Oluremi Tinubu, First Lady of Nigeria, has renamed the
National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) after the late Maryam Babangida.
NAN reports that Tinubu also revealed her portrait and a
compendium of activities of the First Lady and wives of governors of Nigeria
from 2015 to 2023.
Maryam was the wife of general Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,
Nigeria’s head of state from 1985 to 1993.
She championed women’s development during her reign but died
from ovarian cancer at the age of 61 in December 2009.
The NCWD is a federal government institution founded in 1992
for the training and economic empowerment of women.
Tinubu praised the late Maryam for her exemplary role in
women’s empowerment and national development.
“Her excellency, the late Maryam was an icon who redefined
the scope of women’s participation in national development and through her pet
programme better life for rural dwellers touched ordinary lives, especially in
the rural areas,” she said.
“I am happy that I
was part of the ninth national assembly when the bill for the renaming of the
centre was passed and assented into law.”
Also speaking, Monilola Udoh, permanent secretary of the
federal ministry of women affairs, said the centre was renamed in accordance
with the amendment of the NCWD act, cap. N15, laws of the federation of
Nigeria, 2004.
Udoh said the change of name was necessary to improve the
functions of the centre.
She said the bill for renaming was passed by the senate on
March 29, 2023, while the house of tepresentatives enacted it on April 5.
“The government under
the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, approved the bill by
assenting to it in May 2023,” she said.
“By this information, we want our esteemed partners, the
general public and indeed the media personnel to take note of the changes and
help publicise it to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and even beyond.”
On her part, Asabe Vilita-Bashir, director-general of the centre, said renaming
the building after the late Maryam Babangida will motivate other women in
leadership to imitate her outstanding roles in nation-building.
“Maryam Babangida is someone that Nigerian women will not
forget and we are doing this to encourage other women leaders to emulate her
virtues, commitment and support to women,” Vilita-Bashir said.
“This will serve as
an inspiration to all women in leadership positions to do more for Nigerian
women and will be recorded by history.”
Others who attended the event include Nana Shettima, wife of
the vice-president, Mohammed and Aminu Babangida, sons of the late Maryam,
among others.
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu had renamed 15 airports after
prominent Nigerian men without a single woman on the list.
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