By Olayiwola Balogun – A group of foreign women, married to Nigerian citizens and resident in UK known as Nigerwives UK, paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola OFR, the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom on Thursday 19 January 2023.
Ambassador Isola OFR, the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, with some officials of the High Commission London received the group.
The aims of the association among others are, to facilitate the smooth integration of foreign wives of Nigerians into the Nigerian society and also to establish or assist in social projects of benefit to the Nigerian community.
The group popularly known as Nigerwives is an association of foreign wives of Nigerians. The organisation is visible throughout the world, does a lot of charity work. Nigerwives UK, an associate member and independent of Nigerwives Nigeria have lived in Nigeria for varying lengths of time but are now resident in th UK.
The Nigerwives UK, delegation was led to the Nigeria High Commission London, by the former Civic Ambassador and first black first Citizen of London Borough of Newham, Cllr (Mrs) Joy Laguda MBE. Cllr. (Mrs) Joy Laguda, who is married to a Nigerian medical doctor, Dr Laguda. Cllr. (Mrs) Laguda briefed Ambassador Isola on the ongoing excellent works of the organisation in Lagos, Nigeria.
When Nigerians started marrying foreign wives and bringing them home, these wives had no family close by, this is how Nigerwives came about, as an association whose main aim was to help foreign wives adjust where and when necessary to feel more at home in their new found country.
The Association was instituted in 1979 and in 1987, it was formally registered as Nigerwives Nigeria. As at last year 2022, there were 300 members from 40 different countries with branches in 13 states of Nigeria.
Apart from helping the newly arrived Nigerwives to integrate more easily into the society by explaining foodstuffs, customs, school system, wearing of traditional costumes, (tying of wrappers/headties etc). Another aim is to establish social projects that benefit the society. With this in mind, the Nigerwives Braille Book Production Centre was established in 1995.
Mrs Jean Obi MBE MFR (nee Osbourne) member of Nigerwives founded the Braille project. Each year, Nigerwives Nigeria, holds a fund raising event for the Braille Centre.
The Centre now produces books for visually impaired students countrywide as well as providing computer training for blind graduates and has recently produced Braille Ballot papers for Nigeria elections.
Nigerwives Nigeria also receive and distribute books under the World Bank Book Project, embark on soap making and perfume making projects among other things.
The delegation of Nigerwives UK to the Nigeria High Commission London consists of Paula Oshowole, Susan Fajana – Thomas OBE and Cllr. Joy Laguda MBE. Other members of Nigerwives UK who couldn’t attend were Pat Kanu, Leslie Mitchell, Millicent Alintah. Dr. Laguda accompanied them.
The association presented Ambassador Sarafa Isola with a newsletter and some books written by Nigerwives.
Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola in his welcome remarks appreciated the visiting foreign wives and encouraged them to continue to embrace the rich culture of the new family they have married into. He promised to continue to help deepen and strengthen the relationships between their various former countries with Nigeria.
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