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From Juliana Taiwo- Obalonye, Abuja
Relevant authorities at the national and state levels have been called upon to institutionalize the office of First Lady to consolidate their achievements and entrench the culture of continuity and accountability.
This is the summation of submission made at a one-day summit on the theme, Emerging Trends in the Role of the First Lady in National Development, which was organised by the Office of the First Lady in collaboration with Women and National Development (WAND).
Participants challenged First Ladies to serve as mentors for the women folk in public life.
The summit also stressed the need to sustain worthwhile social intervention programmes initiated by First Ladies, saying, “not everything needs to be thrown away when governments change.”
The recommendation was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of summit. It reads in part: “Summit affirmed the tremendous achievements made by Her Excellency, Dr Aisha Buhari, her predecessors, and wives of the state governors in Nigeria and resolved that policy and administrative measures are required at national and state levels to formally accommodate the existence of this indispensable office as a complement to inclusive governance. This will also foster more accountability and transparency in governance.
“Summit raised the importance of First Ladies as role models for women and youth. To this end, and in order to avoid negative perceptions and stereotypes, First Ladies were encouraged to live up to expectations by being approachable and inclusive.”
