The Akwa Ibom State
Governor Udom Emmanuel has urged African women to be agents of change.
Emmanuel gave the advice in Uyo when he received a delegation of the Southern Governors’ Wives Forum who paid him a courtesy visit.
He told the delegation, led by his wife, Martha, that Africa had been left behind in the development matrix.
He commended the women for coming together under one umbrella irrespective of party affiliations and also for their selfless prayers which he said had promoted peaceful co-existence in the country.
The governor pleaded with the delegation to keep it up and always endeavour to contribute their quota toward the development of their states.
Earlier, Martha had commended her husband whom she described as a ‘gender friendly governor’ for sparing his time to meet with the governor’s wives.
She also extolled her counterparts for finding Akwa Ibom worthy to host the third edition of the quarterly meeting.
According to her, the aim of the forum is to exchange and compare narratives and ideas that will complement the tasks of their husbands in building a more progressive society.
The delegation held interactive session with a cross section of Akwa Ibom school girls where Martha advised them to uphold their dignity by abstaining from sexual relationships.
She frowned at the high rate of teenage pregnancies in the country, adding that the session was organised to sensitise and inspire the Akwa Ibom girl-child to aspire for greatness.
She urged the girls to abstain from any relationship that could impede them from their bright future, pointing out that the girl-child of today would be the great mother of tomorrow.
Chairperson of the forum and wife of Imo State Governor, Nneoma Nkechi-Okorocha, lauded Emmanuel for the reception accorded them, and also for the infrastructure development in the state.
She said the forum, as a platform to build a new Nigeria, was poised to complement the efforts of the governors through the respective pet projects of the governors’ wives.