Alor Women Reelect Uzokwe, Executive for Second Term, Demand Return to Communal Child Training

By Uzo Ugwunze

The 2026 Alor Women August Meeting has taken a strong position on the growing concerns over child upbringing, with stakeholders calling for a return to the traditional Igbo system of communal training, moral discipline and cultural education.

The call came as the newly inaugurated Community Women Leader of Alor, Lady Ifeoma Uzokwe, and the seven-member executive of Inyom Alor were unanimously returned for a second three-year term at the annual gathering held in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The stakeholders urged mothers and other members of the extended family to take greater responsibility for raising children, warning that inadequate parental supervision and declining moral values were contributing to social vices among young people.

Delivering the keynote address, former Chairman of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Dr. Nkiru Nwadinobi, said the traditional Igbo system of communal child upbringing played a critical role in instilling discipline, respect and good character.

Dr. Nwadinobi recalled that in the past, co-wives, ndi nwunye di, umu ada and umunna collectively participated in raising children and correcting unacceptable behaviour.

“Like before, the extended family members should be involved in training a child. In those days, neighbours in the streets helped to train and correct other children by reporting their evil acts to their parents. If you see a child half-dressed, don’t curse; rather, correct in love,” she said.

She lamented what she described as a decline in parental responsibility and urged parents to combine formal education with vocational training and cultural education.

“It seems we have failed as mothers. Igbos believe in hard work. Allow your children to learn a skill during long vacation. Do away with holiday lessons. Your child should be fluent in their mother tongue, the Igbo language, before any other language,” Nwadinobi said.

She also encouraged parents to revive the culture of hard work and craftsmanship among young people, stressing that vocational skills could help prepare children for productive adulthood.

Earlier, Lady Uzokwe charged mothers to take child upbringing seriously and ensure that children were exposed to sound moral and spiritual values from an early age.

“Our children do not go to church anymore. Child upbringing should be taken seriously. Our women should sit down and start retraining their children in the fear of the Lord and inculcate moral values in them,” she said.

Explaining why the women unanimously returned her administration for another term, Uzokwe attributed the development to the unity and collaborative approach of her executive.

“What brought about our re-election was that the leadership loves doing things together. We are transparent and accommodating. We make sure that our programmes and projects touch the lives of the women,” she said.

She listed some of the administration’s achievements to include the successful hosting of the second Inyom Alor Worldwide Summit, which she said showcased the unity, strength and cultural heritage of Alor women at home and abroad.

According to her, the women’s leadership also constructed 12 lock-up shops at the Alor market as part of efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment and generate internally generated revenue for the community.

She added that nine gates were installed and perimeter fencing constructed around Nkwo Alor Market to address incessant raids by hoodlums and improve the security of traders, customers and goods.

Uzokwe further disclosed that the administration facilitated interest-free soft loans for market women through the support of the President General of Alor, High Chief Emmanuel Ojukwu Agbaigwe, to enable them expand their businesses.

She said the leadership also collaborated with non-governmental organisations and the Idemili South Local Government Area to enrol women and young people in skills acquisition and empowerment programmes.

“Above all is our spiritual empowerment, where we teach women to develop a healthy relationship with God. Just like today, we listened to messages from three different ministers of God,” she said.

Uzokwe urged the women to patronise Alor Microfinance Bank, which she said had been upgraded to support digital and interbank transactions, noting that the development would reduce the stress and time involved in travelling to commercial banks in Nnewi.

She disclosed that the next major project of the women’s leadership would be to German-floor Nkwoka Alor Market to prevent the market from becoming muddy during the rainy season.

“I encourage Inyom Alor to be focused in life, have direction and, above all, have a good heart,” she added.

Also speaking, Mrs Kosisochukwu Akubueze, the APGA candidate for Councillor, Alor Ward II, described mothers as the “gatekeepers” of the family and urged them to prioritise the proper upbringing of their children.

“As a mother, you are the gatekeeper of the family. When our husbands go out in search of work, we should stay to train the children so that they don’t pick certain vices,” Akubueze said.

She expressed concern over the increasing number of young people involved in drug abuse, street touting and other social vices, saying that inadequate parental discipline could contribute to such problems.

“So many children are out in the streets today addicted to drugs, touting and other vices, not because they do not have mothers, but probably because their mothers were weak, pampered them and hoped they would change without proper training. Now, they have outgrown their parents and become a menace to society,” she said.

The seven-member executive returned for another three-year term comprises Lady Ifeoma Uzokwe, President General; Mrs Lucy Uzoegbunam, Vice President; Mrs Chiamaka Igwebuike, General Secretary; Mrs Chinwe Okoyeobele, Assistant Secretary; Mrs Benedicta Nwoyegbuzue, Financial Secretary; Mrs Nkiru Oyeudo, Treasurer; and Mrs Esther Okonkwo, Public Relations Officer.

The inauguration was witnessed by the Mayor of Idemili South, Hon. Mrs Amaka Obi (Iyom Ifeabata); President of the Anambra State Town Union Council (ASTUC) Women Wing, Mrs Blessing Onuigwe; and the Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon. Mrs Esther Onyekesi, who was represented by Mrs Benice Uchendu.

Also present were the Women Development Officer, Idemili South LGA, Lady Oby Nwosu; Social Welfare Unit representative, Ms Oby Ugwumba; President General of Alor, High Chief Emmanuel Ojukwu Agbaigwe; and members of Inyom Alor, including representatives from the Lagos branch and other branches outside the country.

The event underscored the renewed emphasis by Alor women on community development, women’s economic empowerment, cultural preservation and responsible parenting.