Nigeria: Government, PDP React to Uzoma’s Death

By Development Diaries
January 11, 2021

Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, says the death of civil rights activist, Esther Uzoma, has left a big vacuum in the advocacy to end gender-based violence (GBV).

The prominent lawyer and advocate for women’s rights died on Wednesday, 06 January, 2021, following a surgery at a hospital in Abuja.

Before her death, Uzoma was the National Coordinator of Proactive Gender Initiatives (PGI) and Convener of the Civil Society Situation Room in the country.

‘Her demise at this time has left a big vacuum in our crusade to end gender-based violence not only in Nigeria but the world at large’, Tallen said in a statement.

‘This is indeed a great loss to humanity, especially women and children’.

She also said, ‘Esther was truly committed to the cause of promoting equality at all quarters.

‘Her distinct voice held sway for women and children, including the girl child. She surely left her footprints on the sands of time.

‘She left an indelible mark in the gender world’.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed deep sadness over the death of the human rights activist and social crusader.

The opposition party, in a statement, described Uzoma’s death as a huge loss to the nation and humanity at large.

The PDP stated that the late PGI national coordinator was a patriotic Nigerian who dedicated her life towards the entrenchment of democratic tenets of good governance, justice, equity, and fairness in all spheres of the country’s national life.

‘Esther was a strong-willed advocate of strict adherence to the rule of law, who also remained steadfast as a voice for the vulnerable and downtrodden till the end’, the party noted.

‘The PDP is sad that our nation has lost one of her bright and promising patriots, especially at this time such voices are needed the most in our collective quest to rescue and reposition our nation for the task ahead’.

Uzoma, fondly called ‘lady comrade’, attended Township Primary School, Aba, Abia State, and later proceeded to Girls’ Secondary Commercial School also in Aba.

She proceeded to Alvan Ikoku College of Education to study English, and later attended Imo State University, where she bagged her LL.B. in 2002.

Uzoma was called to the Nigerian Bar after finishing from the Nigerian Law School, Abuja.

Source: Ministry of Women Affairs