Kwara First Lady facing task to surpass own achievements

It is a known fact that human beings are not created equal by God, therefore, it is expected that the affluent in every society, and more importantly, those opportuned to hold political offices, use their wealth and exalted positions to provide for the disadvantaged in their various localities. The above assertion, it is believed, has been working for Kwara State First Lady, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed, whose humanitarian services, particularly to the less privileges in the society could best be described as unrivalled. Her philanthropy to the needy is something that has over the years come to be recognised in the society.

Even though there is no constitutional backing to give her the enormous powers to execute projects like elected office holders, however, she has become increasingly involved in governance, thereby complementing efforts of the state government to deliver dividends of democracy, principally to women and youths in the state. Her invaluable contributions to the overall state's development, it is observed, have so far proven her to be one of the few first ladies in the country that have put to good use the opportunities provided by the office. As a matter of fact, it is confirmed that she has been used to charity work right from when her husband was Commissioner of Finance, and did not only start when her husband became the state governor in 2011. These could be attested to with several developmental programmes the first lady had introduced that had impacted positively on people's lives, particularly the masses that formed major bulk of the state's population. Such programmes include introduction of various health programmes, organising empowerment programmes for the widows, the aged and different political associations as well as religious bodies. The physically challenged were not left out in her scheme. Her organisation, LEAH Foundation has catered for thousands of indigents students within the nooks and crannies of the state. The selected beneficiaries were supplied with educational materials such as books, school bags, uniforms, sandals as well as writing materials to enhance their knowledge. At the twilight of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed's first term, she conducted empowerment programme, which took her to the nooks and crannies of the state. Hundreds of beneficiaries were provided with items such as fridges, sewing machines, grinding machines, coolers, several packs of exercise books, numerous cartons of vegetable oil and cash donations, running into millions of naira. Aside individuals who had their businesses boosted by the kind gesture of the first lady, cooperative societies from the three senatorial districts of the state also benefitted from the largesse. Several widows were equally given cash donations as well as rolls of clothing materials that were distributed according to polling booths in all wards in the state. However, unlike the norm, where past sponsors of empowerment programmes distributed items or equipment which might not be required by the beneficiaries, it was gathered that the first lady took her time to make adequate enquiries on tools or materials needed by the beneficiaries. Aside improving Kwara women's fortune, the empowerment programme of Mrs Ahmed was also used to sensitise women on the need to participate more in active politics as it is through that they could be more involved in policy formulation. Without any doubt, one could rightly state that Mrs Ahmed contributed greatly to her husband's administration and even his re-election by making the governor very popular, especially in the rural areas. Presently, hardly could anyone visit any of the local governments in the state without feeling her impact on the people, though she had never claim the glory but rather was always quick to attribute successes of her several programmes to the opportunities provided by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Testifying to the way the first lady has assisted their political course in the state last year at an empowerment programme she organised at Government House for the less privileges, the All Progressives Congress Kwara North Senatorial Chairman; Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa confirmed that the party has been greatly assisted by her gesture in providing for the masses. Oniwa noted that the politicians now have lesser job to do to woo voters to vote for them at the last general elections because according to him, several areas they could have encounter challenges have been taken care of by the first lady. He then tasked all office holders and politicians in the state to emulate her gesture by providing for teeming masses in their respective domains, stressing that it would go a long way in complementing government efforts at making lives comfortable for the citizens. Nevertheless, it is no gainsaying the fact that Kwara State is among the states receiving the least allocation from the Federation Account while the state government has been striving to improve on its Internally Generated Revenue over the years. As gathered, the first lady before now has not been receiving allocation from the state government to prosecute her programmes, and this is relatively because there is no constitutional provision backing her office. Yet, she has been working effectively to impact on the citizens lives in her own ways. Also, it was gathered, she has been using every connection she has to get support from foreign donors abroad. However, more than anything, the first lady it is noted, is presently under immense pressure to be able to reciprocate and even surpass the records set in office in the past administration. Therefore, she is faced with the task of striving to ensure that her achievements in the first administration would not be referred to as fluke. Mrs Ahmed is noted to have set a standard for other first ladies in the country to emulate and might be spurred to further work harder to make the much needed impact in their respective states.