Handshake across the Niger: How Ooni’s wife spent Valentine’s day in Abia

2026-02-16 - 11:29

By Steve Oko Her Imperial Majesty, Ambassador Temitope Enitan Ogunwusi, wife of the Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Saturday marked Valentine’s Day in Abia State with a compassionate outreach that touched the lives of newborn babies and their mothers. The royal mother visited selected health facilities, where she distributed gift items to Valentine’s Day babies and their mothers as part of activities commemorating the 9th Annual Valentine Newborn Outreach of her foundation, Hope Alive Initiative. The outreach was carried out in partnership with the Office of the Abia First Lady and the State Ministry of Health. Olori Ogunwusi was accompanied by the Abia First Lady, Priscilla Otti, alongside top government functionaries. Speaking during the exercise, the Ooni’s wife reaffirmed her foundation’s commitment to supporting humanity, particularly the downtrodden and vulnerable. According to her, life derives its true meaning when it adds value and brings succour to others. She commended the administration of Governor Alex Otti for its people-oriented policies and efforts to improve the wellbeing of Abia residents, urging him to sustain the pace of development across the state. The royal mother also lauded the Abia First Lady for her steadfast support for her husband and assured her of continued collaboration in advancing humanitarian causes and promoting the general good of society. In her remarks, Mrs Otti expressed profound appreciation to the Ooni’s wife for what she described as a “handshake across the Niger,” noting that such gestures strengthen inter-state and inter-ethnic bonds. She added that the outreach underscored the premium the Otti-led administration places on healthcare delivery and the welfare of Abia children. Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, described the initiative as exceptional and urged the Ooni’s wife not to relent in her humanitarian engagements. He reiterated the commitment of the Abia State Government to health sector reforms, citing the recent retrofitting and equipping of 200 primary healthcare centres across the state as evidence of government priority. Some beneficiaries, including Mrs Ngozi Onyejiuwa, Mrs Uzoma Ejike, and Mrs Prisca Osuagwu, expressed gratitude to the Ooni’s wife for the gesture and offered prayers for God’s blessings upon her and her household. Health facilities visited during the outreach included Abia State Teaching Hospital, Aba; Aba General Hospital; Abia State Specialist Hospital, Umuahia; and Amaeke Health Centre, among others. Top government officials present at the event included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Ifenyiwa Umah-Kalu; the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Kalu Ulu Kalu; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Vulnerable Groups and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Ifeoma Thomas, among others.