ENUGU – Women from all walks of life converged ion Enugu, to celebrate two women icons, Professor Emeritus Uche Azikiwe, the widow of Nnamdi Azikiwe, first President of Nigeria, and Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the Dean Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC) and founder of Women Aids Collective (WACOL).
The event, promoted by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), with the support of WACOL and other non-governmental organisations was held on Thursday in Enugu.
Presenting a keynote address, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, extolled the virtues in the two amazons who have committed their lives to women emancipation and empowerment in Nigeria and the world.
According to Nwodo, for Uche to have become the most outstanding of all the women our great leader, her revered husband (Zik), must have met in the period of her retirement and eventual widower status, speaks volumes of her intellect and domesticity.
“Ndigbo remain perpetually indebted to Uche for taking care of our father, enabling him to live a very long and fulfilled life and keeping his legacy alive not only through her children and her works but by her impeccable fidelity and respect for her husband even in death.
“Joy’s training as a lawyer, in human rights advocacy and gender issues, her passionate defence of victims of violence and trafficking, her unrelenting championing of good governance and her desire to bring succour and happiness to the less privileged in our society, define her.
“Joy is a convincing example that anything a man can do, a woman cannot only do it but perhaps do it outstandingly much better,” Nwodo said.
The Ohanaeze leader further noted that Joy Ezeilo, the founder of WACOL, brings into every undertaking of hers, zeal, enthusiasm, efficiency and panache that is exhilarating and commendable.
Nwodo, however, advised the Nigerian woman to discard the concept that she is a passenger and not a partner, stressing that in all civilized climes, a woman gives love, respect and care, not
