More than 500 women in Kogi State received cash and food support as Governor Ahmed Ododo’s wife, Hajia Sefinat Ododo, marked the 2026 World Charity Day with a series of humanitarian activities in Lokoja.
The initiative, organised under her Homemaker Empowerment Initiative, targeted women and other vulnerable residents, including widows, elderly people and persons living with disabilities.
The programme, held on Saturday under the theme “Charity for a Better World,” began with a charity road walk from Obasanjo Square to the Government House in Lokoja.
Along the route, organisers distributed cash and food items to women, elderly residents, roadside hawkers and other people identified as vulnerable.
Cash Support for Women
At the Government House, Ododo presented cash grants ranging from ₦5,000 to ₦100,000, alongside food items, to more than 500 women.
The beneficiaries included 50 elderly women, widows and persons living with disabilities.
Ododo said the annual observance of the International Day of Charity on September 5 serves as a reminder that acts of generosity, regardless of their size, can improve the lives of people facing hardship.
She encouraged residents to make compassion and community support part of their everyday lives.
Visits to Hospitals and Orphanages
The humanitarian programme extended beyond the road walk and empowerment exercise.
Ododo also visited orphanages and hospitals in Lokoja, where welfare packages were presented to vulnerable people.
She urged residents, particularly women, to continue supporting neighbours and families experiencing difficult circumstances.
The governor’s wife also praised Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her humanitarian initiatives through the Renewed Hope Initiative, describing her as a leading figure in charitable activities.
Beneficiaries Applaud Initiative
Several women leaders who attended the event commended Ododo’s intervention.
They included Tina Ekele of the National Council of Women Society, Hajia Zaina Umar, wife of the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, and Hajia Karimat Abdullahi, wife of the state Attorney-General.
They praised the governor’s wife for maintaining a focus on people considered economically vulnerable.
One beneficiary, Mrs Jumait Abdullahi, who received ₦100,000, expressed appreciation for the assistance, particularly the support extended to widows and elderly women.
She said the repeated interventions had brought encouragement to beneficiaries and prayed for blessings on the governor and his wife.
Charity Day Observed Globally
World Charity Day is observed annually on September 5, with the occasion focused on encouraging kindness, compassion and humanitarian action.
The United Nations designated the date in honour of Mother Teresa, with the observance coinciding with the anniversary of her death and recognising her lifelong work among poor and vulnerable communities.
For beneficiaries in Lokoja, however, the day’s message was made tangible through cash assistance, food, welfare packages and direct engagement with people in need.