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Kogi gov’s empowers 500 elderly women, vulnerable residents

The First Lady of Kogi State, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo, has distributed cash gifts and food items to 500 elderly women as part of activities marking World Charity Day 2026.

Hajia Ododo, who led a charity roadwalk from Obasanjo Square to the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, also extended support to women, groups, elderly persons, roadside hawkers, and other vulnerable residents.

The event was attended by government officials, women’s groups, community leaders, and residents and highlighted the importance of compassion, generosity, and collective responsibility in building an inclusive society.

Speaking during the celebration at the Government House, Hajia Sefinat Ododo said every citizen’s future matters and no individual should be left behind in the pursuit of development and prosperity.

She said through her humanitarian platform, the Ohunene Empowerment Initiative (OEI), she would continue to support the less privileged and contribute to improving their well-being.

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The gesture, she said, was aimed at providing relief and demonstrating love to those who were not relenting in ensuring self-sustainability.

According to her, charity should not be viewed as a one-day event but as a continuous commitment to uplifting others and strengthening communities.

Hajia Sefinat also appealed to privileged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of charity, make acts of kindness a regular part of their lives, and use their resources and influence to positively impact vulnerable members of society.

She appreciated the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her sustained humanitarian interventions and commitment to improving the welfare of women, children, and disadvantaged persons across the country.

Mrs Ododo described the president’s wife as a source of inspiration whose efforts continue to touch lives nationwide.

She called on women leaders in government and those occupying positions of authority to emulate the good works of Nigeria’s First Lady by initiating programs that directly improve the living conditions of ordinary citizens, stressing that genuine leadership should be measured by the ability to uplift vulnerable people and offer hope to those in need.

“Together, we can build a state where no one is forgotten and where every citizen has the opportunity to live with dignity and hope,” she said.

Various speakers at the occasion, including the CMD, Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Doctor Oluseyi Bamidele Folagbade, and other personalities, commended Mrs Ododo’s generosity and advised citizens to support her initiatives as well as the government of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.

Representatives of the Nigeria Police Force, NSCDC, FRSC, NDLEA, women’s associations, and groups, among others, attended the program.

Beneficiaries of the Charity Day program expressed gratitude for the generosity of the First Lady and her concern for the less privileged, noting that the support would help ease some of their immediate challenges.