Late Mrs Clara Oshiomhole: Exit Of A Strong Tower The departure of this woman who stood by her husband as he fought and won different battles on different fronts, as a labour activist and President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), for the well-being of the Nigerian worker and for the recovery of his electoral mandate, came to many Edo State indigenes and

residents as a shock. Unfortunately, however, Mrs. Oshiomhole, the 54-year-old mother of five Cyril, Winnie, Jane, Steve and Adams Jnr. lost the battle against one of humanity’s most malignant diseases, breast cancer on 6th of december 2010.

An anonymous profiler once wrote that “Mrs. Clara Oshiomhole may not have the crowd pulling charisma of her husband, Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, the pacesetting Executive Governor of Edo State. But she was the unheard heroine and pillar behind his many struggles and successes". As acclaimed by no less a man than the governor, himself.In more ways than one, she has since proven that to be true.

Born on 18th June 1956 to the Akharagbon family of IdumuAgho, Okaigben, Ewohimi, in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State, Clara never had the privilege of acquiring early education like her mates.

That however, did not affect her determination to acquire a professional academic relevance. After obtaining her Primary School Leaving Certificate from Okaigben primary school, in her home town, she proceeded to Kaduna where she attended Commercial Secondary school, Kaduna.

Thereafter, she went for the TC2 certificate from the Teacher Training College, also in Kaduna, before her admission into the Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi for an Advance Teacher’s Certificate.

She went to the Administrative Staff College, Badagry, Lagos, for the Certificate in Public Administration, CPA, after which she enrolled at the Open University for a degree programme.

She however, could not complete the course following her husband’s emergence as the executive governor of Edo State in November 2008.

She then took up appointment as a staff member of the National Institute of Public Information, an agency of the Federal Ministry of Information, Kaduna. She was a secretariat staff of the institute until her husband won a popular victory through a judgment of the Court of Appeal to become governor of Edo State.She left the institute temporarily to take up her responsibilities as Edo State First Lady.

Her contribution was also pivotal in his emergence as the people’s governor of Edo state and indeed, his quest to emancipate the state from the grip of imposed under- development.

Mrs. Oshiomhole will also be remembered for her determination to put an end to the suffering of indigent people anywhere she found herself. In particular, she made a strong case for women and the girl child upon her emergence as Edo State First Lady by setting up the Health Foundation for Maternal and Child Care, HEFMAC.

As the name implies, it is an NGO designed to bring quality, effective but affordable healthcare to indigent women and children. Consequent upon that onerous commitment, she organized free health care programme in the three senatorial districts of the state.

In addition, she paid millions of Naira as hospital bills for women and children who could not settle such bills in various hospitals across the state and equally offered scholarship to indigent but brilliant young girls selected from the three senatorial districts.

The scholarship covers tuition and books from secondary to tertiary institutions of learning.
Until her demise, her motherly affection for everyone, particularly the needy, is well acknowledged across the state.

That perhaps explains why her death came as a rude shock to Nigerians in general and Edo people in particular.

Clara’s battle against cancer apparently limited her public appearances as First Lady and the scope of her plans for the people of Edo State. But that low-keyed disposition no doubt endeared her to the hearts of many, including those who never had the opportunity of meeting her. It might also be part of the reasons the news of her death was received with shock and solemnity, even across political divides. Indeed, the outpouring of emotions knew no bounds.

Clara, as she is fondly called, was indeed, a rare breed that will be remembered for a long time..