NIGERWIVES NIGERIA - ENUGU BRANCH

2017 ANNUAL REPORT

By President: Mrs.Claudette AMOBI

 

Enugu Branch had a most successful year, culminating in our charity bazaar on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017.  We continued our involvement with the Special School for the Blind in Oji River and other charities such as the CAPIO prisoners’ outreach.  We held regular meetings and added several new members. The Branch celebrated joyous occasions with members and joined the bereaved in mourning.  Below are the highlights of 2017.

 

MEETINGS AND MEMBERSHIP

Enugu branch met on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:30 p.m. throughout the year. During preparation for our November charity bazaar, meetings were held every week.  Altogether we held 19 meetings with attendance ranging between 9 and 25.  We added 6 members to our roll during the year.  Two meetings featured special programmes:  at the February meeting Dr. Ngozi Njeze presented a most informative talk on prevention of Osteoporosis, and in September our member Isobel Ndupechi shared poetry, leading to a lively discussion of gender discrimination and identity.

 

PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL AGM, IBADAN

A delegation made up of Claudette Amobi, Branch President; Jill Dike, Secretary; and Sylvia Ogbuefi, Treasurer; and Nigerwives Trustee Christa Udeogu attended the National AGM in Ibadan from March 17-19, 2017.  We wish to thank the Ibadan Branch once again for their gracious hospitality—we had a wonderful time!

 

NIGERWIVES CHARITY BAZAAR

Our biggest event was our charity bazaar, held on the grounds of the Medical Women Centre on Abakaliki Road, Enugu on Saturday,November 11, 2017.  Members prepared traditional dishes from their respective countries for sale, as well as offering BBQ chicken, hotdogs, cakes, ice cream, and drinks.  Other stalls with a wide assortment of items for sale were handicrafts, odds and ends, nearly new clothes, plants and a lucky draw of assorted bottles.  A raffle was also held.  Children were entertained with a dance competition (won by a 3-year-old), face painting and varied art activities.  Profits realized are being disbursed to various charitable organizations which the Branch supports.

 

OJI RIVER SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

Our efforts during the year focused on efforts to procure a Braille teacher for the school, seeing to the supply and repair of equipment, and providing needed Braille books.  To this end a delegation of members visited the school in February, with follow up visits in April and October, and several visits to the Ministry and CIC Centre for the Blind in Enugu.  Books have been distributed as appropriate to the primary school at Oji River, the CIC Centre for the Blind and Bina Foundation.  Efforts are still underway to support a Braille teacher from the CIC Centre in going to the school on a part-time basis, as the children are not learning to read Braille at present. 

 

BEREAVEMENTS

We had the following losses during the year:

Rose Onukogu, our member, died suddenly.  Nigerwives attended the wake-keep at her home in Enugu on Tues Jan 17, Requiem Mass the following morning, and funeral in Nkwerre, Imo State on Friday, Jan. 20. A purse was presented to the children.

 

Dr. J. C. Ubaka, husband of our member Lucy Ubaka died in March after a long illness.  Nigerwives attended the service of songs at their Enugu home on March 7 and funeral in his hometown of Akwaeze, Anambra State on Thursday, March 9. Members also paid a condolence visit and delivered a purse to Lucy.

 

Euna Amechi, a foundation member of the Enugu Branch, died in England. The Branch sent a letter of condolence to the family.  Euna was known to many for her role in drafting the Nigerwives Constitution and her book on The Legal Status of Foreign Women Married to Nigerians.

 

OCCASIONS

Birthdays –Enugu Branch celebrated members’ birthdays at each monthly meeting.  In addition, we celebrated Audrey Okoro’s 87th birthday on April 3.  Members were also invited to celebrate Daisy Ogene’s birthday on November 12 and Mary Okoye’s 80th birthday on December 9.

 

Traditional marriage ceremony – Grazyna Chukwurah invited us to the traditional marriage ceremony of her son Nwachukwu Justus on April 29, 2017 in Amawbia, Anambra State.

 

Honours – Branch members attended occasions in support of two members who received special honours during the year: Mary Ellen Chijioke received a title from their home village in Arochukwu in a ceremony at Universal Hotel, Enugu; and Dorothy Obi was awarded the Olaudah Equiano Life-Award at the 9th Coal City Book Convention held on November 15, 2017 at Peekay Gardens in Enugu.

 

CAPIO 25th anniversary – A delegation of members attended the 25th anniversary of CAPIO, a prison outreach by the Discalced Carmelites in Enugu, held on September 30, 2017 at the Kobb Centre, Polo Park Mall in Enugu.

 

Luncheon with visiting member – We welcomed Wilda Okeke, a former member visiting after 12 years, during a luncheon held in her home on October 7.  Wilda thereafter hosted all our meetings through November and contributed mightily to the bazaar. 

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