Despite COVID-19, South East WomenConfront Issues of Unity, Development at August Meetings

Okey Unegbu (Umuahia & Okigwe) with reports from Ogbonnaya Ndukwe
(Aba) and Chibuzor Okeke (Awka)

Women’s August meetings are usually an annual event held by Igbo women in the
month of August. The yearly meeting is a massive homecoming whereby Igbo
women living in diaspora, the cities and the other communities outside theirs, return
home to their matrimonial villages to meet with their local counterparts. At such for a,
they discuss matters of interest as part of their efforts towards complementing the
efforts of the men in the community development such as building of health centres,
installation of electricity, sinking of bore holes, building of churches, among others.
This annual meeting, apart from development, helps also in conflict management,
binding together of women, bringing unity, and other socio-economic and cultural
activities.
However, the duration of the meeting depends on communities and their programme
of events each year.
Some communities use three days and others one week with line-up of fanfare,
lectures, commissioning of projects, fund-raising for new projects, skills acquisition,
visitations to the elderly, the sick, those who are bereaved in the communities and
finally church thanksgiving to mark a successful end.
Earlier in Igbo land, when this August meeting started, there were reports that it was
used as an opportunity and avenue for displaying affluence by most women, thereby
intimidating the poor among them.

There were situations women reportedly became aggressive in competition with one
another over who come to the meeting with the costliest jewelleries, cars, shoes,
wrappers as well as who has the highest chieftaincy titles. But all that has changed.
Emphasis has shifted from avenues for displaying affluence to a period of putting
heads together, to chart a new course on how to develop the communities as well as
how to improve the women folks; a period they gather to lend helping hands in
development of the rural communities by embarking in one project or the other.
Currently, August women meeting is what every woman in Igbo community looks
forward to yearly and this 2021 August women meeting will not be an exception.
Many Communities did not organize August meeting last year because of the global
covid-19 pandemic which ravaged the world.
For some of the few communities that did theirs, it was by virtual meeting among the
women delegates. But this year, the effects of covid-19 pandemic has reduced,
hence many communities have already started their meetings, while others are
planning to start in a few days time.
In Abia State for example, the Annual Women August meeting has been declared
open by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu at the International conference Centre,
Government Layout, Umuahia.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, while addressing women said his administration
would continue to encourage, empower and support Abia women to tackle the
inequalities, discrimination and gender based violence in the society.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu,
expressed delight that the event provides a unique opportunity for Abia women to
mutually interact with one another and brainstorm on how to fashion out modalities
and contribute to all efforts aimed at the common good of the Abia women folk.
He said that since the inception of Annual Women’s August Delegates Conference, it
has remained a platform that brings together Abia Women under one roof to discuss
critical issues affecting the future of womanhood and a movement that is creating a
paradigm shift and making women at the community and group levels to seek self-
realization. In addition, it makes them to become empowered psychologically,
socially and economically.
While appreciating his wife, Dr. Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu, for her outstanding efforts and
exemplary leadership at championing the cause of womanhood, reminded them that
they are valuable and powerful, hence deserve every opportunity they wish to
pursue. He charged them to remain alive to their responsibilities by doing their best,
at all times.
In her speech, the wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu said that, in Abia
State, the August annual women meeting, apart from enriching lives directly by
empowering women, has also instituted a revolving zero-interest loan scheme which
has been adjudged successful. She disclosed that her office has developed a
gender-based violence resource centre, where ideas, strategies and actions are

developed to combat gender-based violence, while revealing that a sexual assault
referral centre will soon be opened in the state.
In his message to Women on their annual August meeting, a National Assembly
member, Chief Uzoma Abonta, congratulated Women for their meeting, noting that
their meeting will help to sharpen them to understand better ways of confronting life
challenges and promised to always partner with women to enable them excel in life.

In Nkata Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, the President-General, Nkata Women Family
Association, Lady Roseline Osondu, said her community cancelled this year’s
Women August meeting because of another event they have scheduled to hold by
December. However, she noted that their August meeting usually lasted for one
week and has helped in the development of Nkata community at large.
In Imo state, it was observed that some women groups have started their meetings,
while others are about to and have assured that they would hold the meetings in
strict compliance to NCDC COVID-19 prevention protocols.
In her interaction with our reporter, the wife of the traditional ruler of Umuezeala Nsu
autonomous Community in Ehime Mbano, Ugoeze Edith Iwuji, described the August
women meeting as a very important aspect of development of the communities in
Igbo land.
She stated that it is an opportunity to meet other women from the community who
live in different places, adding that they have arranged and invited priests that will
preach, pray and bless them as well as invited those that will deliver lectures and
those who will support the women financially.
“We are going to advice the women and teach them how to take care of their homes,
husbands, children and to help settle disputes”, she said.
In fact, the women leader and President General of Chiwetaudo Women association
in Umuezeala Nsu Aautonomous Community in Ehime Mbano of Imo State, Ezinne
Rita Anyanwu (Nne Nwere Ugwu) informed our reporter that, “The level of
preparation is not too high considering the condition and situation of things in the
nation” 
She however revealed that, “We have mapped out many activities for the wellness
and development of our entire community and nation as well in this year’s August
meeting”.
On the achievements of her association, she had this to say, “The achievements of
Chiwetaudo women since we started the August meeting are numerous. We have
bought and installed cracking machine to ease palm kernel cracking, we bought all
the seats in Umuezeala Nsu Hall for use by the community and we renovated
Umuezeala Hall to a modem standard”.
Reeling out more achievements of the body, she said: “We built the health centre in
Umuezeala Nsu, sunk a borehole in the health centre as well as installed the over-

head tank with the tank stand, furnished the health centre with beds, foams
bedsheets, pillowss wooden table and chairs.
That is not all: “We made it possible for FSLC examination to be taken in our
community, and we are embarking on training of youths in skills, we provided food
stuffs as palliative to the vulnerable among us at the peak of covid-19 pandemic and
a lot more.
“Members have been notified on the need to come with facemasks and take
precautionary measures against Covid-19 “
She urged all women to put hands together for the development of community and
well-being of everyone, while calling on sons and daughters of the community and
other financially blessed individuals to support them.
In a chat with our reporter, Okey Unegbu at his palace, the traditional ruler
of Umuezeala Nsu autonomous Community, HRH Eze Evaristus Iwuji, the Ogugo I
of Umuezeala Nsu in Ehime Mbano local Government Area of Imo state,
commended the Women for their numerous achievements through the
Women August meeting. He extolled Chiwetaudo, Umuahia branch for introducing
the August meeting in Umuezeala Nsu, urging them to be steadfast.
He applauded the Umuezeala Nsu Women for their contributions to the development
of the community.
He thanked all the sons and daughters of his Community for the palliatives they sent
to the community during the peak of the covid-19, while praying that God should
bless them.
The case of Amakohia Umunohu is not different. As a matter of fact, it is in keeping
with the traditional Igbo self-help spirit, accentuated since the end of the Nigerian
Civil War when Government support has been the exception rather than the rule.
Thus, in several communities, women have assiduously collaborated with the men
by playing active and important role in the development of the rural Communities but
at times, being the promoters and catalyst for development. It is a truism that in
some villages, one hardly notices any government presence, except few basic
amenities provided by the women using August meeting as a platform and channel
to initiate and execute those projects.
In her interaction with our reporter, the President-General of the women of Amakohia
Umunohu Autonomous Community in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo
state, Deaconess Chinedum Ngozi pointed out, to quote her. that “there are lots of
benefits in Women August meeting. It is an opportunity for people to come from far
and near to educate us. We learn how to live in peace with our husbands, how to
train our children in the ways of God, help to develop our community, and the
church.
Continuing, she said that in her community for example, the women have built halls
for meetings, sunk bore holes and are building a health centre presently.

“For this year’s meeting, we have mapped out money to mass produce facemasks,
so that before you are allowed to enter the hall, you are given one to wear and wash
your hands too, to prevent spread of covid-19 pandemic” 
She enjoined women not to see August meeting as a time to cause tensions in their
homes.
Expatiating further, Deaconess Chinedum Ngozi admonished women, saying:
“Women should not see August meeting as a time to fight their husbands or a time to
get what you do not have before and a time to hold your husband on his pair of
trousers. It is not a time to waste money. Rather, it is a time to travel to your
community and learn, come back and show your family what you have learnt”.
In her contribution, the wife of the traditional ruler of Amakohia Umunohu
Autonomous Community in Ihitte Uboma, Ugoeze I. N. Ofoegbu disclosed that their
2021 August meeting will start on the 13th of August 2021. It used to be a week long
activity, running from Monday to Sunday, but most people use two days to run their
meeting.

Still from Ihitte-Uboma LGA of Imo State, by Friday 6 th August, the August Meeting of
Ekwereocha Autonomous Community had already kicked of the LGA with church
services being held in the three villages that make up the predominantly Catholic
community, namely: Umuoyo, Nnachevu and Umuokorozuka. According to the
traditional ruler of Ekwereocha Autonomous Community, HRH Eze J.C. Ukanyirioha,
KSS, KSJ, Ekwere 1 of Ekwereocha, the main August Meeting would be holding at
the time of filing this report, on 7 th August 2021. As usual, highlights of the August
Meeting would include fund-raising for various projects, visits to motherless babies
homes, assistance to the destitute and truly needy, irrespective of belief system or
any special considerations outside destitution. Eze Ukanyirioha also disclosed that
for this year, the women, led by Mrs. Nwokiwu, President of Ekwereocha Women,
home and abroad, would be raising money to build a hall within the church premises.
Fund-raising is done essentially by way of donations from members of the
community as well as special merchandising involving sales of essentially ladies
wares such as hand bags, necklaces, fabrics etc, for various projects. Incidentally,
attempts to speak with both Mrs. Nwokiwu and the Ugoeze (wife of the traditional
ruler) Dr. Lady Cecilia J.U. Ukanyirioha proved abortive as both were deeply
embedded in August Meeting activities.
Reminded that such elaborate activities could expose members of the community to
COVID-19, Eze Ukanyirioha disclosed that in addition to the spacious nature of the
Catholic Church venue of the event, the community had taken adequate precaution
by mounting an aggressive public enlightenment campaign reminding all those
attending to wear masks and wash their hands at regular intervals. Beyond the
admonitions, he disclosed that the community had procured masks and positioned
avenues for all those coming to wash their hands.
The icing on the cake of the August Meeting of Ekwereocha Autonomous
Community would be the bestowal of awards on deserving members of the
community. According to Eze Ukanyirioha, some of the awardees included diaspora
elements who, in the opinion of the women, deserve to be so honoured.

That provides another insight into the character of the August Meetings: in most
places, they are used to accord recognition to members of communities who have
assisted the community in various ways.
From Aba, the commercial and business nerve centre of Abia State, True Vision
Correspondent, Ogbonnaya Ndukwe reports that, communities in Abia South
zone (Aba) may have been settled for low keyed outings during this year’s
August meetings. This is no thanks to the biting economic realities. 
The preference for low key meetings, as against the usual vibrancy and fanfare
was also informed by government’s directives against over-crowding, in keeping
with protocols put in place to contain the COVID-19 pandemic that is ravaging
the entire world.
Of course, this year’s meeting has already kicked off in Abia, in a joint
ceremony hosted in Umuahia, by the wife of the State Governor, Nkechi
Ikpeazu.
At the event held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, Government House,
Umuahia, Mrs Ikpeazu, challenged women to participate more in communal
activities in order to arrest worsening family and social behaviour.
 
She said as endangered species who suffered most when things go wrong,
mothers should embrace speaking out and engaging the men and the children
before things start getting out of control.
 

As many of the leaders that attended the kick off ceremony went back home,
their various communities may face difficulties gathering, because of the
already explained socio economic situations on ground.
In the past, communities like Umuosu and Umuode Nsulu, in Isiala Ngwa
North, Umuogele Mbato, Ohazu, in Aba South and some others in Obingwa,
Osisioma, Ukwa East and Ukwa West Council Areas, had engaged in gigantic
projects such as electricity supply and building of civil centres.
From Awka, our correspondent, Chibuzor Okeke, said that a total of 5,500
indigent women and youths of Anambra State extraction are to be empowered
as part of the activities marking this year Women August meeting in the area.
Already Christian Women Organizations (CWO) of both Catholic, Anglican
and Pentecostal churches have commenced data collection of beneficiaries for
the empowerment scheme while wives of President Generals of the 188

communities that are in the state are also to submit names of beneficiaries of the
scheme.
Similarly, the United Business Woman Association (UBWA) led by Mrs Nkiru
Duru has commenced vocational training of women on various fields of
endeavour across the five states of the South East.
So far 50 women have been selected for the vocational training in the South
East and according to Duru the choice of fifty members per state is aimed at
ensuring that the beneficiaries were adequately mobilized both materially and
financially for gainful employment. 

At the 2021 Mothers’ Summit with the theme: Fighting Gender Violence in
Covid-19 World, The Anambra State First Lady Mrs. Obiano called for
emphasis on grassroots sensitization and awareness-creation on issues of
gender-based violence.
This she emphasized will ensure that mothers at all levels are adequately
informed; urging that they pay attention to behaviour of their children and also
the men to ensure they are engaged in meaningful ventures. 
Mrs. Obiano stated that her NGO, Family Enhancement Initiative CAFE is at
the forefront of the campaign against any form of violence against women as
well as girl-child or boys. She explained that the organization’s Skills training
and empowerment programme which has over 5,500 indigent women and youth
beneficiaries to help boost their economic self-reliance is aimed at reducing
poverty and vulnerability to all forms of abuses.