By Janet Ovayoza Samuel

Since assuming office as the First Lady of Kogi State, Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo, has emerged as a symbol of compassion, inclusion, and empowerment for all, especially women, girls, widows, youth, and the less privileged. Her passion for service has reverberated across communities, bringing hope to the hopeless and lending a voice to the voiceless.

With a heart deeply rooted in humanitarianism, the wife of the Kogi State Governor has made it her mission to carry every segment of society along, women in politics, widows in distress, children in orphanages, pregnant women in hospitals, persons with disabilities (PWDs), young people in need of career growth, and even market women and struggling traders.

In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, Hajiya Sefinat Ododo has localised those national ideals, bringing life-changing interventions to Kogi State. Through collaborative engagements, she has amplified women’s voices and initiated impactful programs that promote dignity and economic independence.

The influence of the Renewed Hope Initiative has been visible in the distribution of palliatives to thousands of indigent women, support for orphans and the motherless, and access to reproductive health services for pregnant women. These gestures reflect a seamless synergy between national and sub-national priorities in building a more inclusive society.

One of Her Excellency’s most notable attributes is her open-door policy. She listens. She welcomes. And she acts. Her office is always open to women’s groups, community leaders, and young people with innovative ideas. This accessibility has enabled real-time problem solving and strengthened public trust in the First Lady’s office.

Through her upcoming pet project, vis her foundation, Ohunene Empowerment Initiative, the First Lady is set to further consolidate her work in health, education, economic empowerment, and anti-drug sensitisation. Although the full project will soon be officially launched, Ohunene has already begun creating impact across the state.

A health awareness advocacy, organised under the Ohunene Empowerment Foundation is currently traversing the three senatorial districts of Kogi State.

The campaign focuses on drug abuse prevention, targeting youth, students, and parents with messages focused on the dangers of substance use and its implications on personal and societal development.

This bold initiative has been welcomed by schools, youth groups, and religious institutions. Through the health walk and accompanying community engagements, thousands of young people are being educated and inspired to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo has also led outreach activities that have delivered tangible support to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs). In several towns and rural communities, she has donated wheelchairs, walking aids, food items, and cash to those with physical challenges, reinforcing her commitment to inclusivity.

In hospitals across Kogi State, the First Lady has distributed delivery kits, diapers, baby care items, and cash support to pregnant women and new mothers. Her visits to these facilities are always heartfelt, leaving a trail of smiles, gratitude, and renewed hope in the lives of vulnerable women and children.

Widows, often overlooked and forgotten, have found in her a compassionate benefactor. She has provided foodstuffs, wrappers, and cash gifts to hundreds of widows across the state, helping them navigate difficult times with dignity and comfort.

Children, particularly those in orphanages and shelters, have not been left out. The First Lady regularly visits motherless babies’ homes, bearing gifts, clothing, food, and educational materials. Her connection with the children reflects her deep maternal instincts and belief that every child deserves love and security.

Hajiya Sefinat Ododo has taken a bold step in placing vulnerable children on educational scholarships, ensuring that no child is denied the opportunity to learn and grow due to financial hardship.

This gesture is opening up futures for those who once had no hope.

Market women, the backbone of Kogi’s informal economy, have also felt the warm embrace of the First Lady’s intervention. Across the 21 Local Government Areas, thousands of market women have received cash gifts, bags of rice, and clothing to boost their small businesses and support their families.

These women have expressed profound appreciation for the Kogi First Lady’s care and support, noting that the interventions have cushioned the effects of economic hardship and helped stabilise their livelihoods. Her Excellency’s focus on grassroots women underscores her understanding of the economy’s informal engine.

Women farmers have equally benefited from her agricultural intervention programmes. In a recent empowerment drive, thousands of women received chickens, poultry feed, cassava stems, improved seedlings, and fertilisers, boosting food security and self-reliance at the grassroots level.

The agricultural empowerment scheme has been extended to all 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State. It is tailored to meet local needs while fostering the participation of women, youth, and students in sustainable farming practices.

Students and teachers in public schools have also benefited from various capacity-building initiatives. Through strategic partnerships, Her Excellency has promoted digital literacy, hygiene education, and improved access to school materials.

The First Lady continues to champion access to quality healthcare, education, and economic opportunities, especially for adolescent girls and young women. Her safe space projects and mentorship programs are gradually shaping a new generation of confident, self-aware, and empowered girls.

She is deeply passionate about the rights of the girl-child and frequently uses her platforms to advocate against early marriage, sexual abuse, and gender-based violence. Her messages have resonated far and wide, prompting policy engagement and social change.

Through periodic town hall meetings, Her Excellency engages directly with community women and stakeholders to hear their concerns and co-create solutions. This approach has fostered inclusive leadership and community ownership of development programs.

Under her guidance, several rural women’s cooperatives have been formed and supported, enabling access to microloans, agricultural inputs, and training on financial literacy.

Her Excellency’s work is not limited to charity; it is structured, sustainable, and aligned with long-term development goals. Her strategies are people-centred, focusing on impact, accountability, and inclusiveness.

She has also shown deep sensitivity in matters of family planning, and child nutrition, and mental health especially cases arising from the escalation of substance abuse among young people.

Through mobile clinics and community outreaches, her office has reached remote areas with life-saving interventions.

Religious harmony is another key pillar of her leadership. The wife of the Kogi State Governor often engages both Christian and Muslim women leaders in shared advocacy efforts, reinforcing peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.

Her faith and humility remain her greatest strengths. Even as she executes monumental programs, she remains deeply respectful, rooted in community values, and always gives credit to God for her strength and vision.

As she prepares to officially unveil the Ohunene Empowerment Initiative, stakeholders are optimistic that it will become a legacy platform for social transformation in Kogi State. From health and education to agriculture and digital empowerment, Ohunene is positioned to lift thousands out of poverty.

The story of Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo, wife of the Kogi State Governor is one of silent strength, gentle courage, and motherly compassion. Her presence in the corridors of power is not one of noise making, but of nurturing and raising others, empowering them, and giving hope where there was none.

She has, in every way, proven herself not just as the wife of a governor but as the Mother of the less-privileged in Kogi State, with arms wide enough to carry the burdens of many and a heart big enough to love without boundaries.

With gratitude to God and commitment to serve, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo continues to chart a path of impact and legacy for generations to come.

Janet Ovayoza Samuel is the
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media
Office of the First Lady, Kogi State