Picture Caption:Wife of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Amina Titi Abubakar, unveiling “Portals of Hope Foundation”, in Abuja recently.
The wife of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Titi, recently unveiled a new non-governmental organization, Portals of Hope Foundation (POHF), dedicated to the protection and promotion of the rights of vulnerable persons in society.
Founder of “Portals of Hope Foundation” Oluebubechi Emerole making her speech at the occasion.
The Foundation, established by a young Abuja-based lawyer, Oluebubechi Emerole, who was recently called to the Nigerian Bar, would focus on providing legal support and representation to victims of human trafficking, sexual and gender-based violence, drug abuse, and young persons awaiting trial in various prisons without support across the country.
The unveiling of the new rights organisation was part of the commemorative event to mark the young lawyer’s call to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Unveiling the new organisation in Abuja, wife of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who is also the Founder of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF), Amina Titi Abubakar, applauded Miss Emerole for the initiative, describing it as demonstration that Nigerian youths were set to change the narrative in the fight against various societal vices and crimes among them, especially in the areas chosen by the foundation.
Recalling when the fight against human trafficking began in Nigeria in 1999, Mrs Abubakar, who was the special guest of honour at the reception, said most Nigerians were ignorant of the problem and other vices, which were already eating deep into the fabric of Nigerian society and globally.
She expressed happiness that a few years later, many people, including young ones, were now adding their voices to the crusade against the problems, with one of them setting up a Foundation to promote and protect the interests of victims and the vulnerable.
“The fight against human trafficking and related vices and crimes should not be left to the government alone. Wealthy individuals, private organisations, and multi-national corporations should get involved by supporting non-governmental organisations, like Portals of Hope Foundation, which, she noted, was following the steps of WOTCLEF, to get the job done,” Mrs Abubakar said.
In her speech earlier, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, congratulated Miss Emerole for successfully graduating from the Nigerian Law School, which led to her Call to Bar.
Hajia Bello commended Emerole for initiating the foundation, saying such an initiative was necessary in present-day Nigeria, as it falls under the agency’s strategic policy of “Whole of Society and Whole of Government Approach” in the fight against human trafficking.
She called for more public support in the fight against human trafficking in Nigeria, adding that the youths must speak out for their voices to be heard against such vices and crimes.
A former Minister of Education, Prof Chinwe Obaji, who was also a special guest at the event, paid glowing tribute to the new lawyer for the initiative, which she said deserved the support of all well-meaning individuals and groups.
“By this initiative, Oluebube has demonstrated how focused she is on life generally”, she said, adding that the fight against the vices and crimes being taken up by the Foundation requires more hands for victory to be achieved.
Obaji, who is a visiting Professor at an American University where she teaches issues of human trafficking, added that supporting the new Foundation would encourage more young people in Nigeria to get off these vices, especially when the message was conveyed by fellow young people.
Presenting the organization’s brief, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Chioma Omamegbe, said the Foundation was established to promote and protect the rights of vulnerable persons, particularly women and children.
Omamegbe said the organization was focused on combating human trafficking, smuggling of illegal migrants, drug trafficking, and advocating against violence against persons, especially sexual and gender-based violence.
She said the NGO’s target beneficiaries include victims of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants; victims of drug abuse; indigent individuals and communities affected by violence, abuse, and social exclusion, as well as support to young and indigent persons languishing in various prisons across the country awaiting trial for various offences.
“The vision of the Foundation is to create a society where individuals can live free from exploitation, abuse, and fear,” she explained, adding that the organization intends to achieve this objective through advocacy and awareness creation through partnership with relevant stakeholders, media, and other institutions.
She highlighted the core values and principles of the organization established on the foundation of integrity, transparency, compassion, accountability, and respect for human rights.
Mrs Omamegbe also used the occasion to call on individuals, development partners, government agencies, and corporate organisations to support the Foundation realise its laudable mission.
In her remarks, Emerole, who expressed gratitude to the guests who came to honour her, said that the unveiling ceremony marked the official commencement of activities of the Foundation, which she said was set up to address social vices and challenges affecting vulnerable populations in society through targeted advocacy, intervention, and strategic partnership.
Founder of the Foundation (middle) with her father, Josiah Emerole (1st left) and mother, Justina (right) with other signatories performing the commemorative cake cutting at the event.
