Feb 5, 2010 - Lagos First Lady, Mrs Fashola Flags Off Soroptimists Conference In Lagos
Lagos State First Lady, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, at the weekend in Lagos flagged off the 21st General Assembly of the African Clubs Meeting of the Soroptimist International of Nigeria charging the members embrace projects that will uplift the status of women in Africa.
In her keynote address at the conference which was attended by clubs from East and West African countries, Mrs. Fashola drew the attention of the members to the fact that a lot needs to be done in this direction in order to save the lives of thousands of African women who daily die from curable ailments and health conditions.
She declared, “Today, we are faced with the reality of the challenges posed by poverty, AIDS, Cancer, maternal mortality and so on. As I speak, thousands of women lose their lives unnecessarily to ailments and health conditions which could be prevented”.
“I firmly believe that this is one of the undesirable trends that women-based service organizations in Africa must demonstrate serious commitment to reverse. You can achieve a lot by working together, partnering with each other, comparing notes, sharing experiences, best practices and considering our individual struggles to about a synergy that will produce an unprecedented and sustainable result”, the First lady said.
She expressed joy that Lagos State was chosen as the venue for the conference and that the State is described as a centre for Soroptimists for the historical fact that the first soroptimist club in Nigeria was established in the State in 1964 in addition to the fact that the State plays host to the largest number of soroptimists clubs in the country.
Commending the members for their commitment towards making the African Federation of the organization a reality, Mrs. Fashola noted with joy that the Federation would bring together under one umbrella African countries that had been in two Federations of Great Britain and Ireland adding that the new status would enable them to appreciate and address the specific needs of African women.
She observed that the organization has achieved phenomenal growth over the years, rising from a single club in 1921 to clubs in 120 countries of the world today pointing out that the high ranking status of the organization in the United Nations and its agencies testifies to its monumental achievement as a public service organization.
The First Lady also noted that the organization has been supportive of the State government especially in the area of beautification adding, “I am aware that every Soroptimist club in Nigeria under the Soroptimist International is involved in one project or the other in the efforts to make a difference within the countries”.