As the world marks the 2024 International Women’s Day, the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has congratulated all women in the state and all over Nigeria on celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day today with the theme “Inspire Inclusion.”.
Expressing his sense of immense pride in the phenomenal women of Anambra State and, indeed, all of Nigeria, the governor commended their outstanding impacts as builders of society who deserve to be celebrated.
“Your impact is undeniable. You are the indomitable spirit that drives our families, businesses, and communities forward. You are the educators, the entrepreneurs, the innovators, and the builders—the very foundation of our society. Today and every day, we celebrate you.“
This year’s theme, “Inspire Inclusion,” resonates deeply as it is a call to action, a reminder that true progress comes when we all work together, men and women, side by side.
In Anambra, we are committed to ensuring that every woman has the opportunity to reach her full potential. That’s why we keep supporting and investing in initiatives that prioritise maternal healthcare, empower women economically, and champion the education of girls,” says the Governor
The Governor therefore calls on Ndi Anambra to continue inspiring and supporting the inclusion of women so that we can create an Anambra where every woman can dream big, achieve her goals, and contribute to the greatness of our state.
Soludo’s message was contained in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Awka on Friday by his press secretary, Christian Aburime.
Also, his wife, Mrs Nonye Soludo, while celebrating the day with nursing students across the state at the Governor’s Lodge Amawbia on Friday, said, “We can not achieve a world where progress trends if women are still subjected to societal pressure, molestation, battery, abuses, stigma, and short-changing rules.
According to her, “today we have gathered again to celebrate the uniqueness and distinctiveness of womanhood. To celebrate our essence, importance, and rareness.
“International Women’s Day is beyond a ceremony of fanfare. It is an important fixture that gives us the opportunity to idolise the pride of being a woman. To be a woman is to be unique. In our uniqueness lies immeasurable strength, resilience, and great dreams. Today, just like every other day, women deserve to be celebrated.
“This year’s edition of the global date is quite special for me. It is even more special to have you all here, each of you wearing the proud brand of what we represent. I address you today because, as a woman, I take immense pride in my exceptional identity. You, too, should. But being a woman comes with a certain kind of responsibility. You may call them challenges. However, God has also created every woman to be extra strong, stoic, and determined.
“Take perfect motivation from women who have beaten social, cultural, ethnoreligious, and economic impediments to rise in their chosen careers and vocations, or women who have broken high glass ceilings to make historical marks on national and global record books. You, too, can. Being a woman gives you that extra motivation to think big, dream big, and achieve big.
“The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration is super unique. “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.” It explains how much better our society can get if women are rightly empowered.
” Empowering women goes beyond social safety and interim interventions.
“Providing quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities for the female gender is a great game-changer in human capital investment moves. We must also look at getting rid of certain socio-cultural, religious, and economic obstacles that are facing most women, especially those residing in rural communities.
“The towering statistics of women who are going through different forms of abuse at homes, workplaces, and even in supposed places of worship are scary. In the midst of the menace, we are still dealing with cultural issues like female genital mutilation (FGM) and subjecting widows to indignifying conditions. Women have also been caught up in the dangers of human trafficking.
“These horrible revelations stand like a gaint devil in the face of our society’s willingness to make that “accelerated progress.”
“Empowering women through education, economics, and job opportunities will reduce poverty and give them an edge over most of these problems.
“My fellow women, as we are emphasising the need to mobilise political will and resources to address these existential issues faced by women in our immediate and remote communities, I also wish to remind us that we have a big role to play in achieving the desired results. As women, we need to show a sincere willingness to support each effort, policy, and action that is made to bring solutions. We must also take advantage of new and existing opportunities that support our well-being, especially laws and political, social, and economic opportunities that are out there. We should also get involved in politics so that we can be actively involved in key decisions that affect us.
The era is gone when politics is seen as a dirty or men-only affair. Women can change the dynamics.
“We certainly can not achieve the dream of a livable and prosperous homeland without the vision, brilliance, and tenacity of our great women. From having women as leaders and heads of key government ministries, parastatals, agencies, and other important positions to creating opportunities for women in politics, agriculture, jobs, ICT, and social and economic empowerment, the government has shown a candid intention to build a state where women’s uniqueness and impact are greatly valued. Just last year, we activated a partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to provide free cervical cancer screening and treatment for five thousand Anambra women. At the end of the exercise, over ten thousand women were successfully screened, while those whose results came back positive were treated free of charge.
“Today, our free antenatal care and delivery services have shifted attention largely to professional medical care, thereby saving the lives of thousands of women who would have subscribed to dangerous local child-bearing practices because of the costs of childbirth in government facilities.
“Over a week ago, we were in the Imo State capital, Owerri, where twenty female farmers from Anambra State received a grant of five hundred thousand naira each to support their agrobusinesses courtesy of the Renewed Hope Initiative Women Agricultural Support Programme of Nigeria’s First Lady, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
“This administration is committed to investing in our women, knowing very well that with every right resource channelled into building the capacity of women, the entire society gains massively in return.
“My NGO, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, has also identified these needs and is consistently building collaborations to ensure that our women benefit immensely. Our campaigns on the right health consciousness enveloping nutrition, physical fitness, and hygiene have made great progress on the new culture in Anambra State. We have also set up pad banks in over three hundred and fifty secondary schools in the state to solve the problem of sanitary hygiene and menstrual emergencies among female students.
“Umu nwayi ibem (my fellow women), there is a priceless value in being a woman. We are the lights and heartbeats of any home or society. We are the consciences of the world. We are the pride of God’s creation. We are different. We are so precious and invaluable. Always dream big and remember that there is never a limit to what you can achieve as a woman, as the first lady concluded.
