Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Residents of Asaba, Delta State led by their monarch, Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien, have planted 76 trees as part of a week-long programme of activities lined up to celebrate the 76th posthumous birthday of former Nigeria’s First Lady, Maryam Babangida, who hailed from Asaba Kingdom.
The symbolic 76-tree planting on Maryam Babangida Way, an important road in the state capital, named after the deceased First Lady by the government of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as well as special recognition awards for good governance and local enterprise will signpost the events.
The Iyase of Asaba, Obi Patrick Onyeobi, who represented the Asaba monarch (Obi Edozien) told journalists earlier at the palace of the Asagba that Maryam Babangida was an iconic and illustrious daughter of Asaba kingdom whose achievements were acknowledged at both national and international levels.
He hinted at the crucial role played by the former Nigeria’s first lady towards the emergence of Asaba as Delta’s capital, when the state was created in August 1991 by the Babangida military government, though it was a befitting historical honour for Asaba that once served as the country’s colonial administrative headquarters with the then Royal Niger Company stationed in the town.
Onyeobi took the opportunity to appeal to all Nigerians to give peace a chance, stressing that there was no alternative to peace, which he said had remained the hallmark of Asaba people in spite of the unfortunate incident of “The Asaba Massacre” carried out by Nigerian military forces in October 1967.
He said, “Maryam Babangida Day, which was started last year, is marked on 1st November – the birthday of Maryam Babangida every year, to celebrate one of Asaba’s most iconic and illustrious daughters, and to remember her outstanding contributions towards the development and empowerment of Nigerian women as well as bringing women and their plight to the centre stage of national discourse and policy making.
“As the First Lady of Nigeria from August 27, 1985, when her husband became President, to August 26, 1993, Dr. (Mrs.) Maryam Babangida had a dream and vision to bring greater recognition to women in our society, improve the lives of women and empower them to seek and achieve leadership roles in all spheres of human endeavour.
“She worked throughout her lifetime for the realisation of this dream, and was still pursuing the cause at the time she died about 13 years ago.”
“Aside several educational and economic programmes during her tenure as the First Lady, she also initiated and executed numerous projects aimed at improving the welfare of the wives of Army Officers and the living conditions in the barracks,” he further said.
The Chairman of the second annual Maryam Babangida Day and member representing Oshimili South in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Bridget Anyafulu, described as legendary and unprecedented the contributions of Maryam Babangida to gender equality and promotion of the rights of children and women especially in rural communities.
The introduction and establishment of the Ministry of Woman Affairs and Social Development in Nigeria were part of the positive fallouts of the passionate fight for better life for the women folks in the country through economic empowerment, Anyafulu pointed out.
“Dr. Maryam Babangida wasn’t particular about Asaba women, but her focus was rather on Africa. She was a symbol of womanhood; and, she stood for advocacy of a better world such that today the world has set aside a day for the girl-child, the boy-child, for rural women.
“She was a complete African woman; and, she epitomised the need to be proud of ourselves as African women, because ours is the most beautiful and powerful culture in the world,” she said.
