The Coordinator, Office of the Edo First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, has urged leaders to prioritize inclusive leadership as part of efforts aimed at fostering grassroot development and enhancing the State’s progress.
Mrs. Anani made the call during a courtesy visit by the Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, Engr. Gabriel Iduseri with his Team at the Government House in Benin City. She defined leadership as a service to humanity, stressing that effective leaders should uplift and support everyone, rather than just a select few. She underscored the vital importance of humanity and humility in leadership.
According to Mrs. Anani, “Leadership to us is service. I always say that a leader’s role is not to oppress, but to serve humanity. When you’re serving humanity, you’re also serving God. The kind of leadership we have, with His Excellency and his Team members, is one that brings everyone on board. No one should be left behind. I want to emphasize that humanity and humility should be your guiding principle”.
Mrs. Anani while highlighting the crucial role of Local Government in shaping the State’s future, urged the Council’s leadership to prioritize projects which would benefit the people, particularly in healthcare and empowerment programmes for women and children.
She further emphasized the importance of inclusivity, infrastructure development, and security, aligning with the State’s agenda, stressing on the need to focus on impactful initiatives rather than “white elephant” Projects.
In her words, “Once our people are empowered, the crimes we see will be eliminated. We are empowering our youth and empowerment isn’t just limited to women, our men need empowerment too. They bear the burden of family responsibilities and when they are struggling, their egos can be bruised. We should give our children and youth the training, skills acquisition and Information Technology skills they need to succeed. By doing so, we’ll be building a more balanced, educated community which is less prone to crime. This aligns with the SHINE and the Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to restore hope to everyone”.
The Council Chairman appreciated Mrs. Anani’s impactful leadership, humanitarian initiatives, and dedication to empowering women and children in Edo State, saying, “We have come to express our profound respect and appreciation for your exemplary leadership and the positive impact that you have brought into leadership in Edo State. We want to also thank you for your humanitarian initiatives across the State, your dedication to the empowerment of women and children, how you care for the children in the State.
“The support for the vulnerable groups continues to inspire the hope and admiration of the people. For the first time in our State, we see our mothers celebrating home when they come to the Government House, and so many testimonies from children all around the State of how Her Excellency has impacted their lives”.
Engr. Iduseri acknowledged the tangible impact of Mrs. Anani’s efforts on the people, pledged continued support and partnership in advancing such vision for a better society, and commended her initiative on addressing drug abuse, which he said they had begun to campaign against too.
Gloria Osemudiamhen
Public Relations Officer
Office of the First Lady
PHOTO CAPTION
Middle: The Coordinator, Office of Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani; 4th Left; the Oredo Local Government Council Chairman, Engr. Gabriel Iduseri and other stakeholders during a meeting at Government House in Benin City.
