Gov Otti Charges Women not to give up on their Dreams for impactful life
Abia State Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has charged women not to give up on their dreams and visions in life, urging them to remain focused and persistent in pursuit of their goals.
Governor Otti gave the charge on Saturday, 16th May, during the WODDI Inspiring Women Summit (WIWS), held at Blanc Galleria, Central Business District, Abuja, with the theme: “PUSH – Position Until Something Happens.”
The Governor encouraged women to draw inspiration from his personal journey to becoming the Governor of Abia State, noting that he contested elections three consecutive times before eventually realising his dream.
WODDI, meaning Women of Divine Destiny Initiative, is a non-profit organisation founded by Her Excellency, Zinaria Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha, wife of the immediate past Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha.
WODDI envisions “a world where every woman, adolescent, youth, and person living with disabilities is empowered to lead with purpose, live with dignity, and drive transformative change within their families, communities, and nations.”
Speaking during the event, Governor Otti, who sat patiently for hours listening to the discussions at the summit, made reference to a statement by one of the guest speakers, Dr. Linus Okorie, MFR, which he said deeply resonated with him.
Governor Otti said, “There is something that Dr. Linus Okorie said, which resonates with me. And that is, never, ever give up. Never give up.
“So, for the women, never, ever, give up. Don’t accept no for an answer. If you try and fail, try, try, and try again.
“If you are in doubt, ask me. You know why, I ran election in 2015, I ran again in 2019, and people say, you’ve tried, go elsewhere. In 2023, I ran again. If I didn’t run in 2023, will I be here today?
“So, if you have a dream, hold on to your dream, never give up.” Gov. Otti charged.
Speaking further, he encouraged the women to always strive to learn new things, noting that learning never ends until a person dies.
“And the most important point we made here is that people must be open to learning. Any day you stopped learning, you are dead. You can never know everything.” Gov. Otti added.
Commenting on the theme of the summit, PUSH – Position Until Something Happens, Governor Otti said that it is important to determine where you want to be and what you expect to achieve.
The State Chief Executive stated that many people think to position means remaining static or staying in one place, which he discouraged. He explained that positioning also involves repositioning when necessary. Sometimes, it may even require changing your position completely.
Governor Otti added that true positioning is not being static. It means studying the situation, understanding changes around you, and adjusting accordingly in order to reach your goal.
The Governor commended the convener for redefining empowerment which he said aligns with the vision of his government. In his words, “A lot of people define empowerment as handouts – giving somebody a piece of cake; giving him food to eat; giving him fish.
“From what I have seen here, looking at the brochure and listening to all the conversations around here, she is going beyond giving fish.
“This is about teaching you how to fish and ensuring sustainability. Because, we can give you fish today, tomorrow you are hungry again. But if you know how to fish, and if you have been empowered to fish, when you need fish, you go and fish.”
He also commended her for the three books she wrote which was unveiled at the summit by Mrs Dolapo Osibanjo, wife of the immediate former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo.
Governor Otti noted that a lot of people do not read anymore and opined that he who does not read, has no advantage over he who cannot read. He encouraged people to obtain copies of each of the books and make out time to read them.
The husband of the convener, His Excellency, Sen. Rochas Okorocha, who also spoke at the event, said that, it took him years to fully understand his wife, adding that, “Being there for the people is her joy.”
The convener of the summit and founder of WODDI, Mrs Zinaria Nneoma Nkechi Rochas Okorocha, PhD, said that “WODDI was born from a simple but unwavering belief; that no woman is defined by her circumstances, and that within every woman, lies a strength, a purpose, and a potential that deserves to be seen, supported, and expressed.”
She stressed that everything the organization has done is guided by that belief.
The summit was attended by the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria, Hajia Nana Shettima (represented ), diplomats, wives of former Governors and Senators, among other women and men of power and influence across all walks of life.
Ctz. UKOHA, NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.