Dame Judith Obiajulu Amaechi: The quintessence of womanhood

” I don’t want to play politics with my pet project, I want a  project that will touch the lives of the poorest of the poor”

– Dame Judith Obiajulu Amaechi

Years after Her Excellency, Dame Judith Obiajulu Amaechi, made the above impassioned and heart-warming statement, all activities of her pet project, the Empowerment Support Initiative, ESI, have continued to reflect the spirit of that statement.

Before becoming the First Lady of Rivers State in October 2007, Dame Judith Amaechi demonstrated an unusually high level of commitment and genuine concern towards the betterment of women, youths and children in the State and the society at large. Her motherly tendencies were made manifest in the warm welcome and hospitable treatment she accorded the family guests and others who came around to meet with her husband, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who was then the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and at some point the Speaker of Conference of Nigerian Speakers, for one political engagement, assistance or the other.

As a result of her goodly nature and accommodating disposition, she attracted a good number of women within the political circles around her. The Ikwerre Women Forum and other Women-based groups were readily available to assist with catering for the unending daily influx of guests to her residence which had become a Mecca of sort.

Shortly after she became the First Lady, her burning passion for a society where women, youths and children with very humble background will be given a place of respect and a sense of belonging spurred her to set up the Empowerment Support Initiative, ESI, her pet project, in October 16, 2008, through which she objectified her goals and desires for the poor and helpless Rivers women and Children. She sponsored the Child/Women right act at the State Legislative Chambers to enhance the prospects of women in the society. Beyond that, she contributed immensely towards the inclusion of women in elective and appointive political offices. Between 2011 – 2015, her efforts in this regard became more visible as Rivers State produced about 35 female Councillors in the 319 Wards in the State.

The ESI, a Non-Governmental Organisation was basically targeted at providing practical aid and support to vulnerable women, children and others who were impoverished and alienated from socially and economically beneficial programmes of the government. It focused on empowering the downtrodden in the society through skills acquisition, special programmes and technical assistance. It also provided medical assistance and adequate orientation to members of the society on life-threatening diseases like HIV/AIDS and Cancer of the breast. ESI donated the first Mammogram machine to the State health sector. The Initiative generally improved the lives and status of women, children and youths it engaged through its numerous programmes.

Through the ESI scheme, Dame Judith Amaechi recorded several milestones in different areas of human endeavour.  She initiated the Ladies Cabbies Programme in partnership with Skye Bank Plc, where women were given cabs after acquiring driving skills to engage in commercial transportation. The Cabbies programme was the first of its kind in the history of Rivers State and it was such a delight to behold Women cab drivers within the City centre and beyond.

Also, under the ESI Workshop programmes, numerous women and youths drawn from the 319 Wards in Rivers State were engaged in skills acquisition in key areas of need. Dame Judith engaged the services of experts who trained the participants on soap making technology, tailoring, electronics repairs, plumbing, painting, making of confectioneries, carpentry, upholstery, and several others. Through these skills programmes, indigent persons were empowered with the relevant skills and tools to become self-reliant and economically independent.

Dame Judith Amaechi distinguished herself not just as a Wife and mother but as a quintessence of womanhood. A high achiever and go-getter who did not rely on her husband, the Governor, to initiate life transforming programmes for the benefit of society or laze around like most First Ladies would do, but she was innovative and supportive to her husband and the goals and visions of his government. She was a wife, mother, friend, partner and a huge pillar of support to her husband. She was actively engaged in activities of governance in support of the Governor in her own ways, however, she did not allow her programmes affect her responsibilities to her husband and children as a wife and a mother respectively. She epitomises the total woman.

Another very notable and strategic way she showed her unalloyed support for her husband, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, was by touring the 23 LGAs of the State donating food items, clothes, beddings, cash gifts and other supportive materials in appreciation of the overwhelming support given to her husband on his reelection victory in 2011.

Through sheer ingenuity and creativity, she became the first ever First Lady to initiate and sustain a free nursery educational programmes in virtually all the 23 LGAs in Rivers State. The programme which began with makeshift classrooms soon transformed into beautiful and well-equipped classrooms with presence in most LGAs in the State. Surprisingly, most of these Model Nursery Schools are still functional with the burden of staff emoluments and other running costs borne by ESI even while the founder is no longer the First Lady.

Dame Judith believes in starting early from the bottom to the top. For her, the children are the starting point for transforming society and as such they must be given adequate early training and education. The concept of the ESI nursery education was to infuse good morals education in the children at such tender age thereby, laying a very strong foundation for them to thrive and become the pillars of the society in the future.

True to her word and very exceptional of the First Lady, Dame Judith did not fail to run ESI as purely an apolitical organisation. The engagements and activities of the organization never reflected any partisan or political agenda, it was totally an organisation for the poor and less privileged Rivers Women, Children and Youth. The ESI nursery schools, though with standard structures and highly qualified teachers were never for the elites, it was strictly for the less privileged and rural children without hope of formal education.

Dame Judith did not limit her projects to skills acquisition and  nursery education, she dared to venture into Agricultural programmes and empowerment, another feat that placed her on the pedestal as a First Lady. She recorded another eminent and extraordinary milestone with her Agricultural Wealth Empowerment Programme -AWEP, a programme which aimed at equipping rural farmers with the requisite skills and trainings to boost food production and farm produce across various communities in the State. The AWEP programme was in partnership with the graduate school of management of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. The programme trained and empowered 2000 Rivers Women.

Dame Judith Amaechi, a woman of Substance and virtue, fondly called the Esther of her generation, exemplifies loyalty, devotion and commitment. It is difficult to tell the story of this great woman of inestimable value and the support she accorded her husband both as a Speaker and Governor without attempting to throw an insight into her spiritual prowess.

A lover of God and a devout christian, Dame Judith does not fail to put God first into all her engagements. She single-handed pioneered the establishment of a formidable spiritual army, El-Maddon Fellowship, that fasted and interceded in prayers to God for the success of her husband’s government and progress of the State. The El-Maddon prayer group met regularly to offer prayers for the State and its government. These prayers were without doubt, instrumental to the success of the Amaechi-led government and the sustained peace, harmony and goodwill that pervaded the State within that period.

Indeed, Dame Judith Amaechi is a symbol of eminence and distinction. She has  demonstrated matchless capacity and parades a track record of excellence which no First Lady in the State has  achieved. More so, she is one of the very few First Ladies in Nigeria who has sustained their pet projects beyond the Office of the First Lady. While most First Ladies are unable to continue the various programmes they started while in office, Dame Judith has continued to affect lives tremendously through her initiative, the ESI, long after she has left office as First Lady.

Her zeal and zest for adding value to humanity is timeless and helping the less privileged is her object of addiction. Even after serving as First Lady, she still revisits the State occasionally for empowerment   and support programmes and other activities that promote the well-being of the masses. On October 28, 2017, she was in Port Harcourt  for a Prayer Crusade at the Port Harcourt Polo Club which she organised in partnership with some churches. She also used the occasion to provide support to Women and donate food and other items to them.

Rather than fatten her private purse with juicy contracts from government agencies, she is busy seeking partnership with willing agencies and organizations to provide trainings and empowerment for indigent women and youths. The 6th edition of the ESI empowerment programme in partnership with NDDC is ongoing in IMO State where a good number of youths from the Niger Delta region are the participants with foreign experts providing trainings in different skills and profession. On February 3, 2018, these set of trainees will be graduated in an event billed to hold in Port Harcourt which will be attended by the creme de la creme of the society.

Dame Judith Amaechi remains an outstanding and visionary woman who derives great fulfilment in improving lives and adding value to society. She is without any modicum of doubt one of the finest and most productive women in Rivers State.

We encourage other women who are in position of prominence or whose husbands are occupants of exalted political offices to emulate the practical example Dame Judith provides. The society would become a lot better if other Women in her place can passionately pursue similar life-enriching programmes as this and provide supportive initiatives to their husbands.

From the Desk of

INCRA,

Ubima, Rivers State.