Between Margery Okadigbo and Helen Esuene
JUNE 23, 2013
Okadigbo and Esuene
They are widows. Once married to men who held prominent positions in Nigeria’s political history, they have also carved a niche for themselves in politics. It would not be inappropriate to say that they climbed on the shoulders of their late husbands to gain political prominence. Their brilliant successes have also proved doubting Thomases wrong.
Until her husband passed away, very little was seen or heard about Margery Okadigbo. Married to late Chuba Okadigbo, a former Senate President, the light-skinned mother of four adopted a low profile lifestyle. That was before she contested for the Anambra-North senatorial seat in the 2011 National Assembly elections. Initially, she experienced hiccups but last year, the Supreme Court finally declared her the winner. This came after several lawsuits over who was the validly nominated candidate, which left the seat vacant. Currently, her brilliant delivery on the floor of the senate is commendable.
The same would be said of Senator Helen Esuene. She is the widow of late Brigadier Udoakaha Jacob Esuene, a Nigerian Air Force officer who was a military governor of the South-Eastern State, which was later renamed Cross River State. Helen smiled again when in 2005 and 2007, respectively, she was appointed Minister of State for Health and Minister of Environment and Housing during former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration. Now a senator representing the Eket Senatorial District, she is the chairperson, Women Affairs Committee in the Senate. Not a few are enthralled by her intelligence and manner of presentation. It was rumoured lately that she was eyeing the number one seat in Akwa Ibom State.
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