From Joseph Obukata, Warri
As part of activities to mark the International Women’s Day, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Warri, Delta State, branch, carried out a sensitisation campaign for rural women in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.
The one-day sensitization campaign had women drawn from 12 wards in Sapele council area of the state. The programme was tailored to create awareness for rural women in the areas of their fundamental rights, skill empowerment programmes and health enlightenment geared towards breaking the bias faced by the womenfolk.
Chairperson of FIDA, Warri branch, Ogechi Jessica Megbele, who led other executive members to the event, said the sensitization campaign became imperative to ensure women in rural communities were abreast with what was happening globally and the need to be self-reliant.
She said women had the natural propensity to help themselves, hence, in situations such as when a woman is compelled to give birth suddenly in a public place, “you see other women rally around her with their wrappers spread together to close her nakedness.”
She, therefore, urged the women to endeavour to help one another in the spirit of togetherness in their various trades, instead of mocking each other in hard times.
She said: “Don’t remove the ladder after you have climbed up because, one day, you will need it to climb down. And, remember, those who helped you to climb will also need it. Don’t throw it at them that they should perish. Life is all about give and take.
“As women, we must endeavour to help ourselves. When you are opportune, you make good use of it because opportunity, they say, comes but once. Use your good opportunity well to help society. Help yourselves and build the society. We must mentor other people, too, show them the way. Don’t just give them fish, teach them how to fish so that they themselves can help the society.”
She urged the women to embrace the various empowerment programmes of the state government and see which one would help them to be self-reliant and become independent.
In a chat with Daily Sun, the FIDA chairperson said, as part of commitment to work in tandem with the Delta State government, the Warri branch had, before the programme, paid a courtesy visit to the chairman, Sapele LGA.
She said, though the chairman was unavoidably absent, he was represented by the secretary of the council, Mr. Felix Ayemidejo, who led others, including Rich Ogirisen, one of the councillors in the council, and a woman leader, Joy Jemirigbe, to the programme.
Speaking on behalf of the council chairman, Ayemidejo assured the group that they would partner with them in future programmes tailored to create more awareness for rural women and the girl-child.
Those present at the campaign included Megbele Ogechi Jessica (chairperson), Oghenero Faith Megbele (assistant secretary), Beauty Ekpuda (PRO), Alero Omebeyinje Sifo (welfare secretary), Vanessa Oyemi Kubeyinje-Ngwu (treasurer), Ataine Aghogho, Zino Aikpokpo-Martins, Clara Omoroh, Dr. Ejiro Kore-Okiti, Timi Brisibe, Augustina Harrison Ojenikoh, Precious Pela, Harmony Agwu, Mrs. Egbo Onosakponome Juliet, Mrs. Irene Tadaferua, Weyimi Omoruwa, Mrs. Erhi and Mrs. G.G. Mure, among others.
Meanwhile, Megbele said that, prior to the IWD programme, FIDA, Warri branch, had, on Saturday, February 19, rescued 20 teenagers who were being used illegally for alms-begging by women who feigned blindness in Effurun, near Warri. She said the rescue was as a result of a week-long investigations that the children were recruited to beg for alms by some women who feigned handicap.
According to her, the investigation by the association revealed that the children were brought into town under the guise of giving them a comfortable life and a good education by the group of women who pretended to be blind.
She said FIDA, with the help of the police, was able to arrest seven of the women, while the prime suspect was still at large.
It was gathered that the children were trafficked from southeastern states of Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi to Effurun, Delta State, by an alleged child trafficker simply identified as Mama Success, now at large.
The children were trafficked from the East by Mama Success under the pretext of offering them good education, but when they got to Warri from various locations, the woman allegedly handed them over to another set of women who feigned blindness on the streets.
The children, instead of being taken to school, were exploited to beg for alms by the supposed blind women who usually sat along Airport Road, by the traffic light, in Uvwie Local Council Area of the metropolis.
It was gathered that the bubble got burst for the women when one of the victims, tired of being used for alms-begging, narrated his ordeal to one Mrs. Blessing Ojebawa, a shop owner along Airport Road.
Megbele disclosed that the women were rounded up in a sting operation involving the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, the Nigerian Bar Association, Warri branch, as well as policemen from Ugborikoko Police Division.
She said the women have since been transferred to the State Criminal Investment Department of the state police command, while the children were handed over to the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs for rehabilitation and to reunite them with their families.