As late former Nigeria’s First Lady, Maryam Bababgida, posthumously turned 76 on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, the Asaba community, where she hailed from, has lined up activities to honour her.
Briefing newsmen on the one-week event at his Palace, the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien, said it all started last year and was intended to celebrate one of the community’s most iconic and illustrious daughters for her outstanding contributions to the development and empowerment of Nigerian women when she held sway as First Lady.
Asagba Edozien, who was represented by the Iyase of Asaba, Chief P. I. G. Onyeobi, said the late Maryam Babangida, who also brought women and their plight to the centre stage of national discourse and policy making, had a dream and vision to bring greater recognition to women in the country, improve their living condition and empower them to seek and achieve leadership roles.
The highly revered traditional ruler noted that Maryam worked throughout her lifetime for the realization of set goals for Nigerian women, adding that she introduced and implemented several educational and economic empowerment programmes for wives of Army Officers when she was the President of Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA).
He stated that the late First Lady’s passion for the upliftment and empowerment of Nigerian women were highly expressed in her pet project, ‘Betrer Life Programme for Rural Women’, which covered agricultural, health and educational projects designed to empower women and enhance their well-being.
The Asagba said the week-long programme would feature a seminar with the theme: “Giving Impetus To Women In Governance and Enterprise”, an exhibition on the life of Maryam Babangida, and a tree planting exercise on Maryam Babangida Way, Asaba, to draw public attention to the need to renew people’s commitment to the fight against climate change.
Present at the briefing were Palace Chiefs, including the Osowa Owelle of Asaba, Chief (Engr.) C. C. Chukwurah, and the member representing Oshimili South in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Bridget Anyafulu.
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