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Nigeriaâs Second Lady to Empower Women Ahead of Elections

   Peter Clottey 24 October 2010

   Hajiya Amina Mohammed Namadi Sambo, wife of Nigeriaâs vice president

   The  wife  of Nigeriaâs vice president said she has teamed up with the
   first  lady  to  empower  Nigerian  women ahead of next yearâs general
   elections.

   Hajiya   Amina   Mohammed   Namadi   Sambo   made  the  comment  after
   participating  in the Pan-African women conference here in Washington,
   DC.

   She  said  the conference focused, among others, on issues relating to
   womenâs health, empowerment, education, health and gender equality.

   âWe  give thanks to the Almighty God and to our husbands. We know that
   they  are  behind  us;  we will go back and tell them what needs to be
   done  with  regards  to women, and I think they will assist us all the
   way  and  we  hope  that (in partnership) with other international and
   national donors, we will get to where we are going.â

   While  both  women  were on a nationwide âwomen empowermentâ campaign,
   first  lady  Patience  Jonathan encouraged Nigerian women to use their
   numerical  strength  to  seek  elective  positions during the upcoming
   elections.

   Nigeria women

   âYou  must  avoid violence and advise your children against being used
   as  thugs  during  campaigns  and  electionsâ¦Please  remember that no
   matter  our  political ambition or position, we should not neglect our
   roles as wives and mothers,â Mrs. Jonathan was quoted as saying.

   Hajiya  Sambo  said  she intends to fully implement the resolutions of
   the Pan-African women conference when she returns to Nigeria.

   âOne  of the challenges that women have in Nigeria is empowermentâ¦not
   only  the  woman alone (but) also the youth. But, poverty has been the
   major  cause  of  so  many  ill vises in Nigeria. And we believe if we
   tackle  the  issue  of poverty, which is one of the goals of the MDGâs
   (Millennium  Development  Goals),  we  (can)  reduce  unemployment and
   empower our women (to end the vises).â

   Hajiya Sambo is the founder and chairperson of âI Care-Women and Youth
   Initiativeâ,  a  non-governmental  organization aimed at improving the
   lives  of women, youth and the less privileged members of the Nigerian
   society.

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