The President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA), Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, on Friday inaugurated its Secretariat in Kaduna as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the association’s grassroots operations and expand its empowerment initiatives
Mrs Adeniyi, wife of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, also launched a humanitarian outreach targeting widows and indigent families within the Customs community.
She distributed food items such as bags of rice, semovita, vegetable oil, and spaghetti were distributed to beneficiaries during the event.
Adeniyi said: “We do serious business in COWA; it is not just a gathering of women to gist.
“We are wives, mothers, and change-makers. Our mission is to support our husbands, promote wellness, and make lasting impacts in our communities.”
She emphasised that the newly-inaugurated secretariat would serve as a hub for coordinating programmes in Kaduna and the North-West zone.
“This office will enable us to manage our welfare activities more efficiently and support those who need it most,” Adeniyi added.
As part of the empowerment drive, she also inspected a free medical outreach for women, and presented educational materials including school bags and exercise books to students of the Customs Staff School in Barnawa, Kaduna.
Adeniyi said that COWA’s Skills Acquisition Centre, which operates with eight departments, had graduated 100 women so far, with another 100 currently enrolled.
“Our goal is to equip women with sustainable skills, especially when their husbands are not around.
“We’re not only teaching empowerment but also how to manage and sustain income,” she said.
Adeniyi further stated that some members had even travelled abroad for a leadership training.
Earlier, the Kaduna State Chairperson of COWA, Mrs Fadila Abbe, commended the nstional president for her vision and dedication to community development.
She described the event as a significant milestone, citing the new secretariat and medical outreach as symbols of the leadership’s compassion and commitment.
“This secretariat will serve not just as an administrative base, but as a centre of unity for COWA’s operations in the region,” she said.
Abbe said, “The medical outreach brings healthcare closer to the people and strengthens bonds between Customs families and their host communities.”
Also speaking, Mr Tijjani Abbe, the Area Comptroller, Kaduna Command, announced that the Comptroller General had approved a new school bus for the Kaduna Customs Staff School and will integrate its teachers into the Customs payroll soon
He said that the school, established 34 years ago, was receiving unprecedented attention, including rehabilitation of its classrooms and the provision of exercise books
“Our children, including those of deceased officers, are benefitting from scholarships all under COWA’s care,” he added.
A beneficiary, Mrs Fatima Usman, who spoke on behalf of the widows, said, “our husbands may be gone, but through COWA, we’ve found renewed hope. Thank you for remembering us.”
