I was there live at the commissioning of the Africa First Ladies (AFLPM) Permanent Secretariat, Piwoyi, Airport Road, Abuja on the 9th of May 2023. The edifice is the brainchild of First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari. It consists of a 250-seater conference hall, library, restaurant, extensive parking lot and sundry modern amenities. The First Lady was commended for achieving the feat in just a little over a year!
Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the commissioning of the Secretariat
Some of the dignitaries from other parts of Africa present at the ceremony are:
*H.E. Dr. Joyce Banda - Former President of Malawi & Member, SADC Panel of Elders
*Amb. Rebecca Amuge Otenga - Chairperson of the PSC for May 2023; Ambassador of Uganda to Ethiopia, AU & UNECA
*H.E. Mrs. Jewel Taylor - Vice President of the Republic of Liberia
*H.E. Catherine Samba-Panza - Former President of the Central Africa Republic
*H.E. Phumzile Mlambo-Nguka - Former Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa & Member, Panel of the Wise, AU
*Prof. Shaukat Abdurrazak - Director, Division of Africa, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
*Amb. Bankole Adeoye - Commissioner for Politics, Peace & Security, AU
*H.E. Bineta Diop - AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace & Security (WPS)
*H.E. Mohammed Ibn Chambas - AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns
*Representative of Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina - President, Africa Development Bank (ADB)
*Mohammed Musa Bello - Hon. Minister of the FCT
Dr, Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the ceremony
Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari remains the Chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the AFLPM for the next five years. All former First Ladies in Africa are automatic members of the BOT. Mrs. Buhari proposed that the 'Organisation of Africa First Ladies for Development' be merged into the AFLPM. She emphasised the fact that prevention of conflict is much more cost effective, while saving lives than management of same. The day before, 8th May 2023, at the State House Conference Hall Dome, Mrs. Buhari signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on behalf of AFLPM with the AU. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace & Security, AU Commission, signed on behalf of the AU.
Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the signing of the MOU between the AFLPM & the AU @ The Dome, Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, 8th May 2023
AFLPM, known by its French acronym MIPREDA, is an outcome of the 1995 Fourth World Conference in Beijing on women, where the significant initiative was taken to establish Africa First Ladies Forum by African wives of Heads of State/Presidents who came together as ambassadors for peace during the conference. The initiative was taken by the First Ladies of Nigeria, Gambia, Benin, Uganda, Lesotho and Burundi to undertake peace missions to the rest of Africa. They were also to advocate for the inclusion of women in negotiation teams to serve as mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution throughout Africa. It started in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1996. The supreme organ of the mission is the 'First Ladies Conference'. Having held several regional meetings, the 'Abuja Declaration of Africa First Ladies on Peace & Humanitarian Issues' was made in 1996. (Source: www.aflpm.org)
Earlier, Dr. Joyce Brenda, former President of Malawi gave a passionate speech. She alluded to the fact that leadership is a love affair between the leaders and the led. This can only happen when there is good governance via positive peace, respect for human rights, separation of powers, etc.
H.E. Mrs. Angeline Ndayishimiye, First Lady of Burundi, is the new President of the AFLPM. There was applause all round for the peaceful handover of 'power' from the incumbent President of AFLPM to the new President. It was indeed a glorious outing for the chief host, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari...