The Public Secrets Of Anambra’s First Lady

COMRADE HARRIS CHUMA

In Nigeria, the position of the First Lady is often a thankless one. Surprisingly, the title ‘First Lady’ appears more glamorous, and tremendously garners prestigious accolades and wild encomiums. For the discerning, the prestigious title First Lady befits only outstandingly endowed wives of State’s Executives who are profoundly blessed with wisdom on surest ways to deploy their divine talent to the benefit of mankind.

Until her husband’s election to the governorship seat in Anambra in 2014, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano spent her years confined to humanitarian services. Her primary focus was raising families and homes in desperate needs. She nevertheless took an active role in promoting her husband’s political career when the call to service beckoned.

When Chief Willie Obiano began seeking an elective position, it was Ebelechukwu Obiano who convinced her husband to heed to the divine call. When her husband was approached to run for the governorship prior to Anambra gubernatorial election in 2014, she successfully advised in support of his accepting the arduous task since it would reposition Anambra and ndi Anambra for greatness. She took distinctive and special interest in the transition of Peter Obi led APGA into Governor Willie Obiano’s led improved and unified APGA, and often played advisory roles to critical stakeholders and influential friends in Anambra regarding the sustenance of the party’s seemingly unbridgeable legacies and foot prints.

During her husband’s reelection campaign, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme) vigorously defended and supported Obiano’s candidacy in 2017. She painstakingly traversed all the nooks and crannies of the state promoting her husband’s massive achievements, and relentlessly canvassed for his reelection. She proved her eagerness to assume a prominent public role in her husband’s reelection efforts.  With her NGO known as Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE), her philanthropic activities was widely acknowledged and created an enlarged human capital which saw massive supporters in different formidable solidarity groups forging political alliances ever witnessed in the annals of the history of Anambra State. Osodieme’s strategic campaign techniques and potent vehicle of communication influenced and hugely dominated the political scene which dealt a deadly punch and consequently, rendered the opposition impotent and their political nuclear arsenal de-cached.

Largely, Osodieme is a silent achiever, and a little of her achievements had been more public. But she has astronomically climbed to a vintage position that earned her more recognition than marauding political leftists. While most of her contemporaries lived their lives in fear that the public would learn a certain something about them they desperately wanted to keep private, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano has remained transparent, an open book for all to study and get enriched. Her dedication to humanitarian services and transparent nature of her NGO’s works, projects, engagements and commitments, both local and international donors are jostling to be enlisted as partners cum supporters.
The Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE) with its laudable humanitarian services enjoys the support, encouragement, privilege, and financial aid from good spirited indigenes of the state who selflessly contributed to its successful operations in the state and beyond.

Through the NGO, Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano has impacted positively to the lives of indigent widows, single women, destitutes, physically challenged persons, the building of healthcare centers, provision of basic social amenities in public places, caring for the aged, empowering the women, and youths in the state, scholarship awards, and other laudable humanitarian services.

Osodieme has successfully reengineered the concept of the First Lady and revolutionized the role of women at the corridors of power in Nigeria. Little wonder recently, Mama Anambra, the Osodieme Global has been chosen for her meritorious service to humanity as she smiles home with the world prestigious Zik’s Prize for Leadership in Humanitarian Services.

Now, hear me, the Secret of Anambra’s First Lady is ‘Prayer’. She is always willing to share her secret to success thus:
‘Nna chelu ka mu gwa gi … Once I go on my knees in prayer, there’s nothing I ask God He will not do for me” – Osodieme

Hearty Congratulations to Ada Ogbunike, Mama Anambra for the prestigious honour well deserved!

Ekenem!

Comrade Harris Chuma (Ogene Igbo)
DG, Independent Media Support Org.
IMSO