Wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Deaconess Martha Udom Emmanuel, has been decorated as a Patron of the African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO), “for her outstanding contributions towards the upliftment of womanhood, and her generous inputs in the organisation’s vision.”

The honour was bestowed on her during the formal inauguration of the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the organisation in Uyo, and the flag-off of the organisation’s mentor programme: “One Mother, One Child” a programme aimed at cerebrating motherhood, while also “encouraging members to adopt, foster and sponsor a child by ensuring that they attain the highest level of education.”

Founder of AWLO, Mr. Elisha Atai said at the ceremony that the organisation was committed to ensuring that women in the African continent were given their rightful place in leadership, “as it also seeks to advance the status of women in Africa by creating an empowering platform and harnessing the synergies of alliance from governments, institutions and groups.”

Atai stressed that the inauguration of the state chapter, was in line with the organisation’s agenda of creating awareness for “local women” to aspire for leadership positions.

Responding, Deaconess Emmanuel, said that Akwa Ibom State had recorded unprecedented gains in women’s advancement due to the gender-responsive policies of the immediate-past administration of Chief (Dr) Godswill Akpabio, and she particularly paid glowing tribute to her predecessor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio “whose robust legacies in the mobilisation and empowerment of women and girls”, she said, had “set a standard that cannot afford to be ignored.”

She said that Akwa Ibom State currently stands at the threshold of a historic economic take-off, stressing that “one half of the population which constitutes the female gender, cannot afford to be left behind”, pointing out that her husband’s administration and his team “have assured women that their empowerment programmes will be scaled up by the current government in the state.

The governor’s wife commended AWLO for its efforts in launching the state chapter, noting that such would contribute immensely towards enhancing the leadership potentials of the women folks of the state, and assured of her personal commitment in the days ahead, “towards addressing existing gaps in women’s leadership capacity in Akwa Ibom State.”

Others honoured at the occasion included the immediate-past deputy government of the state, Lady Valerie Ebe, Mrs. Gloria Umoren, Permanent Secretary/Solicitor-General in the state Ministry of Justice, as well as the wife of the Secretary to the state government, Mrs. Umoren, “for their numerous contributions to the success of the organisation.”

•Photo shows Martha Udom Emmanuel speaking at a function.