Friday 13 July 2012

Nigeria Gets 1st Female CJN

Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar scores another 1st as the first woman to step in as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

How welcome is this development? Reactions from different quarters have welcomed the development and the NUJ specifically sees the appointment of Justice Muhktar as a great step in the right direction noting that with the present involvement of women in governance, implementation of the affirmative action would increase to about 45 per cent.

This Woman of Substance is the first female judge to be appointed to the Supreme Court on June 8, 2005.  She is the first female Northerner to become a lawyer.

Her appointment will make her the 13th head of the nation's judiciary since the appointment of Chief Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, the first CJN, who held the post from 1958-1972.Mukthar was called to the Nigerian Bar on June 26, 1967. By September 24, 1987, she became the first female to be sworn into the Court of Appeal.

She attended St. George's Primary School, Zaria, St. Bartholomew's School, Wusasa, Zaria, Rossholme School for Girls, East Brent, Somersets, England, Reading Technical College, Reading, Berkshire England, Gibson and Weldon College of Law and was called to the English Bar in Absentia in November, 1966.

Justice Muktar is life member of the Federation of Women Lawyers. She was also the Vice President of the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria. In 1989, Muktar was honoured by the Federation of Women Lawyers and in 1991 she was decorated with a Gold Merit Award by the Kano State government.

In 2003, she was honoured by the International Association of Women Lawyers, and in 2004, the Fellowship of the Nigerian Law School was conferred on her.

Born in Kano on November 20, Justice Muktar had her primary education at St. George’s School, Zaria and also at St. Bartholomews’s school, Wusasa, also in Zaria from 1950 and 1957.  She also attended Rossholme School for Girls in East Brent, Somerset, England for her GCE O’ Levels in 1962 and went for further education at the Technical College, Berkshire England.

She graduated from Gibson and Welder College in law in 1966 and was subsequently called to the English Bar in absentia. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on June 26, 1967.

She paved the way for other women to be appointed to the Supreme Court, Justice Olufunlola Oyelola Adekeye, got the attention of the National Judicial Council (NJC) which has the responsibility of recommending qualified judicial officers for the position 4 years after Justice Muhktar and Justice Mary Odili followed in 2011.

Two questions remain unanswered…what is the rationale behind appointing 68year old Justice Muhktar who will eventually take a bow when she turns 70!

She has vowed to flush out corrupt Judges…will she get a “free hand” to make this happen?










Sunday 8 July 2012

INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAYS 2012



The Chairperson Ikosi-Isheri LCDA with the guest speaker and Dr Uche Bialonwu

Some of the Widows at the event

Alhaja Oyesanya speaking at the event

A widow receiving cash from the chairperson



A widow for 22years...she says its not been an easy road!



Alhaja Oyesanya speaking with journalists!
Woman of Substance brought widows together in lagos to mark the international widows day on June 29, 2012. The wife of the Ikosi Isheri LCDA Chairman, Alhaja Omolara Oyesanya was on ground to give support to these widows who came out to share their bitter experiences since losing their husbands. This will be a yearly event to help reach out to widows and their children.

WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE "Pride of Women" Award

Awardees at the Pride of Women Awards

Ms Yemisi Ransome Kuti receiving her Award

Dr Quincy Ayodele picking up her Award for her role in Herbal Medicine

Mrs Rose Mordi, President of Downs Syndrome Association of Nigeria

Mrs Betty Ubeku of West African Women Association
Woman of Substance honoured some women in Lagos for their contributions to humanity. They received the "Pride of Women" award for their various efforts at reaching out to women and children. The awardees are Mrs Quincy Ayodele, Mrs Betty Ubeku, Mrs Rose Mordi, Ms Yemisi Ransome Kuti, Mrs Bose Ironsi, Mrs Lola Falekulo, Dr Uche Bialonwu, Mrs Nkechi Alli balogun amongst others. Dr Susu Enang presented the awards which took place at excellence hotel, ogba, Ikeja

TRUELINE CHILDREN'S DAY PARTY



Putting Smiles on the faces of these beautiful children at the dustbin settlement in Ikosi Isheri was a thing of joy to mark the 2012 children's day celebration. These kids were so happy that it brought tears to the eyes of their parents and other adults around.

TRUELINE HEALTH AND WELLNESS SEMINAR

Participants at the Seminar


Sponsors and Partners at the Seminar
The issues having to do with the challenges facing women came to the fore early in the year with the talk about Cervical Cancer. Women came out in their numbers to get information and also get screened for Cervical Cancer.