Gov’s wife pay tributes to fallen heroines

To commemorate this years 1929 women war popularly known as the ‘’ Aba Women’s riot’’, the wife the Governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio has called on women not to allow the values of the fallen Heroines to die but come together and  form a strong voice in order to change the country. She disclosed this during the 84th anniversary of the women’s war held recently in Ikot Abasi LGA.

The wife of the Governor, who was represented at the event by the wife of the Honorable member representing Ikot Ekpene/ Obot Akara in the State House of Assembly, Deaconess Helen Ekong,    highlighted some of the achievements of the heroines to include the ability to defy the guns of the colonial masters and agitate against an unfair tax regime imposed by them. In her words, “Today we may no longer be fighting against unjust taxes, but our battle today is against domestic violence, rape, political and economic marginalization, dehumanizing widowhood practices, girl child violation and other gender-based vices in present day Nigeria.”

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of the State, Her Honor,  Noble Lady Valerie Ebe noted that the actions of the heroines gave birth to the 35 percent affirmative action the women now enjoy. She called on the political class to raise the bar by giving the women 50 percent representation in governance. Lady Ebe called on women to unite and work together in order to achieve a common goal.

The chairman of the occasion Mrs. Bassey Eshiet in her remarks thanked the wife of the Governor for always identifying with the celebration saying that her role in the upliftment of the women in the state to various positions of authority shows that she shared in the ideology of the fallen heroines.

The chief host and wife of Ikot Abasi LGA Mrs. Mmayen Ufot Udoinyang said the memory of the event is a great morale booster to the present day women. She  charged  women to rise and emulate the  courage of the heroines past by being good mothers and leaders in their respective families, offices, business places and even in politics. Mrs. Udoinyang said it was not enough to merely celebrate this occasion as routine or yearly rituals, but to move further by ensuring that all hands were on deck to sustain the momentum of the struggle and self-emancipation which characterized the women’s war.