Femi Falana on First Ladies I cannot dictate for spouses of elected officials what roles they should play. But, let them learn from the professionals among them like Justice Mary Peter-Odili, who has reached the apogee of her career. If she had been on sabbatical leave for eight years when her husband was the governor of Rivers State, she could not have made it to the apex court by now. Let those who decide to run non-governmental organisations run them for the benefit of our people. There is so much to do. Let them join the campaign to remove 10.5 million children from the streets and register them in schools. Let them join the battle to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, cholera and other preventable diseases that are ravaging our people. Let them influence their spouses to address these problems and the crisis of poverty in the midst of plenty. Like other citizens, spouses of elected officials are entitled to establish NGOs but the sources of funding them should be known by the public. Like I said, there is so much to do. Cases of rape are on the increase all over the country. We have the highest number of illiterate children in the world. We have the highest number of children afflicted with HIV/AIDS. In some parts of the country, education for girls remains a taboo. Women and children are the greatest victims of our poverty-induced economy. These issues should occupy the attention of governors’ wives setting up NGOs. Happily, some are doing well in these areas.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 04:45:45 +0000
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