MINISTER of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has again disrupted another event organised “without her permission”.
This newspaper reports that the incident is coming exactly 22 days after a similar action by the minister on August 8, 2024 in Abuja.
During the last event tagged “Unveiling the Power of Women and Food Security,” held without the ministry’s approval, the minister said the organiser had been taken into custody by the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleged impersonation of the ministry.
“There is an impersonating thing going on here. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs did not plan this. The lady, I have arrested her. Right now, she is with the DSS.
“After we wrote that we were cancelling, the president approved that we should cancel until further notice; she still went ahead to print this thing”, she said in a video posted on her X page.
However, in the latest video that has gone viral on social media, the Minister was heard expressing opposition to workshops and seminars.
She said organisers of such programmes must ensure they infuse empowerment of women in their activities.
According to her, organising workshops and seminars would not directly impact the people.
‘’Let this be the last time Women Affairs will organise anything that I am not aware of. You try next time, I will come here and get you people disgraced.
“I know what I am going through in this country. For a while, this is what we keep on organising. Few weeks ago, there was a hunger protest and they talked about peace and security. Women are not empowered. Children are suffering. Nigerians are suffering but we waste money all the time on frivolous things.
“I am sorry. Many people may misunderstand me but I am ready to be misunderstood. I am ready to be tortured. I am ready. I have changed the narrative, I said no programme without empowerment”, she added..
The minister stressed that when “talking about peace and security with poverty, how can you solve it? You keep talking, doing workshops. With poverty, where are we heading to? How do we solve that poverty? By directing money to the wrong channels that don’t make an impact on humans? On those people you want them to change and give you peace”
Mrs Uju said she has changed the narrative.
“I said do not do any programme without empowerment. They give monies in the Ministries and it is used for travel and programmes. Nothing that will impact the nation.
“If you hear the monies the government gives out to ministries, you will be shocked. Why should it continue like that? Why should we fold our hands and these things will continue? Who do you think will save you? It’s you that will save yourself. Let them call me names, troublemaker’, ‘mad woman’, I am ready to take it”, she said.