Why Igbos honour me as Queen—Lady Idimogu

By Ugochukwu Ezurike and Ambrose Nnaji

She is a woman of great virtue, gentle, humble and submissive. Her generosity cuts across ethnic, tribal or religious boundaries. Nevertheless, these qualities are not common in women, any who possesses these qualities is not only loved and honoured but also adored among the Igbo extraction.

A woman of impeccable character, Lady (Mrs) Roseline Enito Idimogu is born to the Royal Kuku’s family in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, married to Honourable Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu, the Lagos State House of Assembly Member representing Oshodi/Isolo constituency 11 and also the Apex Leader in the Igbo All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos state. Idimogu hails from Imo State, the Eastern Heartland.

It was really the plan of God for me to accept him in marriage, lady Idimogu disclosed adding that from the day one she never liked the Igbo people how much more giving her hands in marriage with them. According to her, her perception about the Igbos was that her life was not safe if she got married to Igbo tribe an insinuation however according to her that had no basis.

Lady Idimogu confessed that when she met her husband she was convinced that the Igbo people were good and accommodating against her judgment about the people adding that since she got married to her husband his people (Igbos) had been so wonderful. “Anytime I travel to his village, they always welcome me warmly, they don’t call me their wife, they rather call me their queen, I have children for them, and now I pay little or no attention to where he comes from”.

She said: “Igbos are so accommodating, they welcome visitors, they like strangers, if you can humble yourself, they will embrace you, in Yoruba culture we also respect and accommodate. “I want my children to know their father’s heritage, I thank God for his mercy and the wisdom he has bestowed on my husband”.

A member, Knight of St Mulumba in the Catholic Church, Lady Idimogu is in the business of helping the poor and the less privileged. In spite of her enviable position as a royal family member married to a politician, she never looks down on anybody irrespective of who you are or where you come from, a unique character that has earned her several names such as ‘Osodieme’, ‘nwanyima Obidiya’ meaning that she is in accord with her husband and they work together to uplift the downtrodden

“Our motor is charity, we are used to it, we have been doing it before joining politics, it’s part of us, it’s in our blood, we like giving out to people, it gives us joy in helping people”, Idimogu expressed.

Lady Idimogu who combines both family concerns and church activities has also been a great inspiration to her husband even in his political ambitions. She however held the Almighty God responsible for this strength.

“God has been so wonderful, he has been my strength, and my refuge, being a mother to my children, I think I’m wonderfully trying, and being the wife of a politician, a lawmaker and Apex leader of such a great  nation as Igbo.

I thank God for my business. I have been able to marry them all controlling my workers in my business area. Most of the time when he goes out on his political engagements, I follow him, we thank God, he has been so wonderful”, Idimogu acknowledged

Idimogu supporting the youth

According to her, Hon Idimogu has been touching lives, both widows and the less privileged. She nevertheless promised that with God the law maker would not relent in doing good because God has been our refuge, my prayer for him is that God should increase his wisdom and knowledge to do more than this for mankind.

“It’s not my strength, its God that has been doing it, I think I have been managing the diverse persons fairly both Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and other tribes. People come here, I welcome them, even in the absence of my husband, and I present and plead their cases before my husband, with God most of their desires are settled.

“As my person, I’m not the one to say about myself, it’s left for others to say both the Igbos, Yoruba’s and Hausa’s alike, we have been doing our best in putting smiles on the faces of as many as that come across us”, adding it’s by the grace of God

She however advised fellow women and office holders not to see other people as second-class persons. According to her, its God that puts  everyone in any position he finds himself, not you, and if you have the fear of God in you, you will welcome everybody.

Giving to the people

“Learn to accommodate people irrespective of class, or social discipline, the less privileged and even the rich alike.

“If you help the poor, their prayer alone will move mountains, move heavens to open doors of opportunity and fight battles for you. I think that has been helping us and has been strong base for my husband,” Idimogu further advised.

Chief (Mrs) Vivian Obi, the President and National Coordinator, Progressive Women Advocacy Organisation disclosed that Lady Idimogu was conferred with the title of an Ambassador for Women Development, and Poverty Alleviation because of her role in ensuring that women were given their place in national development

Progressive Women Advocacy Organisation, Obi said was an Empowerment, Poverty Alleviation, Counselling and Publicity platform designed for development and empowerment of women at all levels.

According to her, Idimogu has empowered a lot of women including widows cutting all tribes in her constituency, adding that as a wife to the Honourable member in the Lagos state House of Assembly she has also been an advocate to uplifting the poor and less privileged in the society.

Lady (Mrs) Roseline Enito Idimogu “I will say is not just a Yoruba woman, she’s a friend of all irrespective of ethnic inclination and religious or political belief. She’s not tribalistic, she speaks Igbo, she speaks Yoruba and she makes sure that everybody coming across her family is being carried along”, she’s hospitable Obi added.

“If you come to her family, she will welcome you and treat you as part of the family, she’s very sociable and she makes sure that you feel a sense of belonging”, Obi stated.