The women association of Federal University Otuoke, celebrated the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD) with pomp and pageantry on Friday the 8th of March, 2024 with the theme, Inspire Inclusion.
The International Women’s Day celebration is a day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate women all over the world. Many organizations organize Seminars, Talk shows, Visitations, Campaigns, Outreaches and many more activities to commemorate the day.
In Federal University Otuoke, the Women Association embarked on several activities to mark this year’s event. First was a road/health walk throughout the Otuoke Community to create awareness. The excited WAFUO women arrived in their jeans and shirts ready to take the day. The road walk was spiced up by women in the security unit who marched into the kick-off point at the East Campus chanting danceable combat ready songs. The Man-o-war unit was on standby to accompany the women with music from their band set while the Red Cross Society and the Medical Unit of FUO provided first aid in case of emergencies. The women marched into the community led by the First Lady of FUO and President of WAFUO, Dr. Mrs Lolo Adias, the EXCO members, members of the planning committee and most of the members of WAFUO.
The first port of call was the Otuoke Community Secondary School where the young girls were addressed by the Chairman of the Planning Committee for this year’s event, Dr. Mrs Juliet Teibowei and the President of WAFUO, Dr. Lolo Adias. The President was introduced after the Chief Security Officer of FUO popularly known as “Mama Rose” had addressed the girls in Ogbia dialect.
The President of WAFUO, Dr. Lolo Adias encouraged the girls to take their education serious so they can “empower a nation”, as part of the slogan of the WAFUO suggests.
According to her, the girls need to include themselves in every woman’s business as aspiring mothers and women by “breaking the stereotype and the barriers” and embrace this year’s International Women’s Day celebration theme holistically which is “Inspire Inclusion”.
Gifts of sanitary towels were distributed to the girls through the management of the secondary school.
The next port of call was the FUO west campus girl’s hostel. The female students received the WAFUO team with excitement. The message was the same, to inspire the girls to study to be educated, so they could be included in the scheme of affairs everywhere in the world. To be worthy ambassadors of the gift of womanhood and become all that they dream to be. Gifts of sanitary towels were also given out to the girls.
Present at the event was the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Honourable Chief Ayibanegiyefa Egba who addressed the girls, encouraging them to dream big so they would become great ladies in the society. She cited herself as an example who inspired herself to represent her constituency and got elected. She further noted that the girls should “inspire inclusion” in all circles of life by getting inspired themselves first and not taking the back seat as second class citizens.
The train then moved to the tree planting session to commemorate this year’s celebration. Trees were planted by the Honourable member and Principal Officers of the University including the President of WAFUO, Dr. Mrs Lolo Adias, the Dean, Student Affairs and Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Juliet Teibowei, the Dean, Faculty of Engineering and others.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Teddy Charles Adias had received the Women Association in his office as the women visited him during the tour to formally notify him of the International Women’s Day celebration and invite him to be part of the activities for the day. The WAFUO President thanked him for his support to the association over the years, while asking that the women should not be left out in the scheme of things in the university.
Responding, the VC said the theme of the IWD’s celebration was probably not applicable to FUO because the University was already implementing inclusion of the women in its affairs. He cited examples like the CSO, the SAVC, the Head, Procurement, the Dean, Student Affairs, the Librarian who just served out her tenure, the Deputy Registrar for Senate, Director, School of Basic Studies and many more.
He prayed that one day FUO will have a woman as the Vice Chancellor and promised to do more for the women association. He praised the women for being focused and strong and hoped that this move by the women would one day inspire and motivate the men to have their own Father’s Day celebration or International Day for Men.
The final activity for the day was the commissioning of the WAFUO Day Care Centre which was carried out by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Teddy Charles Adias, supported by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chistopher Onyema, the Registrar, WAFUO President and others.
While inspecting the facility, the VC promised to install a CCTV camera and an Inverter, so there will be electricity always at the Day Care centre.
Thereafter, there were personnel interviews and a photograph session.
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