AT the ongoing UN CSW61 in New York, Naija Magazine Online (NMO) spoke with the President General/Founder, Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in Diaspora, Chief Lolo Dr. Kate Ezeofor.

In the chat, she urged women to work together and be united. She also refuted insinuations that Umu Ada Igbo is an elitist organization.

She further encouraged more women to join the organization, noting that women ‘are fighting the same battle…’

Read the interview.

Introduction

My name is Kate Ezeofor, President General/Founder, Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in Diaspora, that has ECOSOC status (in the United Nations).

Umuada Igbo are daughters of Igboland in Nigeria and Diaspora. They are women who come together to see about the welfare of women. Umuada Igbo is into empowerment of women and youths.

What are the issues?

In our areas, there are a lot of problems; social and cultural, girl/woman inheritance for example, so we decided that to support women.

What we are saying is that let women be recognized in their own rights. Women should not be put in places that will be too hard for them to be empowered.

Proposed Project

We are working on building a hospital for the needy. We have 7.7 hectares of land to build the hospital in Omogho, Orumba North Local Government in Anambra State. We are calling on philanthropists to build a department and have their names immortalized. Not everybody can go to India or America or Britain.

We have a legal section where we give women free legal services. We are not elitist. Before Umuada Igbo was formed, we went to the villages to obtain authority.

Is Umuada Igbo exclusive and elitist?

Umuada Igbo is a socio-cultural NGO, helping the needy. We encourage women to be part of us. We are in at least 26 states of Nigeria. We welcome anybody who is a woman to join us. We are all fighting the same battle to get the women united, to get the women empowered, and the youths too.

Parting words

Women and men should work together. Women should work hard to see that they are united, and that they carry everyone along. If we work together; men, women and youths, we will have a better country. We are asking Nigerians to give women a chance. If you have a woman in a leadership position, she will be in a better position to know what is good for women.

Culled from Naija Magazine Online

For more on the ongoing CSW61, please visit www.naijamagazineonline.com