Ada-Okeke Amam, Vice-President of Igbo-speaking Community in Lagos and founder, Adorable Social Club of Nigeria, talks to Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, on the activities of her organisation.
Ada-Okeke Amam, Vice-President, Igbo-speaking Community in Lagos, and founder, Adorable Social Club of Nigeria, popularly known as Daughters of Love, is not a politician. However, when necessary, she does not shy away from making useful political comments to guide governance either at the federal, state or local government level.
Even at that, hers is more of life around charity, especially children and widows.
Amam’s experience also teaches that one can change his or her destiny and say no to failure in life with hardwork, perseverance and faith in God.
A chance meeting with her by this reporter at her Ikeja Lagos residence revealed a lot on her agenda for the poor and vulnerable. It was noted, for instance, that any discussion on helping the needy easily elates her.
Why then has she not entered politics for a bigger platform to serve the society, given her disposition in serving the cause of the poor? She answered that her immediate concern is to put smile on the faces of the deprived, particularly orphans and widows, adding however that she has always offered useful advice to those in authority in her own little way, when necessary.
Amam, fondly called Princess, asked public-spirited Nigerians to make sacrifices for the less-privileged, particularly orphans and the widows in the country.
Amam said: “I am not a politician, neither do I plan to join politics in the near future. My passion is for helping to lift lives that never had the advantages that many had. I was also a victim as a child, but with the grace and blessings of God upon my life, I was able to overcome. I therefore chose to become a blessing by giving back some of the things God has released to me to assist them realise their God-given potential.”
The philanthropist, who lost her mother at a very tender age and was forced into marriage at 16, insisted that those who did not have opportunities as a result of certain denials in life should be assisted to realise their vision.
“Rendering help to orphans, widows etc. would help change destinies that would have been wasted if neglected,” she told TheNiche.
Although Amam avoided some questions that had to do with politics in the course of the encounter, she admitted that the country was passing through a tough phase, stressing however that hopes are not lost in getting out of the situation.
According to her, “there is no gainsaying that Nigeria is passing through a tough phase, but I still think we need more patience so as not to jump into a wrong conclusion. Let’s wait and get the budget passed and see what follows before we can make informed analysis on the government.
“I will only advise President Muhammadu Buhari that, in addition to his anti-corruption crusade, he should critically look into the challenges of the economy and security among other crucial issues. The reality is that Nigerians are passing through excruciating pains and he must rise up to these challenges.”
She also bemoaned the menace of drug abuse in society, advocating more societal awareness campaign against the vice.
She informed our reporter that it was her concern on the harmful effect of drugs that informed setting up the Adorable Social Awareness Campaign Against Drug Abuse (ASACADA). The second phase of the programme was launched in December 2015 in Abuja with the theme, ‘Drug Abuse: Tackling the Hydra-headed Menace’.
She said there was the need for serious intervention against drug abuse, especially as the menace was getting out of hand.
In apparent move to take the campaign to the likely victims, Amam, mother of four, disclosed that a youth ambassador to drive the crusade in schools in Lagos State would soon emerge, stressing the need for all hands to be on deck in re-directing the focus of youths from drug abuse, given its harmful effect.
Drug abuse, she said, is a global problem requiring all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, among others, coming together to tackle.
Her words: “For me, all my life is all about charity. When you lose your mum on time, like me, as a woman you will appreciate better what I mean and what I went through. But the story today is that I intend to give back to charity.
“I thought I should bring like minds together that can bring out the wealth God has blessed them with to help the needy. We task ourselves and reach out to other like minds. Ours is a non-governmental, non-political organisation of distinction in affecting humanity for the good of the society.”
On how the Adorable Social Club was started, she recalled: “I really wanted to change lives. I have been president of many associations, but I wanted to touch lives. I was president of Awka Daughters for five years, and also president of Immaculate Ladies for five years. Sometimes, my vision perhaps would not augur well with some members. You know charity work entails giving what you have to the less-privileged.
“I’m always emphasising on charity – my idea about charity didn’t really jell with them and we had a lot of issues afterwards. I shared my ideas with the trustees of Adorable, which they subscribed to. If you are not ready to touch lives of the next person positively, then you are not qualified to be an Adorable Woman. During our first meeting, we had 11 trustees and later we registered the association.
“Now, we have more social members. You know, it’s not easy gathering women. I love to do charity. A woman touched my life as a child and I have vowed to positively touch the lives of the less-privileged as many as God will give me the grace.”
Among the next moves of her organisation, she told TheNiche, is to take the crusade to her governor, Willie Obiano of Anambra, for the administration to key into its empowerment agenda. Aside this, there is plan to take the crusade to the West Coast with Ghana.