Christens a large container ship in Korea
When Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, wife of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, remained silent even after the May-29 swearing-in of President Buhari as Commander-in- Chief little did anybody know about her thoughts. Some were pondering over what manner of outing she was going to showcase as the wife of the President.
Mrs. Buhari carefully decided, and settled down to advocacy for improved maternal and neonatal child health which she unveiled at a modest ceremony to canvass for support from within and outside the country through partnership.
The advocacy initiative so far has recorded enormous successes, such as that which has never been witnessed or recorded in the archives of the wives of the Presidents because of the solemn and uncommon approach to a very crucial issue of unending history, mothers and children, being the backbone of the society the world over.
Mrs. Buhari forayed into those states where services and attention were most required such as Calabar in Cross Rivers state for free medical assessment of women to checkmate the excesses of those ailments that could kill women like breast cancer.
Such free medical outreach initiative took Mrs. Buhari to Enugu where over two thousand women received a similar gesture of unique proportion as described by many of the beneficiaries and particularly the Host Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi and Mrs. Ugwanyi for witnessing a feat that never happened in the history of the south east, their most familiar terrain.
In the course of the trip, Mrs. Buhari found time to pay a thank- you visit to the famous clergy of Nigeria's historical evolution, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka, for many reasons but most importantly his prayers to her husband to be that agent for change of Nigeria's history.
The initiative was also showcased in Yola Adamawa State, the home state of Mrs. Buhari, where hundreds benefited from the free medical assessment aside from visit to orphanages and camps of the internally displaced persons.
Mrs. Buhari saw reason in-between her thoughts on women and children to embark on yet another trip to advocate for assistance, support and care for those Nigerians displaced as a result of insurgency particularly in the North Central and the North East.
The constant appeal for attention by Mrs. Buhari was received by prominent organizations who saw the necessity to pay back to the society what they most require at those critical moments--hence the donations in different proportions of assorted foodstuff and other items worth millions of Naira in support of the internally displaced persons .
The answer to Mrs. Buhari? clarion call became a high point that prompted her to insist on a series of visits and through representation to put smiles on the faces of those deprived of comfort of their homes but found resettlement camps as safe havens before relocation back to their original abode. Conditions were being addressed every step of the way through commitment, as clearly manifest in the several but unabridged stride of the President to bring to end the spate of insurgency that plagued the economic potentials of the North east region and by extension Northern Nigeria.
The wife of the President visited Maiduguri to present the donations after setting up a committee to spearhead the exercise under the executive governor of Borno State Kashim Shettima.
The trip to Borno State provided an opportunity for Mrs. Buhari to also pay homage to the Shehu of Borno Umar Elkanemi and the camp of thousands of displaced persons, and make presentations of bags to women who had twins aside from baby food and other cooking facility among other items.
The camp of the displaced persons in Jos also witnessed the arrival of the wife of the President for a similar gesture the same way the orphanage in Gwagwalada received during the August visit of Mrs. Buhari when she celebrated the Sallah ceremony with the children.
Mrs. Buhari was also at the National Hospital Abuja to make donations of food items to the special care units deserving urgent attention in addition to her Christmas day visit to Kubwa General Hospital where she presented souvenirs to nursing mothers coupled with yet another donation of assorted food items to Kubwa Christian Women? Association to share the joy of the Christmas Yuletide as a show of motherliness.
The series of interventions and magnanimity of Mrs. Buhari was also reflected in her distribution of items to women politicians in some states while plans are also in top gear to extend the same gesture to other parts of the country in a show of love, solidarity and care.
The chorus of Mrs. Buhari has always been "Please donate for the sake of the Nigerian children, mothers and the internally displaced persons"--reasons why she passed recommendations to those partners that responded quickly to the clamor for improved well-being, care and attention for those categories of Nigerians. A stitch in time will definitely save millions, considering the number of those deserving attention in our beloved country, Nigeria.
By Chairman Yuccee O. Uwah of the APC South Korea Chapter
