From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The economic crunch across the country occasioned by fuel subsidy removal has not in any way posed any hindrance to the developmental strides of the women of Amaokwe Item, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State.
Every August, during the August Meeting, the women, under the auspices of Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, Women’s Wing (AIWU-WW), gather at The Late Madam Egbichi Oteh Mini Stadium, Central School, Atanko, Amaokwe Item, to brainstorm and take informed stock of the progress of projects they previously embarked upon, and appraise present needs of their people with a view to tackling them.
This year’s August Meeting was not different. Defying economic hardship and security challenges in parts of the South East, Abia inclusive, the women did not only come back home en masse from their different places of abode across the country, they equally embarked on soul-lifting projects that caught the fancy of the guest of honour and First Lady of the state, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, to the extent she could not help but pour eulogies on the women for turning out in such large numbers for the August Meeting and for embarking on projects that would benefit rural dwellers.
She said: “Lady Arunma Oteh, your daughter, spoke to me about the meeting and what you have been using it to achieve for your community and I knew I had no choice than to be here.
“I must tell you that I am overwhelmed by the large turnout of women of Amaokwe Item for the meeting despite the security challenges and economic hardship occasioned by the removal of the fuel subsidy.”
Mrs. Otti expressed delight over the numerous projects embarked upon by Amaokwe Item women, which she said were only made possible through the August Meeting, and urged them not to relent.
“I am delighted with what you are doing here and I hope women from other parts of the state will emulate you. I will be part of these great things that are happening in this community. I will be financially involved in all your projects because they are geared towards touching the lives of the people,” she said.
Mrs. Otti praised the women for giving her husband total support during the past election, adding that, without their support, Otti would not have become the Governor of Abia State.
The national president of AIWU-WW, Mrs. Mercy Uko, lauded women of the community for coming home en masse for this year’s August Meeting despite the economic hardship and security challenges in the South East, including Abia.
She equally praised the women for their commitment and contributions in the development of Amaokwe Item, which she enthused has placed the community above peers.
Reeling out the objectives of her executive, Mrs. Uko said: “One of the mandates of this executive from the outset was to sensitise and reposition Amaokwe Item women towards greater unity, progress and improved welfare.
“We also gave ourselves the mandate of partnering our great and beloved menfolk in contributing meaningfully to the development and progress of Amaokwe Item in particular, and Item Okpi homeland in general.”
To accomplish this great task, the national president said the women, first of all, embarked on creation of Amaokwe Item Women Stakeholders online forum, which has brought so many Amaokwe Item women at home and in the diaspora together.
Uko opined that the executive equally embarked on the establishment of more diaspora branches of Amaokwe Item Welfare Union (Women’s Wing), by this, “two branches of AIWU-WW, namely, in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. We are pleased to report that its branch in the North Central region of Nigeria has also been launched recently.”
Other preparatory actions taken by the women, according to their national president, include constituting of the following committees: education, projects, December programmes and skills acquisition committees.
Having formed the committees, Mrs. Uko said the women were able to tackle some of the community’s development projects head-on. This, she disclosed, included the provision and equipping of a mini library at Item High School. She gave kudos to some of her members who donated generously towards the realization of the project.
The women of Amaokwe Item through their national president, Mrs. Mercy Uko, enumerated the projects they have executed and the ones they are going to tackle, notwithstanding the economic hardship.
Mrs. Uko named the on-going efforts at the registration of the Amaokwe Item Women’s Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, legalization of Amaokwe Item Women’s Development Centre (Skill Acquisition) into Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs as part of what they have at hand to achieve soon.
The women are also involved in the training of indigent students in the community through scholarship, the number Mrs. Uko disclosed would be doubled this year.
She mentioned their challenges to include among other things, the installation of solar power system to reduce cost on fuel for the skills acquisition programmes, lack of photocopying machines and fund to admit indigent students for both their educational and skills acquisition programmes.
The women, in the words of their national president, equally needed funds to empower more widows and the less privileged women among them; professional weaving machines; photocopying machines and hair dryers to cope with the needs of students at the Skills Acquisition Centre. She appealed for assistance from governments and corporate organizations.
AIWU-WW national vice president, Mrs. Ijeoma Ogba Nwokoro, enumerated the life-changing projects that the women embarked on, some of which she said had been completed and put to use, like the storey building of the Skills Acquisition Centre.
Mrs. Nwokoro equally stated that last year about 34 indigent students were given scholarship by the women to study at Item High School, but this year the number would be over 70.
She said the women’s desire was to ensure that Amaokwe Item has solar-powered streetlights, hoping that it would be achieved soon.
She appealed to the menfolk and the state government to assist them in the execution of these projects.
President-general, Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, Harrison Okorie, eulogized the women for the wonderful development projects they have been embarking on for the good of the community. He said the men were proud of them.
While urging the women to continue in their developmental strides, he assured them of continuous and robust assistance from the menfolk.
Traditional rulers from the area, including Ezes Chile Igwe Ogo and Osoka Agwu, graced the event.
The royal fathers commended the women for all their efforts in developing Amaokwe Item and called for greater support.
Amaokwe Item women across 13 branches in Nigeria and representatives from the US and UK branches attended the meeting, with highlights including a march past and drama.
In the march past event, Aba branch came first, Lagos, second, and Abuja garnered the third position.
In the drama event, Umuahia branch came first, Abuja took the second position, while Onitsha branch came third.