OPINION:MOTHERHOOD IN GOVERNANCE: DR. MRS. NONYE SOLUDO AND THE HEALING OF CHIZITEREM

First Lady of Anambra State, Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo

By Titus Eleweke 

Leadership without compassion is noise. Power without empathy is empty. In the First Lady of Anambra State, Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo, Ndi Anambra have found both leadership and a mother’s heart beating in public service.  

The recent discharge of 10-year-old Chiziterem Franklin Ozuligbo from hospital in Awada, Obosi, is not just a medical success story. It is a testament to what happens when government becomes personal, and when duty becomes love.

Chiziterem’s case broke the nation in June. A viral video revealed a child bearing horrific injuries and burns inflicted by a guardian entrusted to protect him. The images sparked outrage, but outrage alone does not heal wounds. Action does.  

Dr. Mrs. Soludo did not wait. As founder of  Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo, she immediately took custody of the boy and placed him under full medical care. She footed all his medical bills. She visited him repeatedly. She sent emissaries. She ensured he received not only treatment for his physical injuries, but also the psychological and emotional care necessary for a child to believe in the world again.

What stands out is not just the resources she deployed, but the humility with which she deployed them. Here is a woman occupying the highest office of the First Lady in the state, yet she chose to draw close to a child with multiple wounds , a child with no blood relation to her. Many in similar positions would keep distance, shielded by protocol and perfume. Dr. Mrs. Soludo chose proximity. She chose to bend low to lift another  person’s son up.  

That is the true meaning of Mama Ndi Anambra

At Chiziterem’s discharge, her words captured the spirit of the moment:  

“My heart is filled with immense gratitude as Chiziterem leaves the hospital today fully healed. His journey reminds us that kindness, compassion, and collective love can restore hope even in the most difficult situations.”

She went further. Beyond the hospital bills, she pledged to support Chiziterem’s mother with a sustainable means of livelihood. This is compassion with vision , healing the child today and securing the family’s tomorrow. She also appreciated Nigerians who sent gifts, donations, and prayers, noting that collective empathy made the difference, instead of claiming all the glory alone.  

This is motherhood in action. This is governance that sees a statistic and sees a son.  

The contrast could not be starker. While some leaders are carried away by the dignity and detachment of office, Dr. Mrs. Soludo has chosen to be carried by the burden of the people. She has proven that the office of the First Lady can be more than ceremonial. It can be interventionist. It can be therapeutic. It can be redemptive.  

It is therefore no surprise that she has been recognized nationally as the best Governor’s wife in Nigeria. Awards affirm what the people already feel: that Anambra has in Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo a public servant who wears her humanity before her title.  

May other first ladies, and indeed all public office holders, learn from this example. Let them come down from the high walls, set aside the fragrance that masks the odor of poverty, and sit with the people they serve. Let them understand that the true measure of greatness is not in how high you sit, but in how low you are willing to go to rescue one child.  

Chiziterem is healed. A family has hope. And Anambra has been reminded that compassion is still the strongest policy of all.  

God bless Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo. God bless Ndi Anambra.