Speaking after the installation, the State Commissioner of the
Nigerian Girl Guides Association, Mrs. Uche Orakwute told the wife of the
governor that she was found worthy for the investiture because of her
dedication to the service of the people and for coming to introduce herself at
a meeting of the association last year without protocols. She described Mrs.
Obiano as “a woman of open heart, a lover of children, a mother General and a
lady Olave Baden Powell of our time.”
Mrs. Orakwute who also administered the oath of honour to the wife
of the governor, said that the Nigerian Girl Guides Association came into
Nigeria in 1919 as a character training organization based on its motto promise
and law, as well as dynamic programmes for the achievement of girls and women.
She explained that the association is voluntary; and open to all girls and
young women without distinction on basis of religion, status, tribe or any other
circumstance. 
Accepting the honour, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano revealed
that she had always identified with the Girl Guide Association. Said her, “I
always wished to be a member but never fulfilled the dream. But my daughter is
an active member and has attended several camping programmes. In fact, she once
stayed with a host family in United Kingdom for two weeks on a Girl Guides
programme. Your organization is a noble one and we will in our own way, help to
spread the news to ensure that our young girls join, so that you can have
membership across all the Local Government Areas.”
Mrs. Obiano thanked the executives of Nigerian Girl Guides
assuring them of her assistance but also informed them that the Office of the
wife of the governor is not statutory and has no budget for operations. Hence
explained that she is engaged in the activities and programmes of her NGO and
pet project, the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), through which she
intervenes with donations to empower the less privileged members of the society
like indigent widows who are trained to be meaningfully engaged after skills
acquisition training, as well as provide succor for the physically challenged
amongst others.
According to Mrs Obiano, “It may interest you to know that this is
the way I support my husband to improve the fortunes of some members of our
society. Just the way he is committed at issues of governance, I try to
contribute my quota through CAFÉ because that is what we are used to. We are
committed to touching lives positively because leaving our children thousands
of miles away to serve at home will amount to nothing. That is why we continue
to work hard to spread dividends of democracy in every way we can.”