advancement recorded and ensures that deliberate and accordant actions are taken to destruct the spate of violence. During the month, we are collaborating with Non- governmental Organizations to big respective advocacies and sensitizations that volition clasp simultaneously successful centrifugal parks, markets, schools and churches to promote Akwa Ibom radical to articulation successful the combat against GBV.

To beforehand world excellence among indigent pupils of nationalist superior schools successful agrarian communities, GIFA has distributed schoolhouse uniforms, shoes and different acquisition materials to thousands of pupils successful prime schools crossed the 3 Senatorial Districts of the State.

Other thematic areas see improving biology health, exploring measures to tackle diseases and strides to supply an inclusive nine wherever persons surviving with disabilities are cared for.

Funding is important successful the implementation of the laudable GIFA project. What modality has been enactment successful spot to facilitate the information of backstage organizations and funny individuals?

Like immoderate different Non Governmental Organisations, adjacent earlier the ceremonial motorboat of my favored task GIFA, we had enactment down a plan. Considering each that we person to bash nether the 8 thematic areas, it was pertinent to acceptable retired plans for implementation. 

So we met with each known Donor Organisations and Agencies, intimating them of the plans for implementation and considering each angles truthful arsenic to win successful each that we person to do. During that meeting, we laid retired the thematic operation of GIFA for them to spot and place imaginable areas of concern and financing for our wide scope of programmes. 

I indispensable commend the Special Adviser to the Governor connected Economic Development who is doing a fantastic occupation of coordinating and ensuring that we get arsenic overmuch partnerships arsenic to assistance america successful discharging our obligations to Akwa Ibom people.

What factors tin you ascribe to the level of interaction you person made since you became the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State?

 Firstly, I would accidental God has been benignant and gracious to us. Whatever we person achieved truthful acold is lone by him. Secondly, I beryllium it each to the radical of the authorities who person shown america large enactment and solidarity. Within this archetypal year, we person witnessed unprecedented emotion from the citizens of the authorities and this has helped america settee in. I tin guarantee you that we person galore laudable initiatives that volition beryllium of immense payment to the radical to roll-out.

How person you been managing the challenges that are progressive successful combining the roles of being a wife, parent and First Lady of a accelerated processing authorities similar Akwa Ibom?

I person been asked this question truthful galore times earlier and the reply has ever been the aforesaid for me, due to the fact that these 3 areas are tedious nary doubt, but implicit the years, I person been capable to bash what is known arsenic balancing. Balancing the relation of a wife, a parent successful the household and being a Pastor successful religion to the congregation. Before now, I person been the Deputy politician of our Organisation the Royalty Group, and God has been faithful successful helping maine to equilibrium these roles. Now that we are successful governance, I person seen the aforesaid grace play out; it is inactive that aforesaid grace of God that I person been capable to equilibrium it all.

How would you counsel young girls and women retired determination who are looking up to an outstanding property similar you?

I didn’t cognize I americium termed an outstanding property due to the fact that I conscionable deduce happiness successful putting smiles connected people’s faces. My proposal to the young ones that privation to aspire to greatness oregon to occurrence successful their chosen fields of endeavour, to conscionable beryllium superior successful immoderate they acceptable retired to do. Like I mentioned earlier, I person 2 philosophies of beingness that person helped me. They should person their ain philosophies to usher them and assistance enactment them successful enactment if they privation to deviate from it. 

The young girls and women should judge successful God, portion engaging successful economical activities and skills that volition presumption them for the entrepreneurial schemes created by the Akwa Ibom State Government.Additionally, they should get a mentor who volition mentor them rightly successful immoderate they privation to bash and they should conscionable beryllium contented with what God has fixed to them. They should besides truly aspire to beryllium more. That is what I americium trusting God for. 

HAJIYA SILIFAT ABDULLAHI SULE : A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE WITH SOCIAL CONSCIENCE, MAKING A MARK THROUGH THE SAS HOPE FOUNDATION

She is simply a purpose-driven First Lady who is trying to cleanable the enactment of moving silently portion letting her accomplishments talk for her. Her Excellency, Hajiya Silifat Abdullahi Sule, the woman of the Nasarawa State Governor has been committed to the empowerment of the miss kid and providing succour to women and the aged people.

Born connected October 10, 1963, she attended Baptist Primary School, Sabon Gari, Kano State, past Kabomo Teachers College, Bakori Local Government nether the past Kaduna State wherever she had her secondary schoolhouse education. She proceeded to College of Education Akwanga, wherever she obtained, NCE Certificate successful Home Economics, and aboriginal obtained Bachelor’s grade successful Food and Nutrition.

Her Excellency’s unwavering dedication to the payment of the radical of Nasarawa State and her unflinching enactment towards the realization of the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS), the blueprint and guiding principles of the contiguous medication nether the enactment of His Excellency, Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State has helped to reconstruct anticipation successful the lives of many.

Upon her presumption of bureau successful 2019, she instantly acceptable up her NGO and favored project; Silifat Abdullahi Sule Hope Foundation (SAS), with the purpose of performing humanitarian programs for women, youths and the elderly.

Under her NGO, precocious she empowered 300 women successful cosmetology, with a brushed superior of 10k each.She gave retired scholarships to immoderate students of tertiary institutions, Nasarawa authorities polytechnic to survey abroad. She has afloat taken attraction of the bills of immoderate crab patients, 5 women and 2 children up to country level and alot of different medical/health assistance/support particularly to the downtrodden. She gave retired astir 30 pieces of mattresses astatine the recently established constabulary children session successful Lafia. And immoderate drugs arsenic well. She is presently taking attraction of implicit 150 kids moving the thoroughfare successful her assemblage of Gudi Station In Akwanga L.G.A, feeding, school, etc.

In the country of education, Her Excellency, Hajiya Silifat Abdullahi Sule has besides afloat paid tuition fees to immoderate persons (youth) leaving with disabilities recently, who got admittance successful immoderate higher institutions. Due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, she provided nutrient palliatives, books and different learning materials to pupils to cushion the hardship faced by parents arsenic schools resumed, arsenic good arsenic proviso of Personal Protective Equipments, PPEs to 248 schools successful Southern and Northern senatorial zones of the authorities to curtail further dispersed of the pandemic. Also acknowledged arsenic portion of her Foundation’s achievements is the sponsoring of implicit 500 orphans’ acquisition from superior to secondary schoolhouse and assisting those successful tertiary institutions.

In pursuit of her Foundation’s objectives, she made disposable what is called ‘Mama’s Kit’ successful assorted clinics, to promote women to spell for maternity and kid commencement arsenic a mode of reducing maternal mortality among large and nursing mothers. She ever sojourn hospitals to travel to the assistance of women and mothers who springiness birth. Provided them with immoderate babe materials and wellness kits.

On issues of Almajiri, she has continued to signifier meetings with their teachers, i.e the mallams, successful bid to retune their predisposition and trim the menace. She has provided them with tons of survey materials, clothes, food, drugs, and currency that volition alteration them shun thoroughfare begging. She has held escaped aesculapian outreach successful collaborations with NYSC aesculapian members.

Her Excellency has overtime been a crusader successful the areas of parent and kid wellness care, miss kid acquisition and issues of rape. Through her sensitisation programs, she encourages the victims to ever talk out, assuring them that measures has been taken to punish the perpetrators of the illicit acts. She has besides held respective programmes successful collaboration with NDLEA and different applicable agencies towards reducing cause maltreatment among youths successful Nasarawa State, supporting the constitution of a rehabilitation center.

Her initiatives, specified arsenic the mother-child attraction program, person reached the distant and grassroots areas, ensuring that nary 1 is near behind. Her tireless combat against gender-based violence, pistillate genital mutilation, and her advocacy for the girl-child’s rights person brought anticipation and empowerment to countless individuals

She has received truthful galore awards and certificates of encouragements and enactment to alteration her bash much connected what she has started. The awards and recognitions received by Her Excellency include: African Peace Ambassador by African Youth Assembly for Peace (AYAP), Grand Matron, Mada Development Association, Breast Feeding Champion, and astir recently, Best Performing First Lady connected Girl Child Education among others.

Hajiya Silifat Abdullahi Sule ‘s interaction connected the radical of Nasarawa State has not gone unrecognized by the radical successful antithetic parts of the state. It is truthful not astonishing that arsenic a people of appreciation for her selfless service, she has been bestowed with galore accepted titles, including the Ozi of Toto, Onyawole of Alago land, Jaruman Matan Nku, and Giwar Mata of Nasarawa State, among others.