Introduction:
There is a reason why political office aspirants especially those vying for executive positions across the world are often asked questions about their family lives.
While we wish that someday women of the requisite qualification govern our states and even the country, we cannot wish away the reality that most of these positions are occupied by the males.
This is why for example in the South-eastern part of Nigeria, the five states are governed by men in 2025. These governors are married to women who are the mother of their kids. These women are addressed as “First Ladies”.
They maynot have official portfolios they hold in government but they wield a lot of influence in the scheme of things and could use such influence for great impacts in the society if they so wish.
Restructuring of Nigeria:
If there is one thing we have never shied away from as a brand, it is the fact that we are convinced that the model with which Nigeria is being governed at this moment, can never work and would never work except the country is restructured in the interest of all the regions.
The above assertion is made from a place of knowledge of how diverse we are as a people across ethnic and religious lines which makes it difficult for us to align towards a national objective as a people. That is why we have consistently pushed the conversation for fiscal federalism in our governance structure or restructuring of the Nigerian state as it is now popularly called.
One of the major gains of a restructured Nigeria is that it would give the component regions of the Nigerian state the freedom to aspire to be developed by being creative and leveraging on their areas of comparative advantage to become prosperous unlike the present-day Nigeria where the various state governments are literarily not being proactive as it pertains to how to exploit their areas of strength to create wealth and development for their regions. The 2024 tax reform bill stalemate tells you more about our reality as a people.
While it seems to be taking forever for our political leaders to take the restructuring option, as a brand we would continue to push the Nigerian development conversations across regional lines majorly.
Southeastern governor first Ladies and their impacts on governance:
With the above established premise, permit me to zoom in a bit on the first Ladies of the South Eastern states and their impacts on the various states their husbands are governing.
We are well aware that these first ladies were not the ones elected into political offices but we know that by virtue of being the wives of the chief executives they are involved with governance and have a lot of influence in their states.
The southeastern part of Nigeria is made up of the following states: Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra states.
If there is any region of the Nigerian state that one can argue which ought to be safe and organically prosperous on all fronts, permit me to say that it should be the Southeastern region which is largely habited by ndi Igbo.
This is as a result of their cosmopolitan, egalitarian, open minded and republican nature which makes it easy for them to move around the world and seamlessly integrate in search of better opportunities for growth, wealth creation. The Igbos often don’t find it difficult to integrate with people of different religions, cultural orientations and their likes. An Igbo man would gladly migrate to a very distant land and establish himself in such communities, cultural differences notwithstanding.
Imo State:
Imo State is presently governed by Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All-Progressive Congress (APC) who is married to Barr. Mrs. Chioma Uzodinma.
The Imo first family just celebrated their 10 years wedding anniversary in the first week of January 2025 which is beautiful and from all indication, Barr. Mrs. Chioma Uzodinma, who is an Aba, raised lawyer has had some good professional exposures within the scope of her career as a lawyer. The governor obviously doesn’t joke with his young wife of his and this can translate to a lot for ndi Imo if her excellency wishes to deploy this asset in the interest of the state.
As a lawyer who has practiced overtime, one can argue that she has the capacity, the reach and knowledge to affect the lives of Imo women, children and the vulnerable population in the state in remarkable ways.
We hope to have Her excellency remind her husband that most of her fellow women are becoming widows as a result of the insecurity in some parts of the state.
In the new year, it is our wish that we see Her excellency take up some projects that would transform the lives of some specific Imo state populations in uncommon ways. This remains the real essence of access to political power either directly or by extension.
Being a beloved wife to the governor, there is a lot she can get from the governor on behalf of ndi Imo state and we hope to see her do more of that in the new year especially in the areas of education, health, women empowerment and protection of the vulnerable population.
Facebook Page; Chioma Uzodimma
Abia State;
Abia State is governed by Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour party (LP) who is married to Mrs. Priscilia Otti. While we are not privileged to have a publication on how long the state governor has been married to his wife, we can confidently say that looking at the governor’s first child, we can say that they have been married for more than 20 years which indeed is a big flex.
While we are well aware of some interventions of the wife of the governor in some cases that pertains to rescuing teenage girls from baby making factories in Abia state, we would want her and her team to do more for women, children and the vulnerable populations in Abia State.
With the recent declaration of free education in Abia state by the governor, it is our wish that her excellency takes this up and commits to making sure that public school enrolment in Abia State ramps up significantly. This would definitely be in the interest of the state.
In the past year, there were some credible achievements traceable to Mrs. Priscillia Otti. While that is very commendable, it is our wish that she continues on that path while also looking into other areas she can support her hardworking husband to succeed with the aim of making their tenure exceptional.
For many years, she has been married to Dr. Alex Otti who has been a top banking executive. This privilege of association by marriage alone confers on her great advantage and access to people who can support her noble initiatives in the state, as long as it is executed in a manner that is transparent and accountable. Not one where blackmail is unleashed as a tool to intimidate people who ask for accountability.
Ebonyi State;
Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru governs the mineral rich state of Ebonyi on the platform of All progressive congress (APC) with the support of his amiable wife Chief Mrs. Mary – Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru who is obviously his second in command, if you know what I mean.
While this is beautiful to see, we hope to have Ebonyi residents especially the women, children, vulnerable people benefit massively from the quality of relationship their governor shares with his beautiful wife. God blessed women with the power of subtle persuasion.
We are well aware of some challenges that some Ebonyi women face which is why they are often talked down on in the society. Chief Mrs. Maudline Nwifuru should leverage on her position and her reach to make the lives of Ebonyi women measurably better and of a better quality.
Intensifying efforts on addressing the vesicovaginal fistula challenges faced by some of the women in rural areas remains an area she can make a great impact in.
Assisting Ebonyi women and children in the rural areas see themselves as gems that have to invest in themselves to be great and useful in the society beyond doing menial jobs to survive is an aspect that she cannot afford not to throw her full weight at as her excellency.
The menace of Ebonyi kids being used for menial jobs or domestic aides across the nation should be looked at and addressed strategically in the interest of the state. There are just so much to do to help her husband so that at the end of the day, they can boldly give a great account of their time in office.
Facebook Page; Chief (Mrs). Uzoamaka Mary – Maudline Ogbonna Nwifuru
Enugu State;
Barr. Peter Mbah who governs Enugu state on the party platform of PDP is blessed with an Imo state daughter as a wife. She is Mrs. Nkechinyere Iheoma Mbah, a young-looking lady with a remarkable charisma worth commending.
Having been married to the CEO of Pinnacle Oil and gas limited puts one in a great position to meet quite influential people through the course of one’s life.
When it now dawns on you our reader that the CEO of the Pinnacle oil and gas company has now become the governor of a state in Nigeria, it routinely would make you demand so much from her as onye Enugu despite having not seen her on the ballot.
Mrs. Mbah being groomed, raised and married to an Enugu state indigene, offers her excellency the rare privilege to understand ndi Enugu so well as it pertains to what their major challenges are. It is expected that Her excellency should use her God given privilege of access to assist her visibly hardworking husband to transform the lives of women, children and the vulnerable population in Enugu.
There is a lot she can do for those above-mentioned specific population with the support of her husband and we are well aware that with the right engagements on her part, that she can help her husband touch so many more lives in the state especially as it pertains to women, children, and the vulnerable population in the state.
In the new year we want to hear news of the great things she has been able to do for her people with the support of her fast-paced husband.
Facebook Page; H. E Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah
Anambra State;
Anambra State governed by Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo on the platform of All progressive grand alliance (APGA) is married to Mrs. Nonye Soludo. She is the brain behind Healthy living with Nonye.
Prof. Charles Soludo is effectively carrying out his tasks within the scope of his ability with the support of his beloved wife whom he exchanged marital vows with on the 25th of December 2024 to commemorate their 32nd wedding anniversary.
That indeed is a long time and it directly could mean that she should know how best to get her man to do things for the people more than anyone of us. There are some other aspects we wish to see our first Lady explore in the new year even as they get ready for elections, later in the year.
Some riverine communities across Anambra state unfortunately are still involved with some cultures, traditions and its likes that repress women exceedingly. Her Excellency with the support of the right groups should look into that and see that no girl child is left behind in terms of education and other self-development efforts.
There is a lot to do for the women, children and the vulnerable population in the state. With the free education declared in Anambra state by the governor, the first lady and her team can assist the governor to sensitize rural women on why they must enrol their kids in school as it is their best bet to a better life in the years to come.
Facebook Page; Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo
On what premise are these first Ladies expected to play the above stated roles?
While some scholars are of the school of thought that the wives of governors (First Ladies) have no business in governance as they were not voted for, I beg to differ to this thought pattern.
Except for cases where the wife of a governor is outrightly overbearing, uncouth and grossly lacking in emotional intelligence while also not being willing to invest in herself to become an improved version of herself, I believe strongly that these women are potent sources of development in some critical aspects of their various states economy if their influence is well deployed.
Always have this at the back of your mind that a woman joined in holy or traditional matrimony with a man and in these cases having given birth to children for these men are a huge source of influence on these men.
They have a rare privilege of being the wives of these governors and as such would have a lot of people who love the development of the state try to reach out to them in the interest of their various states. It is upto these first Ladies to explore these options in the interest of the states governed by their husbands.
Observation and probable areas of focus by the first Ladies
Some areas of the state economy which pertains to children, women rights, education, health, agriculture can become areas to be committed to by these first Ladies.
While it was easy tracing social media accounts owned by the first Ladies of Enugu, Anambra, Imo and Ebonyi States there was no trace of such for Mrs. Priscillia Otti of Abia State. While we acknowledge that it is within her personal disposition to be on social media or not, as the wife of a state governor who is expected to help the governor in a way or the other, we need her visibility in the social media space to be able to trace some of the good interventions of hers easily.
In the present dispensation it is necessary for people who occupy such positions to have a form of online visibility, that way we the masses can connect with them and express our concerns directly to them when the need arises.
Moving forward
Deliberately we would not want to pitch the first Ladies of the South eastern states against themselves in terms of assessing their various impacts on their states but it would be good to call the attention of some of these governors to this aspect of governance we are yet to see some of them leverage on.
What no sane governor would wish for, is for their individual wives to embarrass them the way one of the first Ladies embarrassed her husband in the public not long ago at a public function. That was outrightly uncharitable.
Our governors must sit down with their wives and entrust into their care specific tasks to assist them with.
It could be the supervision of some tasks to see to it that those tasks are excellently delivered upon. Their wives should be heard and seen for the right reasons except for occasions where these wives choose to not be involved with governance of their states for personal reasons.
Conclusion
Finally, these first Ladies could be potent tools for positive development and transformation in our south eastern states if well harnessed.
We must be deliberate to discourage these women from becoming social nuisance in their bid to force us the citizens to acknowledge their presence as first Ladies while there are many noble ways to do this. This recognition which some of them seek ought to be earned through their engagements overtime.
In this new year we must once more remind these first ladies that they can use their various offices to do more for the people their husbands are privileged to have been elected to govern and serve. Beyond the show, they should think of how to serve the interest of the downtrodden.
Let us always remember the impact of Her Excellency Titi Abubakar on trafficking of children and girl children when her husband was the Vice president of Nigeria. It was such that impact could not be ignored even by her enemies.