Fred Ezeh
Efforts to improve standard of living and empowerment of the people of the oil rich Niger Delta region came to the fore, at the maiden edition of the miss amnesty beauty pageant and award night held in a Abuja last week.
It was a gathering of individuals, interest groups, community leaders and other stakeholders that are at forefront of the regional development, particularly as it concerns women and children whom they said have obviously received less attention from the government.
Discussion at the meeting was shifted from the ex-militants to the course of women and children whom were said to be the worst hit in the years of armed struggle for the economic emancipation of the region.
The beauty pageant and other programmes around it offered an opportunity for the organizers to raise strong and courageous ladies that would take up the challenge of mobilizing support from states government and other corporate organizations to promote various women empowerment initiatives.
The ladies, especially the crowned queen would serve as face of presidential amnesty, that would promote various empowerment programmes being implemented for the benefit of the repentant militants.
The crowned queen will also use her office to highlight the level of poverty and suffering among women in the region, which has resulted in poor and unhealthy standard of living.
The organizer, Tracy Macwary, said she was pushed to take up the responsibility because of the high level of neglect women have suffered in the region.
“Women in the region have been treated unjustly especially when it comes to issues of empowerment. Men seems to have enjoyed the dividend of the presidential amnesty of the federal government more than the women for unknown reasons.
“They easily forget that when a girl child is trained, she reciprocate that to wider society. In this regard, tne new crowned Miss amnesty queen, Progress Wenendah Nbinye, will waste no time in starting her advocacy visit to stakeholders to make case for women.
“She will be source of courage, love, inspiration and hope to other women who might have lost hope due to years of neglect and poor attention from the government,” she said.
In her remarks, the new miss queen appreciated the organizers for giving her such a rare platform that would help her fulfil her dream of making great and positive on the lives of Niger Delta women and youths.
She said: “It has been a long journey to victory and grateful for the support I received from my family and friends. Being announced winner in a keenly contested beauty pageant that had many gorgeous ladies as contenders was amazing and miraculous.
“However, my long desired opportunity to make great impact on the lives of rural Niger Delta women has come and I will make the best use of it. I have lined up several programmes that are targeted at women and youth empowerment.”
Meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sani, who was an award recipient at the event said he was impressed by the zeal and commitment of the organizers to champion the course of women empowerment in the region.
“Niger Delta struggle for economic emancipation is a genuine fight that must be supported by all and sundry. Peace will continue to elude us as a country if we relegate justice and equity.”