An Igbo socio-cultural group, the Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo (NNII) has visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in furtherance of its resolve to partner for development witha critical stakeholdcers across the country.
The visit to the former president was led by NNII’s President General, Iyom Josephine Anenih at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, over the weekend.
NNII’s spokesman, Nnedinso Ogaziechi in a statement said in her speech during the visit, Iyom Josephine Anenih informed Chief Obasanjo that the group came together as women to intervene in the development efforts in not just the region but the country as a whole as recent events in the region and the nation have been of concern to the womenfolk. The socio-economic issues, and the increasing levels of
insecurity have exponentially increased the burdens for everyone but more especially so for women.
She retraced the history of shared leadership structure in Igboland
and opined that now that the men have tried to lead alone and seen
that it is not working, it is time to go back to the pristine times where
there was shared leadership between the genders in ways that were
complimentary. She recalls that traditionally, women are always
called in during crises in Igboland and other nations because while
men weaponize power, women rebuild and nurture. She recalled the
documented roles of the Biblical Debora, Esther, Ruth, Mary
Magdalenes and Miriam the sister of Moses that helped hide him in a
basket in the river banks and so on.
She said that the group came to visit the former President because traditionally, “Nkata” in Igbo means conversation/dialogue and it
signals the beginning of partnerships in problem-solving and NNII has great confidence that given the status of Chief Obasanjo nationally and globally, the women group believes that his advice and other
forms of interventions that he is globally known for can help not just
Nkata but the country in this dire times.
The group recalled his support for women during his presidency and
how he made the most profound impact by appointing super qualified
women into his cabinet and how most of those women have gone on to be great achievers nationally and at the global stage. Today, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the DG of WTO, Amina Mohammed is Assistant UN
Secretary General, Dora Akunyili showed the global community that
integrity is still a human virtue not in short supply in Nigerians in public office.
Chief Obasanjo thanked the group for coming together because he had always believed in the strength and loyalty of women more than men especially in political development. He said he was happy that the group is being led by a committed feminist who was his Special Adviser on Women Affairs and whose passion for women and national development is well known.
He advised the group not to give up but to equally sell the beautiful
idea of partnering for development with other women in all the six
regions in Nigeria because when women come together, good things
happen because they often are more patriotic and more family- oriented than men. When a women struggles to succeed in any
endevour, it is always to take care of everyone including the men that
possibly cause the world’s problems.
The former President believes that development only happens in a
nation that is secure and where justice prevails and as such, every
Nigerian must work towards peace and security in the land.
The President General of the Nkata Ndi Inyom Igbo thanked the
President and told him that NNII is a child of circumstance because
the women now want to take their destiny in their own hands given
that most Igbo Socio-Cultural groups like the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo is still
perceived as a male ‘only’ group because even the women do not realize that the ‘oha’ in Ohaneze refers to everyone else including
women. Ironically, even though the organization now has a woman
Vice President General and a National Treasurer, they still maintain
‘Women and Youth Wings’ which somewhat make women and the
youth nominal members who are not really integrated into the
decision making processes. Women must use their own voice and as
such members of NNII decided to come together to see how they can
partner with both our men and other individuals, corporate bodies
and agencies for development.
