Mrs Nneka Ezeemo, the Nigerian Woman with true Nigerian spirit says 'It is not African to flaunt your nakedness' —MRS EZEEMO

www.odogwublog.com attended a meeting were Mrs Nneka Ezeemo presided and saw a teacher, counselor, preacher, manager and director as well as a journalists delight in

association and what have you rolled into one in her.

She is a gift to Nigeria but not yet tapped but will soon manifest as the international Non Governmental Organization, Believe In Nigeria Initiative is manifesting good traits for Nigerian spirit. She is the wife of the Governorship candidate of PPA and now the Leader of PPA in Anambra state , Mr Godwin Ezeemo.

I decided to reproduce this interview done in 2011. Enjoy

Mrs Nneka Ezeemo is the Vice President, Charity Ezeemo Trust for the Less Privileged. An organization concerned with the welfare of the poor in various communities in Nigeria and abroad.

Mrs Ezeemo is also the Deputy Managing Director of  Orient Export and Sokka International , both based in the UK. Sokka is an organization with the exclusive right to distribute Carlton Saw Chain and Accessories, Tiger products ,AET Ignition components , Genuine Chain Saw and spares , Garden Equipment and General Hard wares, Tillotson Carburettor, ODII products –Crankshaft, brush cutter machine and Accessories, pumping machine and tools etc. Sokka International has offices in almost every state of the Federation and in over 10 countries in the world.

The Orient Export is an organization into manufacturing, production and distribution of agricultural related goods and services.

She is also the Managing Director of the newspaper and magazine business, the Orient news magazine and yet to debut Orient Newspaper among their feats. Newsmen ran into her recently when they organized football competition for primary school students and our man ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU in Awka was there.

Mrs Ezeemo spoke on a wide range of issues including their mission, vision for the less privileged and her agenda for women. Excerpts: 

How has it been being behind this man Mr. Goddy Ezeemo? And why did you agree that your family wealth should be used for public good?

My husband Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, from Umuojogwo village Amanasa Umuchu, meaning we are rooted in an African village with its peculiarities. We came back from UK because of  this Charity Ezeemo Trust Incorporated Soccer Competition for the less privileged tagged the Goddy Ezeemo Unity Cup.

With regards to your question, right  from the onset we agreed to go into charity because it has always been my husband’s believe to assist the less privileged in the society.

And I don’t like attacking his believe. Whatever little resources we have for that we discuss how we are going to utilize it for public good. Even before our business blossomed, it is a character that he has because this is about 20 years we have been married.

We agreed before the marriage that when he sees people in need including his relations that he would assist them. And I proposed to that even before I got married.

So those stopping their husbands from doing so are not getting it right?

I have no powers to look into the way they decided they would enjoy their existence but for me and my husband we are committed to assisting the poor, the challenged and the deprived in the society as much as we could. I can encourage those who are not in the habit of giving to strive to give because givers don’t lack and women should be championing that in their homes. That’s why I am lucky that my husband initiated that without hesitation.

 All we are doing and what we should still do is coming from what we believe in and learnt as Christians and I will like to encourage fellow citizens especially in this Eastern part where majority of us are Christians, members of the society to take a step back and look inwards and see what they can do in order to edify the society. I believe that the responsibility to do that is on our shoulders even though the government is there to assist. I said this because the scripture said that the church is the pillar and the foundation of the truth in the society, so I will like the Christian world to rise up and be one.

Do you have a word across for our women here that are always naked in the name of fashion?

It is not African to flaunt your parts that suppose to be hidden and I don’t do that because I am a Christian. I don’t believe in such dressing because that’s what I called being nude. Women should ordinarily attract r4espect by the way they dress rather than attract public odium .Remember that the way you carry yourself is the way you would be respected.

So, I don’t agree with dress code that is enticing or would expose the beauty of a woman. It makes sense to dress properly. That’s what I teach to my daughter. I ask her to dress properly because the way you present yourself is the way people would see you. If you dress indecently, you ask people to look down on you but if you dress properly you ask people to respect you.

Are there other plans you have in the charity Ezeemo trust that you will like us to know?

Aside the charity work we do to orphanages and the football competition wee have a lot of areas we are into but I want to be more involved in the newspaper and magazine aspects of our business apart from the roles I play already in financial management of our organizations, because of its educative process. I will be able to train and change people’s mindset for change to take place in the society.

The media is a very powerful vehicle to introduce change in the society. So, apart from giving money to the less privileged even though money is not the only problem they have; we would look into various skill acquisition for them to learn and improve themselves economically. We will organize some training programmes for the less privileged people at no cost to them. That’s the next stage that I will come in.

In what ways have you contributed in the Charity Ezeemo Trust? Any challenges.

I have contributed a lot to the success of the Charity Ezeemo trust for the less privileged. I have contributed also much in our other organizations and outfits but  I am more interested in being part of the change we desire now in the country. That I am not always present here is not a limiting factor because I and my husband talk over a lot of things during brain storming session.

 I am much involved with the behind the scene work. The people we are working with are not challenging us but a situation your staff does not understand your mission and vision with what you are doing is the greatest challenge. That difficulty is not having Clarity of where we are going is a challenge but for the people we are helping there is no problem. But remember that there is nothing one does in life without challenges but the ability to overcome them is what is important?

My husband is 24 hours busy and it is a challenge but that’s the prize I would pay as I don’t call it regrets per see. He is very busy. That busy is a kind of challenge but when you look at what he is busy with comes with a role, so I won’t brand it regret. It is like if you are married to a president you start complaining that he is too busy. Of course as a president he has the responsibility of the whole nation on his shoulder. But I will like to see a situation where he is less busy because he is not growing younger.

What of your view on women empowerment?

I will respond to the question with an understanding that you are asking me what contributions I think I can make as a woman to women. And I would say education. And when I say education it is not classroom education but creating awareness of what we as women are capable of doing for the good of the nation.

 I believe in everybody having potential regardless of the sex because the scripture said God made man. He made a male and a female. That’s the concept I believe in. but, again there is a lot of differences between the male and the female but my believe is that we the female folks are not made inferior. We are unique. I will encourage my fellow women to realize that a male contribution is important and a female contribution is important for societal growth and development.

Like in a household where there are only male folks, a good number of the duties in the house will suffer because there are no females in the house likewise where there are only females. There is always good to have a balance. I am not challenging the women to rise up and take over the men but to come along men in playing their roles because each role is important.

Do you want to say anything about sports?

We are into promotion and sponsorship of grassroots football via Primary Schools aimed primarily we aim at discovering young talented players for further assistance to metamorphose into great footballers. We are catching talented footballers at their prime with the intention of encouraging and helping them morally and otherwise to achieve their life ambition of becoming great footballers of International repute in future.

We have through the Charity Ezeemo Trust in the last five years sponsored over today (40) students to successfully complete their various academic programme in the institutions of higher learning across the country. More than 40  are currently understanding various courses of study in tertiary institutions on the stable of the Trust.

 This interview was conducted about 18^th May, 2011 by Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, while still with Champion Newspapers as Anambra state Correspondent