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Gists From 3 Day Meeting
Last week, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital played host to 14 wives of some Southern Governors, under the umbrella Southern Governors Wives Forum, when they had their 2017 meeting. The 3-day event kicked of on Wednesday 9th of may 2017 and ended on Friday 11th of may 2017, City People’s OGUN Correspondent, BUNMI MUSTAPHA brings you gists from the programme.
WHAT IMO FIRST LADY SAID
The first lady of Imo State, Her Excellency, Mrs. Nneoma Rochas Okorocha, is the Chairperson of the Southern Governors Wives Forum, SGWF, a forum that was put together by the wife of the President of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Muhammad Buhari.
Addressing the women of Ogun State and the entourage of the 1st ladies on seat, the elegant woman who looked sweet in her green French lace and chandeliers accessories to match, expressed how excited she was to be in Ogun State.
She said “Ogun state is known for their unique and qualitative hospitality. Some of us are asking the wife of the Governor of Ogun state, Mrs Olufunso Amosun if our stay can be extended. How wonderful, how nice and most importantly how beautiful the women of Ogun State are.
Sitting before you today, are wives of the Governors of the southern part of this great nation, a forum that was initiated and put in place by our mother, a woman that believe so much in Nigerian women, the 1st lady, and wife of the President of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Muhammad Buhari. Before now what we had was only Forum for Northern 1st ladies, but since the inception of her position as the Wife of the President, the forum was started. Today, to the glory of God, we are in Ogun State and this is the 5th state that is hosting this forum. By the special grace of God, we have gone to Imo State, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Abia and its the turn of Ogun State. Since the inception of this forum, something great is not just happening physically, but also spiritually too. There is that bond that is bringing us together. We are sisters beyond boundaries. We love each other and our coming together is making us understand and encourage each other as we continue to be in this position. I want to say that today to the glory of God, each time we are able to go to any state, we don’t just have our meeting, we make sure that we impact on the lives of the people of that state. Today we are here and through the Secretary of the forum, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, we are using this platform to touch and see how we can impact on the lives of women of Ogun State, we all know that the position of women is key, and very important, because if a woman gets it right, the family will get it right, the community will get it right, the state will get it right and indeed Nigeria will get it right. My beautiful sisters who have taken time out to put together words for their various topics they will be delivering today, and I hope that at the end of this forum each and everyone of us will go out and be equipped mentally, medically, socially and physically. I believe there is something about women. A woman is a natural. What a woman does not nurture dies. God has endowed women with so much talent and so much gift, if you know who you are as a woman, you will appreciate your value. I want to say am excited, I want to say am happy to be in your midst, please seat down quietly and enjoy different lectures from our first ladies.
14 1ST LADIES, SAME HEAD GEARS
Although the fourteen 1st Ladies were dressed in the different attires, but they were all in the same head gear and Ipele which was green and white with sparking stones to accessories it, one will actually think the head gear was tied by the same person as they all look the same, even those from the south were looking all glam and beautiful.
SOGSFA WERE FULLY ON GROUND
Members of the Spouses of Ogun State Government Functionaries Association SOGSFA were fully on ground. The Association was set up by the wife of the Ogun State Governor Mrs Olufunso Amosun . They all came out in mass to support their founder, who is the host and secretary of the Southern Governors Wife Forum. They stood out at the event in their green and brown ankara with white head gear. They were led by the Wife of the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs. Adekunbi.
WHAT ALL THE 1ST LADY WORE
Apart from the arrival, lunch and dinner on Wednesday 10th of May at the Government House, there was no activity for the day as they all proceeded to their lodge inside former Gateway Annex, located inside Ibara Housing, which was purposely reconstructed for them. Arriving at the June 12 Cultural Centre where they had their interactive section and empowerment, they were all looking beautiful.
Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs Olufunso Amosun who was the host wore a pink flowing dress which was dazzling with stones with their group gele of green and white.
Imo State 1st Lady and the Chairperson of the Forum wore a green French lace with chandeliers accessories. The Vice Chairperson, Mrs. Serifat Aregbesola, Osun State 1st lady wore a cream gown cord lace .
Akwa Ibom 1st lady, Mrs. Martha Udoh Emmanuel wore a purple sequenced lace. Ebonyi State 1st lady, Mrs Racheal Umahi wore a full beaded and stoned skirt and blouse.
Lagos State 1st lady, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode who is the welfare officer of the forum was well styled in her green stoned ankara which made her look beautiful. Dr Linda Ayade, Cross Rivers 1st Lady looks very pretty in her simple ankara skirt and blouse with red accessories.
Mrs Dame Edith Okawa, 1st lady of Delta State and public relations officer of the forum wore a green stoned cord lace.
Abia State 1st lady Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu and Ekiti State Ist Lady Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose were the two 1st ladies who didn’t apply make up or wear any accessories to match their attires, although there green fabrics was different.
Mrs Osodieme Edele Obiano, the 1st lady of Anambra State was styled beautifully in a green pink and blue ankara.
Pretty Mrs. Florence Ajimobi , the 1st lady of Oyo State was in a green and chocolate, skirt and blouse. Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi, the 1st lady of Enugu State who is also the Financial Secretary of the Forum green lace. Attending the forum for the first time was Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, 1st lady of Ondo State, her style speaks classy and simple in her teal skirt and blouse with silver accessories to match.
BAYELSA, EDO AND RIVERS 1ST LADY COULDN’T MAKE IT
Initially there was supposed to be 17 1st ladies attending the Southern Governors Wife Forum, but 3 of the supposed 1st lady were missing at the event. The 1st lady of Bayelsa State, Dr Racheal Dickson who is also the Treasurer of the Forum, Mrs. Besty Bene Obaseki, 1st lady of Edo State and the 1st lady of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Eberechi Nyeson-Wike were the three 1st ladies who were not present at the 2017 forum and didn’t send Representatives.
ABOUT THE 3 DAY EVENT
The three day 2017 Southern Governors Wife Forum kicked off on Wednesday 10th of May 2017 with the arrival of the Ist Ladies followed by Lunch and Dinner at the Government House in Oke Igbeyin . On Thursday 11th of May after their breakfast at the Government House, they proceeded to the Governors Office at Oke Mosan on a courtesy visit to the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun which was held at the Exco Chambers at the Governors Office Building. At 11am there was an interactive session with women in leadership, which was held at the Hubert Ogunde Hall, inside June 12 Cultural Centre, followed by lunch at the Government House. There was a meeting at the MTR Hall, inside Ibara Gra at 3pm. They all got together later in the night for an evening of fun, games and dinner at the Valley View Auditorium, inside the Government House in Oke Igbeyin before they all departed to their various states after breakfast the next day.
COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED
The communiqué which was issued by Mrs. Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okoroacha (PhD) the Chairperson of the Forum and signed by Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, the Secretary goes thus:
The laudable efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria in reviving our economy is highly appreciated by the Forum as it further drives the passion of the Forum to provide sustainable support to the vulnerable group in our society; women and children as they bear the consequences of any economic challenge.
Against this backdrop, the SGWF in her 5th meeting resolved to address the economic and health issues of women and children in their domains.
Taking a cue from the initiative of our mother and wife of the president of the country, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, “Future Assured”, the Forum wishes to address Polio or Meningitis, which is a recent health challenge currently affecting some states of the southern region.
The economy remains the superstructure of any meaningful development, the Forum therefore also resolved to sustain the momentum of the mental, emotional and economic empowerment of women in their states. In an immediate demonstration of this resolve, over 500 women were given economic tools to galvanize finances that will help stabilize their families. Peaceful co-existence is imperative for the unity of our country, thus the Forum prized the sisterhood spirit that breaks through the ethnic, religious and political party lines that tends to divide us. As mothers and home builders, the effect of this spirit that the Forum generates in us goes a long way to affect our husbands, children and the society at large. A communiqué of these resolutions and those of subsequent meetings are to be communicated to the Southern Governors’ Forum for their valued inputs, support and effective implementations.
