By Staff Reporter
The Wife of the Delta State Governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, has urged women of Ndokwa Nation to leverage education, unity, confidence and economic empowerment to overcome socio-cultural barriers and contribute meaningfully to the development of their families, communities and the state.
The First Lady gave the charge in a goodwill message delivered on her behalf by the Wife of the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Ezinne Catherine Onyeme, at the Ndokwa Women’s Conference 2026, held at the Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) House, Kwale, Delta State.
The conference, organised by the NNU Women Wing under the leadership of the National Women Leader, Barrister Mrs Cynthia Oputa-Governor, had as its theme, “Womanhood in a Socio-Cultural Context: The Ndokwa Reality.”
Represented at the event as Guest of Honour, Ezinne Onyeme said the gathering provided an opportunity for Ndokwa women to reflect on the values that had shaped their society while considering the realities and opportunities confronting women in the modern world.
According to the First Lady, the Ndokwa region is blessed with women of “profound capacity, beauty, intellect and purpose,” stressing that women remain critical custodians of the values and cultural identity of the Ndokwa people.
She, however, called for the evolution of socio-cultural practices to create greater opportunities for women to thrive.
«“When we invest in women and when we empower a girl child with education and confidence, we empower an entire family, a community, and ultimately the entire generation,” she said.»
She urged parents and community leaders to encourage girls to read, think critically and aspire beyond limitations imposed by society.
The First Lady said women should be constantly reminded that their dreams are valid, their voices matter and their futures are bright.
She also acknowledged the economic and social pressures confronting women, particularly the challenge of balancing family responsibilities with personal aspirations.
She said her pet project, You Matter Charity Foundation, remained committed to supporting vulnerable people and empowering women, while commending the NNU Women Wing for its contributions to the foundation’s food-bank initiative.
Oborevwori encouraged Ndokwa women to mentor younger women, support the less privileged and celebrate one another rather than compete against themselves.
“There is immense strength in unity, and when we walk with a common purpose, we can drive transformative progress across the Ndokwa nation and Delta State,” she said.
She further assured the women that the administration of her husband, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, remained committed to inclusive growth, economic empowerment, healthcare, security and human capital development across Delta State.
The First Lady congratulated the organisers of the conference, expressing confidence that the ideas generated would translate into practical steps towards a society where women could live with dignity and fulfilment.
NNU President-General: Women Must Embrace Their Uniqueness
In his address, the President-General of the Ndokwa Neku Union, Chief Amechi Asugwuni, urged Ndokwa women to embrace their uniqueness, uphold their values and remain confident in their contributions to society.
Asugwuni said women occupied “unique and irreplaceable positions” in the family and society, urging them to remain strong and consistent in their positive actions.
“A woman is unique in nature and in culture. Woman brings genuine flavours to the world,” he said.
The NNU President-General advised women to allow their roles to be guided by kindness, diligence, integrity, honesty and respect.
He cautioned women against allowing anyone to make them feel inferior, stressing that their strength and relevance were not necessarily measured by outward appearance or aggression but by wisdom, character, gentleness and positive influence.
“No man can do what women do, and your relevance to society is irreplaceable,” he said.
He also referenced Proverbs 31:25-31, noting that the passage highlighted the strength, dignity, wisdom and diligence expected of a woman of noble character.
NNU Women Wing Highlights Empowerment Initiatives
Earlier, the National Women Leader of the NNU Women Wing and convener of the conference, Barrister Mrs Cynthia Oputa-Governor, said the conference was designed to create a platform for intellectual, business and political engagement towards addressing the development challenges confronting Ndokwa Nation.
She described the NNU Women Wing as the apex socio-cultural umbrella for Ndokwa/Ukwuani women across the globe, with a mandate to articulate, mobilise and negotiate the interests of women and children of Ndokwa origin.
Oputa-Governor said since assuming office in February 2025, her administration had introduced mechanisms for strategic engagement and community development.
She listed some of the initiatives to include familiarisation visits to traditional royal palaces and engagements with royal queens on issues affecting women and children, advocacy for mass education and mobilisation, food distribution to vulnerable people during the 2025 Christmas and New Year period, voter mobilisation and the Ndokwa Girls Quiz Competition.
She also highlighted a recent medical outreach in Kwale, where women and other residents were mobilised for free medical services, including screening and treatment relating to malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis and cancer.
According to her, the initiatives were undertaken in partnership with relevant stakeholders, including the You Matter Charity Foundation.
Oputa-Governor said the Ndokwa women’s demographic strength remained one of the region’s greatest assets, urging women to harness their numerical strength, re-engineer political participation and invest in the potential of younger generations.
She identified inadequate funding, difficult terrain, low political awareness, weak mobilisation incentives and poor rural literacy as some of the challenges confronting the NNU Women Wing.
“We have the numbers; our women and girls demographic is the biggest blessing. We therefore need to tap into this ocean of human possibilities,” she said.
Focus on Economic and Political Empowerment
The conference brought together women leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, traditional rulers, political stakeholders and other sons and daughters of Ndokwa Nation from across Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Ukwuani and the diaspora.
Discussions centred on women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, mentorship, education, healthcare and political participation, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Participants were also exposed to opportunities in small and medium-scale enterprises, grants and other pathways towards economic independence and leadership development.
The organisers described the conference as a strategic platform for strengthening the capacity, confidence and influence of Ndokwa women, stressing that the advancement of women would have a direct impact on the development of Ndokwa Nation.
The conference was declared open by Ezinne Onyeme on behalf of the Delta State First Lady.
The event was attended by members of the Delta State House of Assembly, local government officials, traditional rulers, NNU executives, women leaders, invited guests, development partners and members of the media.
The organisers expressed appreciation to the leadership of NNU, traditional institutions, government officials and other sons and daughters of Ndokwa Nation whose support contributed to the success of the conference.
