Abia State First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has reaffirmed her commitment to protecting widows across the state, declaring that no widow should suffer oppression, injustice, poverty or homelessness after losing a spouse.
She made the pledge during the 2026 International Widows’ Day celebration held in Umuahia, where she stressed that widowhood should never become a lifetime sentence of hardship.
Speaking on the theme, “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows,” Mrs. Otti described the occasion as a call for governments, communities and institutions to move beyond sympathy by providing practical support that restores hope and dignity to widows.
“No woman should have to mourn her husband while also fighting to protect her home, preserve her dignity or secure her children’s future,” she said.
The First Lady said the Abia State Government has continued to implement programmes aimed at improving the lives of widows across the state.
According to her, the government has completed and handed over 35 Dignity Homes to indigent widows selected from the state’s 17 local government areas, while beneficiaries also received empowerment packages to help them build sustainable sources of income.
Mrs. Otti further announced that the state plans to construct at least 17 additional Dignity Homes before the end of the year, noting that government support extends beyond housing to include economic empowerment initiatives.
She disclosed that widows have also benefited from cash grants, food assistance, vocational training and skills acquisition programmes designed to promote self-reliance and financial independence.
As part of the activities marking the celebration, the First Lady announced a ₦50,000 business grant for each of more than 600 widows, amounting to about ₦30 million, to support and expand their businesses.
She also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fully implementing the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, aimed at eliminating harmful widowhood practices and protecting the rights of widows across the state.
“Your story does not end with the loss. Your strength is greater than your pain. Your future is greater than your past. You are not invisible. You are not abandoned. You are definitely not alone,” she told the widows.
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Felix, said the state government remains committed to supporting widows through housing, financial empowerment and stronger legal protection.
She explained that beneficiaries of the Dignity Homes Initiative also receive livelihood support, vocational training, healthcare services and financial assistance to help them become economically independent.
Felix further highlighted the role of the Enyiche Sexual Assault Referral Centre, which provides medical, legal and psychosocial support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Chief Magistrate Enyidiya Uma-Onwunta called for an end to harmful widowhood practices, urging society to respect the dignity of widows and support their economic independence.
Sharing her personal experience, she recounted becoming a widow at the age of 30, raising her seven daughters alone before later remarrying.
She encouraged widows to embrace self-worth, pursue financial independence and reject social stigma.
Addressing men, the magistrate said true masculinity should be measured by respect and compassion rather than oppression.
“The measure of manliness is not in the number of women a man oppresses, but in his ability to preserve the dignity of everyone, including widows,” she said.
The event attracted hundreds of widows from the 17 local government areas of Abia State, including widows of police officers, all of whom benefited from the empowerment programme organised by the First Lady.
