Encomium
Monday, February 10, 2014, at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the prestigious Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, the maiden edition of the Most Valuable Governor’s Wife Awards (MVGWA), held albeit three hours behind schedule because of the late arrival of the governors’ wives.
Based on their pet projects that have positively impacted on the lives of the less-privileged in their various states, wives of six governors were named as the Most Valuable Governors’ Wives in the country.
For the wife of the Akwa-Ibom State governor, Ekaete Unoma Akpabio, who was selected as the Most Valuable Governor’s Wife in the South-South, she emerged due to her support for the homeless, promotion of child’s rights and rehabilitation and the empowerment of women. She was said to have brought transformation in the lives of the Akwa-Ibom people as currently about 62 widows drawn from the 31 LGAs of the state are proud owners of fully-furnished houses.
The other awardees were wife of the Abia State, Mercy Odochi Orji (South-East) based on her pet project, the Hannah May Foundation; wife of the Ogun State governor, Olufunke Amosun (South-West) through her pet project Uplift Development Foundation; Mrs. Yemisi Dooshima Suswam, the wife of the Benue State governor (North Central) through her pet project SEV-AV Foundation; Hajia Fatima Shema of Katsina State (North-West) with her Save Humanity Foundation and the wife of the Gombe State governor, Hajia Adama Dankwabo (North-East) through her Hajia Adama Women Empowerment Programme (HAWEP).
The award was conferred on these six women who have distinguished themselves in the service to humanity, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Alex Otti, Managing Director of Diamond Bank PLC, the Keynote Speaker was Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija the Vice-Chairman of FAMFA Oil, while the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Dr. Paul Orhii was the Guest Speaker.
According to Tom E. Obulu, the team leader, “The MVGWA is designed to lead a new phenomenon in the assessment and recognition of the governors’ wives who are providing complementary achievements to the governors’ achievements. The governors’ wives have become part of the democratic team that has been providing grassroots developments, hence, the institution of this award”.
The theme of the award was: “Grassroots Transformation in Nigeria: The Role of Governors’ Wives’ NGOs as Champions.”
