By Olayinka Latona

The Abiriba Ancient Kingdom has announced that the First Lady of Abia State, Her Excellency Dr. Precilia Chioma Otti, will be among several distinguished women honoured for their contributions to leadership, peacebuilding, and community development.

Dr. Otti, alongside Dr. Georgina Mma Agbagha, Barr. Nnenna Obewu, and Ezinne Ada Obasi, will receive the prestigious Inyom Abiriba title during a two-day royal ceremony scheduled for November 23 and 24, 2025.

Organised by the Enachioken of Abiriba and his Council, the event aims to spotlight the historic and ongoing role of women in fostering unity, social stability, and national progress.

“This ceremony is a testament to a tradition that has always placed women at the heart of governance and community welfare,” a representative of the Enachioken-in-Council said. “By honouring women—from the First Lady to emerging leaders—we reinforce the truth that a nation’s progress is tied to the empowerment of its women.”

The honours are divided into two categories: Inyom Abiriba, reserved for senior women with outstanding lifelong achievements.

Ada Ena, dedicated to emerging leaders, with honourees including Barr. Ebere Ifendu and Dr. Ashley Ubani Roberts. The Ada Ena investiture will headline the ceremony’s concluding day.

The selection of Dr. Otti as the foremost honouree underscores the broader significance of the event, elevating it beyond local recognition to a state-level celebration of women’s leadership.

More than a cultural festival, the ceremony is intended to serve as a national reminder of the transformative power of women-led advocacy and the role of traditional institutions in promoting unity and progress.

The celebration draws from Abiriba’s unique matrilineal heritage, where lineage is traced through mothers and women maintain an autonomous leadership structure under the Eze Inyom Abiriba. This cultural model highlights the kingdom’s long-standing commitment to gender inclusivity.

The ceremony also commemorates the landmark Abiriba Women Protest of November 25, 1992, when women marched from Abiriba to Umuahia to demand government intervention during a communal crisis. Their peaceful action prompted swift resolution and cemented their legacy as catalysts for peace.