Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, wife of the Governor of Ebonyi State, has continued to etch her name in the hearts of women across the state through her numerous humanitarian interventions, especially targeted at widows and the most vulnerable.
Through her pet project, the Better Health for Rural Women, Children, and Internally Displaced Persons Foundation (BERWO), the First Lady has given 26 indigent widows across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State a new lease on life. Each woman now lives in a fully furnished three-bedroom bungalow two per LGA in what many have described as one of the most impactful welfare programmes in the history of the state.
For the beneficiaries, many of whom have been widowed for decades, the gesture represents a lifeline and a restoration of dignity. Their joy was evident during the handover ceremonies, where tears of relief flowed freely.
Read also: Nwifuru builds 26 houses for indigent widows in Ebonyi
In Ndiegu Azu Echara, Ikwo LGA, and Amegu Onicha, Abakaliki LGA, Mrs. Nwankwoeke Ekoyo and Ophoke Cecilia Ogbinya openly wept as they received the keys to their new homes. Their stories of survival in leaky huts, battling poverty and loneliness, moved the crowd to silence.
“I never believed I would live in such a beautiful house,” Ekoyo said through tears. “Since my husband died, life has been unbearable. Feeding my child has been a struggle, and I never imagined I would be remembered this way.”
Commissioning the buildings, Mrs. Nwifuru said the project was inspired by her determination to wipe away the tears of widows. “A roof over one’s head is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” she declared. “Every widow deserves to feel safe, valued, and respected. These homes are a reminder that widows are not forgotten.”
Local government chairmen, commissioners, and traditional leaders described the initiative as “a beacon of compassionate leadership.”
Sunday Nwankwo, Ikwo LGA Chairman, noted: “These houses are not just shelters; they are symbols of hope and dignity. Our mothers will sleep better knowing they are safe.”
From Izzi to Ebonyi local government, widows expressed gratitude. Mary Otah of Izzi LGA and Mrs. Theresa Nwedeoga of Ebonyi LGA said they had endured misery since losing their husbands until the First Lady’s intervention brought them relief.
Chinedu Uburu, Chairman of Ebonyi LGA, Hon. described the project as a fulfillment of promise. “From the inception of BERWO, Her Excellency assured us that every vulnerable person deserves a better life. Today, she has kept that promise,” he said.
Francis Ori, Commissioner for Housing, hailed the housing scheme as “the grand finale of compassion,” praising the First Lady’s tireless effort to reach widows even in the most remote parts of the state. “Mummy, you don’t know how much you’ve done for humanity. It is only God that can reward you,” he added.
Taking the podium once more, Mrs. Nwifuru reminded the gathering that the project was not about houses alone. “This is about handing over hope, dignity, and security,” she said. “Widows carry a heavy burden, and today we lighten it.”
Read also: Nwifuru builds 26 houses for indigent widows in Ebonyi
She also commended her husband, Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for supporting her vision. “Without his encouragement, this initiative would not be possible,” she said, pledging to expand BERWO’s reach in the future.
In Indigwe community, villagers danced and sang as widows moved into their new homes, while community leaders urged that the initiative be extended to widowers who also face hardship after losing their spouses.
Steve Emenike Nwankpa, Izzi LGA Chairman described the First Lady as “proactive and people-centered.” According to him, her programmes align with the governor’s broader vision of lifting the vulnerable and empowering citizens.
He recalled that Governor Nwifuru had already sent hundreds of Ebonyi youths abroad for studies, funded entrepreneurship training, and created thousands of jobs in agribusiness. “The First Lady’s project complements these efforts by focusing on the most neglected our widows,” he said.
He also pointed to the governor’s investments in universities, hospitals, and infrastructure, arguing that the widows’ housing scheme was part of a larger picture of people-centered governance.
Across the state, the testimonies of widows echoed one another: stories of hardship, abandonment, and despair turned into songs of thanksgiving. For many, the homes were their first real inheritance since the loss of their husbands.
Obinna Nwedu, Coordinator of Igbegu Development Centre, emphasized that the homes were more than walls and roofs. “They are places of peace, where children can grow up with hope, where dignity is restored,” he said.
He added that the Widows Housing Project was guided by equity and fairness, ensuring that the most vulnerable were selected transparently. “It reassures widows across the state that their pain is acknowledged, regardless of location,” he stressed.
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For Mrs. Nwifuru, however, this is only the beginning. She reaffirmed her commitment to empowering women and children, promising that BERWO would continue to champion the cause of the vulnerable in partnership with the state government.
The initiative has drawn praise beyond Ebonyi’s borders, with observers describing it as a model of compassionate governance that could be replicated across Nigeria.
As the sun set on the commissioning ceremonies, the widows clutched their new house keys with trembling hands, their faces lit with joy. For them, these homes symbolised more than comfort—they symbolised belonging.
And for Ebonyi State, the Widows Housing Project will remain a testimony that when leadership is driven by love, the lives of the forgotten can truly be transformed.
