Project Description

Mrs. Gertrude U. Obiefule

Mrs. Obiefule, a woman leader and community organizer, was born in Abajah, Nwangele Local Government Area. She was one of two daughters in a family of seven children to parents who were both teachers. She attended Abajah Secondary School Abajah, Imo State and later went to Teachers Training School (TTC) Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. Later on, she attended Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, and obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business Administration. She is a proud mother of five—4 boys and a girl and wife to late Mr. Oliver Obiefule.

Mrs. Obiefule is a philanthropist, mentor, and long-term supporter of education and women empowerment. Called to service, she joined politics in the 2001 and was appointed Councilor representing her ward in Nwangele LGA from the year 2003 to 2007. She was appointed the supervisor for youth and sports in the same local government (2010-2011) where she ensured that the youths where employed, sport activities were part of the primary and secondary schools curriculum so that children. She was the President of Female Councilors and received a merit award from Nigerian Government for her work organizing female councilors in the State. In 2008, she founded a women organization called the “women of substance” which comprises of 30 women from 12 LGAs in Imo State.

In her quest to improve the plight of women in her community, she invited an Optometrist to run a check up on them and educate them on how to care for their eyes. Furthermore, as a member of an Agriculture-based NGO that works on improving agricultural products, she empowered women in here community with improved cassava stems and maize seeds (with vitamin A) to the women in her community. Currently, 75% of the cassava and maize grown in her community are improved ones with vitamin A courtesy of her. Women who are interested in agriculture she made them part of the NGO so they can improve their agricultural yields and their farming system