Sophia Michaels
Titi Abubakar, the wife of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has lamented about the lack of support for her pet project.
She stated that she has not been getting support because she is married to the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 elections.
According to her, people have neglected her project, Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF), since her husband left office and has gotten no assistance.
Mrs Abubakar stated these in Abuja after being conferred with the Champion 2023 Leadership (Heart of Gold) Award by Champion Newspapers Limited.
The wife of the former vice president said that she had been running the affairs of the foundation created by her some 24 years ago with the stipends provided for food by her husband.
Abubakar, however, promised not to be deterred by the development, as she was determined in her efforts to ensure the complete eradication of women trafficking and child labour across the globe.
She said, “I have been doing this job for 24 years, and nobody has ever recognised me. They have not called me for recognition and I said to myself that I’m just doing God’s work, that my reward is in heaven.
“There was a day I put an advert in the Newspaper that these children I’m taking care of are not my children but Nigerian children and that even if it is one penny, they should all contribute, and still nobody contributed anything.
“They said, after all, I’m Atiku’s wife. It is one thing to be married to Atiku, and it is another thing to have the passion to do what I’m doing. And because I had a passion for what I was doing, I continued to strive.
“When I was in the (Aso) Villa, I was feeding these children with government’s food and out of government, I’m still taking care of these children.
“I have been carrying this crusade for so many years. These people you see working with me, I don’t have so much money to give them, but they are working.
“Our children don’t only go through primary schools but secondary and tertiary education. Two of them just returned from Nasarawa. They are graduates now, and here I am, still standing strong.”
Mrs Abubakar also thanked all those working in the foundation, saying they have stood by her even as she doesn’t have so much money for them.
