Imported User:
Chairperson of the Voice of Widows, Divorcees and Orphans of Nigeria [VOWAN], Hajiya Altine Abdullahi, has said that the task before state governments in the north is to ensure proper protection of the rights of divorcees, widows and children.
Addressing newsmen in Kano yesterday after the leadership of the NGO visited former head of state General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) at his residence in Daura, Katsina State, the Chairperson said the organization decided to visit the former head of state in order to seek his blessings, as the patron of the organisation, on the proposed marriage of 1,000 widows by the Kano State government through the HISBAH board. She said there were too many widows and divorcees and state governors must rise to the challenges and save them.
The chairperson also stated that the Kano Hisbah board had concluded arrangements to give out the hands of the selected widows and divorcees in marriage through a marriage contract organized and arranged under certain terms and conditions, adding that the marriage would be contracted soon.
“We are in the general’s house to seek his blessing because about 1,000 members of our organization will soon be married off by the Kano State government. We are all happy with the development; that is why we’ve come to our patron to seek his blessings,” said Hajiya Attine.
General Muhamamadu Buhari had earlier urged state governments to rise to the challenges and live up to their responsibilities by overseeing the public welfare of their subjects by ensuring equity and justice.
Buhari said that it was indeed the responsibility of the state governments to ensure that the governed are given the necessary attention as stipulated in the Nigerian constitution, stressing that every government, elected or enforced, must be able to provide the basic necessity to its citizens and also ensure equity and justice.
As patron of VOWAN, General Buhari commended the leadership of the organization on the positive achievement recorded so far, pointing out that due to the present situation of insecurity and other social vices that leave behind so many widows, divorcees and orphans, there is a greater need for government’s intervention to alleviate the suffering of the people.
