Delta female monarch, Omu Anioma, donates section of palace for girl-child education

When Obi Dunkwu, a female monarch in Delta State, early last year, precisely in Janua­ry 2022 launched Obi Martha Dunkwu Foundation to award scholar­ships to indigent Anioma girl-children who would be engaged in academic stu­dies, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship development and micro-investment, there was no doubt that some pessimists who sneered that she may not be able to realize the vision and mission of the foundation will by now be praising her for been a lea­der of her words.

Ostensibly maximising the auspicious pedestal provided at the occasion, she said people doubted her ability to take on the royal task, adding that she has brought visibility to the institution as a media practitioner, and added “With due respect to modesty, and as a result of my activities, being a media practitioner of close to forty years, the Omu institution has gained local and international re­cognition.

“We vigorously promoted our native attire (Akwa-Ocha), our language, our food, our culture and tradition.

“To this extent, some foreign univer­sities have been coming to understudy the Omu institution for the benefit of re­search and documentation”.

In the month under reference, the mon­arch, who is the Omu of Okpanam/Anio­ma unveiled the foundation during the 20th coronation anniversary of her ascen­dancy to the Omu of Okpanam throne at her Omu Palace where she promised, “To this end, a building in my palace has also been dedicated in perpetuity to this non-governmental organization (NGO) for effective operation”.

According to her, the girl-child founda­tion would not be such that it would just operate and die but would operate to change the girl-child to be the woman she ought to be in society.

Dunkwu who described her past twen­ty years as Omu as an eye opener, pains­taking and sweet memories, said that as a result of her activities, the Omu insti­tution has gained local and international recognition.

While assuring the people, she said “My palace has been a study Centre, open to the training and knowledge acquisition of women. We have continued to distribu­te the Historian Emeka Esogbue’s books on Omuship to persons who will further advance the course of learning.

Dunkwu, also called Nneora (mother without borders) disclosed that the Cent­re for Omuship and women development initiative was also set up to provide a Centre dedicated to the study of Omuship in Anioma Nation.

“Prior to my coming on board, only five Omus were on the saddle and I made six.

“As a result of my campaign and advo­cacy to different communities to begin to enthrone Omus, today, it has paid off. As at the last count, we have well over Omus in Anioma nation and more are coming”, she said, describing it as impressive.

“We have done so much in guiding lea­dership at various levels to make right decisions predicated on good governance.

“We must change our society for the better. We must reinvent the value sys­tem we were known for”, she said, adding that If each and every one plays their in­dividual role, all would definitely and of necessity achieve a prosperous society.

As promised in January 2022, the mon­arch, recently donated a section of her palace for girl-child education.

The Omu of Anioma, Obi Martha Dun­kwu, who presently occupies an over 800-year-old traditional institution, has dedicated a portion of her palace for the education of the girl-child.

She made the donation at Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State when she received a Global Icon award from a delegation from the Diaspora.

The Omu said the gesture was moti­vated by her desire to arm the girl-child with education to enable the vulnerable group surmount societal challenges like marginalisation, victimisation and abuse.

“The number one thing that will get women where they want to be is educati­on. Number two is education,” she said.

On the need for more constitutional powers to traditional rulers, the Omu of Anioma urged the Federal Government to initiate the process of formalising an active role for traditional rulers in the constitution.

She also urged businessmen and wo­men of Igbo descent to locate a portion of their investments at home for the de­velopment of the motherland.

The leader of the delegation from the Diaspora, Mr. Kenneth Igbani, noted that the Omu title was one of the oldest Afri­can cultures and Obi Martha Dunkwu had been a good ambassador of the traditional institution, thus the recognition.

The member representing Oshimili South constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Bridget Anyafu­lu, reflected on some of the issues raised by Her Royal Majesty.

‘It is important that even as political people, we look into those words and see what we can do to make a change,” she said.

Other guests, including the Chair­man of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, described the Global Icon Award on the Omu as an honour well deserved.

READ ALSO: The Queen: Meet Her Royal Majesty, Obi Martha Dunkwu, Omu Okpanam/Omu Anioma/NNEOHA

Obi Martha Dunkwu, born at Okpa­nam in Oshimili North Local Govern­ment Area of Delta State, attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Barkin Ladi, Plateau State and St. Murumba’s Colle­ge, Okpanam, Delta State, worked for a couple of years in Ministry of Finance, Benin City, Edo State before proceeding to L.T.C. College of English and Secretarial Studies, London, England. She also atten­ded South West London College, England, Henderson State University, Arkansas and University of Nevada, United States of America.

To not a few people who have been follo­wing her leadership strides, particularly as the Omu Okpanam/Omu Anioma/Nne­oha, they were not in any way bemused about her generosity and her leadership sagacity as they might had heard her re­vealed that she was born by poor parents and was taken away by a relation at age two, and that she returned as a “big girl” during the war where people had to point her parents and their thatched house to her.

At an event that highlighted her bir­thday party in October 2022, she stated that having seen the pauperised state of her parents that she determined to succeed in life to lift her family out of poverty.

Omu Dunkwu affirmed that her de­termination as a clerical staff with the Ministry of Finance in the then Bendel State, took her to England and America to further her studies.

She said she returned to Nigeria over 38 years ago, was able to build her parents a house at the age of 25, trained her siblin­gs who are all doing well presently outsi­de the shores of Nigeria and was able to build a consultancy business that had ma­naged the image of the Oba of Benin of blessed memory and other top Nigerians.

Omu Dunkwu said she dreamt of joi­ning politics to contribute to leadership but was interrupted by the call to become an Omu.

However, before then, she had risen through dint of hard work to become the first female president of Asaba Cham­bers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ASACCIMA) and then first female president of Delta State Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mi­nes and Agriculture (DELCCIMA). She did not stop there but rose to become the pioneer Public Relations Officer of the Ni­gerian Association of Chambers of Com­merce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and currently holds the posi­tion of Life Vice President of NACCIMA.

The woman with the most deliberate philosophical slogan “Image Is Every­thing”, has indeed brought visibility into the ancient institution of Omu sin­ce becoming the Omu of Okpanam over two decades ago and Omu Anioma over 12 years now.

According to her, “I have done my best, I have been patriotic enough all these years, to the effect that I dedicated my life and resources to the growth and deve­lopment of my community and of course, Anioma Nation. I promoted the instituti­on of Omu and Anioma Culture in a way that no one else had done. I brought ren­aissance into our tradition and culture.

“In doing these, I faced monumental opposition and challenges. I didn’t look back because I represent the forces of light, which will in perpetuity defeat the forces of darkness.

“I make bold to state that God has always given me victory, because He has seen my heart and my purpose. I am not deterred because what I do is a physical manifestation of a spiritual conclusion”, Omu Dunkwu posited.