..say her ideas aren’t self-centered but with sincerity of purpose
..the best way to live is by touching people’s lives and I felt fulfilled doing that- Mrs. Akeredolu
Wednesday July 20, 2022 would remain a memorable day in the history the First Lady of Ondo State, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, as political and the government Aides who are officially attached and connected to her office, gave her an unexpected, early morning birthday celebration, at the Presidential Logde in Government house Alagbaka Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The event, led by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Mrs. Bunmi Osadahun, which featured showering of encomiums on her personality, dancing, cutting of cake, among others, left her dumbfounded and amazed as it met her while observing morning routine exercise.
Responding to the gesture, the Celebrant expressed her delight, saying ‘it turns out to be a beautiful one, I have had a wonderful day and I thank you all, I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart; it’s good to know that people love you”.
She averred her commitment to make life worth living for whoever came across her in life, as testified by some Staff, saying that was the best way to live.
According to her, she felt fulfilled touching people’s lives by giving them a headstart. Her words: “I think that’s the best way to live, touching people, making something meaningful in their lives by giving them a little finger. It’s a little finger not that I did everything, it’s like giving someone a headstart in life.
“So, each and everyone of you here I wish you well in your endeavours and whatever you may wish for yourself in life, especially the young ones”.
The Ondo First Lady who clocks 69, reiterated her commitment to nurturing and leaving developmental indelible marks in the lives of all young ones who were opportune to have contact with her, stating that ‘I do have a soft spot for young people’.
She used the medium to encourage the male staff to value all women in their lives, and do away with archaic way of looking at women as only good for other room and kitchen, but to rather support them to be relevant in the boardrooms and offices, adding that, ‘together we can put in our own contributions to the table and we make this country a better place’.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, described her as an amazing and uncommon First Lady. “We’ve been having First Ladies, though those previous ones tried their best, Mama has excelled. She’s been taking care of the widows, the youths, children, and women generally. As the commissioner for women Affairs, I know what Mama is doing at the orphanages. She came at the time Ondo State needed her; she’s been there for women, look at the number of women in political appointment, she’s a woman we cannot qualify enough, all what we just want to say is to thank her and pray for her”. She said.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Gender, Mrs Olamide Falana, commended the energy she exerted into her initiatives regardless of her age. “Hardly will you find any woman at 69 who’s energetic and passionate as our First Lady; we are encouraged by her, she’s a mentor to me and to many people. I’m very happy to be associated with her”. She said.
To the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Gender Research and Documentation, Mrs Temitope Daniyan, “she’s an amazing Amazon, beautiful woman in and out, uncommon breed of woman; as she appreciated the First Lady for all her impactful programmes for women, affirming that, ”she’s a genuine women advocate, she does all her programmes with sincerity of purpose. I pray long life and prosperity for her”.
“Her Excellency is a woman of so many parts that one cannot describe with few words. She’s a woman who redefines lives, a woman who is always interested in raising people, in making sure that she make impact in the lives of people. Her Excellency is passionate about human welfare, she cannot withstand seeing people going through pain or emotional distress, but will always want to bring someone out of the situation. I’m happy I met Her Excellency”, says she Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duty, Mr Akex Uka.
“She’s a wonderful mother, mothers of all mothers. I want to emulate her because she doesn’t discriminate. She took me from nowhere to somewhere, I was a nobody but now I’m somebody. The history of my life cannot be completed without mentioning her name”. Mrs Ronke Adeyemi, aka Olukonga.
“She’s a perfectionist, loving and beautiful mother. I can never forget her, she made and built me to build others. She has trained me in many capacity to train others and have a lot of apprentice especially in the area of skill acquisition. when I started some years back she encouraged and patronised me as well, to get income to train my children. When she did 60th, she said I should train some people for her and they’re doing well with it. She’s one of the best thing that has happened to me in life”. Mrs Mosun Odukale.
“My boss is a woman of many parts; she impacts lives differently, she woke me up from sleep, six years ago when l lost my second son at the age of 29, I was devastated and I felt there was no need to continue living. But just a call from her one midnight that I should pick some of my clothings to follow her back to Akure was my breakthrough. I’m alive today, when I thank God then I will thank Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu because she gave me life back. It was not easy for me to forget my pain but she brought me to Akure to work in BEMORE, it was a revolution that helped me to heal faster. It was a best therapy anybody could have given to me”. Mrs Lizzy Akpan, PA to the First Lady.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Press Secretary to the First Lady, Ms. Tobi Fademi said: “I have known her for over 30years of my life and I can say she’s an amazing woman who’s passionate about empowerment and wellbeing of women and girls. She’s a go-getter who doesn’t talk NO for an answer. She’s a humanitarian and philanthropist, someone who moves against the stream when she has an idea and most of her ideas aren’t for the benefit of herself but to touch humanity, especially the younger generations. History will write her well because she has impacted so much in future generations especially in Ondo, Oyo and Imo States”.
The Chief of Protocol, Mr Gbadebo Oyewo, lauded the First Lady for being passionate about the welfare of her staff. He disclosed that upon his resumption to her office, she demonstrated how she prioritised the welfare of those working with her as she gave him an instruction, which was, ‘take care of my staff’.
To the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Miss Mary Agidi and the Personal Assistant to the Governor, Miss Nonye Okafor, the First Lady is a God-sent, Angel in human form, a woman of inestimable value who gave them hope when people had written them off and brought them to the limelight.
Story Credit; Mary Agidi
📸 Gbenga Fasakin
JATS Online News 