By Frank Ulom
The First Lady of Cross River State, Dr. Linda Ayade on Thursday hosted all the First Ladies from the southern part of Nigeria at her maiden Southern Governors Wives’ Forum in Calabar, the state capital.
The Southern Governors Wives’ Forum comprises of States in the South-South, South-East and South-West geopolitical zones.
The wives of the Governors who could not take their eyes off the aesthetic nature of the state, right from the Margaret Ekpo International Airport through the beautiful city of Calabar to the Presidential Lodge, testified to the hospitality the state is known for.
Mrs. Ayade who has been able to attract the meeting to the state amidst her predecessors through her pet projects, Mediatrix Development Foundation (MDF) and Cross River Women Empowerment Initiative (CROWEI) was filled with joy while meeting with her colleagues and their entourages.
The meeting will be a 3-day event, with Thursday 26th 2017 (i.e. today) being the arrival of the Southern Governors Wives to Calabar.
Friday, 27th October 2017 will feature a courtesy call on the Governor of Cross River State, interactive sessions with women, and an empowerment ceremony for women at Adiabo Town Hall, Tinapa. The meeting is expected to be rounded off with a Dinner/Gala Night at the Dome, Calabar Municipal Council.
Meanwhile, Saturday will feature a get-together and departure of the guests.
Elsewhere, the state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade who is a gender-friendly Governor is pleased to welcome the Wives of his colleagues from the southern states of Nigeria.
Ayade who felt many women would be touched and their lives lifted, commended his amiable wife for her empowerment initiative for women, which has been scheduled as a major feature of the Governors’ Wives meeting.
The Forum is headed by Dr. Eneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha as Chairman.