The National Women Leader of the Chamba Cultural Development Association, CCDA, Mrs. Hauwa Ibrahim Nwunuji, has empowered over 90 Women with cash grants Adamawa State.
Mrs. Nwunuji, said at the empowerment programme in Ganye Southern Senatorial District, that the cash donation was a form of palliative aimed at cushioning the effect of the economic challenges being faced in the country at present.
She said the grant was shared amongst three categories of women, 40 of them received N10,000 each, while another set of 40 women went home with N50,000 each and the remaining ten were widows, who went home with N5,000 each.
According to her, the grant was shared equally amongst both Christian and Muslim women, through the directive given to the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Muslim Council of Nigeria to select qualified beneficiaries, with emphasis on their vulnerability.
Similarly, about 100 other women were given N1,000 each as transport fare back home, since they could not get the cash donation.
The National Women Leader of the CCDA said the motivation for the donation was borne out of concern for the women in the wake of the present economic challenges, with untold hardship on the family.
Mrs. Nwunuji said she realised that serious lack could lead families into unwholesome behaviours, which led her to intervene in that regard.
She also solicited for prayers to be offered to former Nigerian Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, whom she said had provided grants for the empowerment of his kinsmen all over the country.
Mrs. Nwunuji said the gesture by General Danjuma had woken many Chamba people from sleep, because most of those who hid their identity before were now coming out to openly declare their identity as Chamba.
She said the recipients and even those who did not benefit at present, should pray to God to sustain General T. Y. Danjuma, because gradually the grant would tackle down to most members of the tribe.
“Pray for General T. Y. Danjuma for God to protect and guide him, as well as give him long life and sound health, because for once, the Chamba man has a tribesman who can wipe away his tears,” said Mrs. Nwunuji.
Overall, she said the most motivating force for her to embark on the programme was the desire to steer up a similar spirit in other well-to-do Chamba women, so that the benefit would go round the tribe.
Mrs. Nwunuji also said she had plans for the extension of the programme for the tribeswomen in Taraba and the Diaspora, so that her people would be empowered to contribute their quota in the development of the home front.
The National Women Leader of the CCDA was at the Palace of the Paramount Ruler of the Chamba People, the Gangwari Ganye, His Royal Highness Alhaji Umaru Adamu Sanda, who challenged other influential and well to do Chamba daughters to emulate Mrs. Nwunuji.
The Gangwari also called on Chamba Women to strengthen the bond of unity amongst the tribesmen, which according to him, if the men fail to do it, the women will take the lead, because of the capacity they had shown.
“We know that the situation in our country is very pathetic and I think the little contribution the National Women Leader of the CCDA has made will impact positively on the lives of the womenfolk generally. At the same time, she has sent a message to the womenfolk, particularly those who have been opportune to take charge of some economic activities in the country. We are calling on them to also emulate what the women leader has done,” said Gangwari Ganye.
The Gangwari called on the beneficiaries to invest the funds for the benefit of their families and the society as a whole.
In the meantime, the Zonal Women Leaders of Adamawa, the Diaspora and Taraba Zones encouraged the beneficiaries to make use of the money to empower their families for economic independence.
The Women Leader of the Adamawa Zone of the CCDA, Mrs. Delina Abraham, emphasized on the importance of getting the CCDA Membership Card, which was further corroborated by the Diaspora Zonal Women Leader, Mrs. Fatima Barde Abubakar, who said holding the membership Card had helped in saving the lives of many people.
The Women Leader of the Taraba Zone, Mrs. Juliana Bobzom, encouraged the beneficiaries to invest the grant received as an empowerment for investment in the future.
The Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Love John Dauda, asked the beneficiaries to pray for the sustenance and wellbeing of the National Women Leader, so that she would do more for the Chamba Race.
