Perhaps the hardest part of being a widow in Nigeria is living each day uncertain of adequate healthy meals for mother and the rest of her children. In most rural communities across the country with the current socioeconomic conditions, millions of widows are daily confronted with excruciating and demeaning pains of abject poverty and wanton deprivation compounding their psychological reality.
It will be recalled that the International Widow’s Society ( IWS), in 2019, had estimated that 15 million of the world’s 258 million widows live in Nigeria, still struggling for daily survival.
Sadly, many members of this less privileged and largely vulnerable group live within our communities with little, or no support coming from either family members, or affluent members of the larger society.
However, last Saturday 26, July 2025, the founding Chairman of Agape Initiative For Poverty Alleviation ( AIPA ), Comrade Sunday Nwaokolo, remarkably, in clear demonstration of his philanthropic character mobilized some vibrant youth leaders drawn from most villages in Ubulu Uku to provide immediate relief for these neglected women in dire need.
It was, indeed, a special, and particularly, exciting day for numerous widows that thronged the Ubulu Primary School venue from nearly all the villages within Ubulu Uku kingdom.
These widows, often encumbered by their harsh socioeconomic realities were not bombarded with grandstanding political oratory, nor were they rallied to undignifying stipends as bribe for electoral patronage.
In contrast, these widows were offered suiting life - propelling words of comfort and encouragement to help them braze up for the future. They also equally shared from the free truckload of rice bags and bottles of vegetable oil specially provided for their families back home wholly funded by Nwaokolo’s charity organisation.
It was altogether a demonstration of overwhelming love and charity that sparked widespread excitement across the entire audience culminating in a thrilling mass display of frenetic dance steps.
Expectedly, when Comrade Nwaokolo finally shared his excitement about the event, during an interview with Anioma Online news, he enthused, “ I was happy. I don't really know which words to help describe the way I felt dancing with them (Widows), especially the aged woman, that 101 year old woman ( Mama Victoria Obianwune). Did you see how she was dancing? “ I was deeply moved by her dance, because the major reason for this was to put a smile on their faces, give them a sense of belonging and to show that we, their children, still have them at heart.”
Comrade Nwaokolo further disclosed that their charity organisation, which was founded four years ago in partnership with his supportive and prayerful wife, is a commitment to their vow to God Almighty. The nonprofit allows the couple to reach out to many more lives in need.
Also speaking, Mrs. Josephine Ukah, a beneficiary that has struggled to care for her young children following the demise of her husband five years ago, shared her joy: “ The event was successful because I did not expect such free gifts from them. We have given out names several times for similar events but some of us never got anything. I am surprised and also impressed by today's free rice and vegetable oil”, concluded Mrs. Ukah said she had borrowed money each year to keep her petty shop running since her husband died.
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