Late A’Ibom First Lady, Bimbo Odukoya to get posthumous honour at AIWRA 2025

Patience Umo Eno, late wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, and late Pastor Bimbo Odukoya of the Fountain of Life Church, who tragically died in the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash at the age of 45, will be posthumously honoured at the upcoming African Iconic Women Recognition Awards (AIWRA) 2025 in recognition of their impact towards the improvement of humanity.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday signed by the Project Director of Face of Democracy Nigeria (FDN), Alexander Ajagbonna, better known as Fajag.

He said though these figures may not be with us now, their legacies still live, saying the decision to honour them followed an approval by the selection board.

Others to be recognized at the AIWRA 2025 Awards include the wife of the President, Sen. Remi Tinubu; former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; immediate past First Lady of Ghana, Rebecca Akufo-Addo; and the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

This comes as the award organizers, Face of Democracy Nigeria (FDN), say nomination has been concluded for awardees in the 2025 edition of the annual award ceremony.
Awardees are usually selected from a pool of nominees who were voted for conferment of the award based on public rating.

The credibility is highlighted more by the benchmark put in place by FDN, which makes it impossible for nominees who fail to meet the minimum criteria to be awarded.
It has been described as Nigeria’s largest hall of fame for women achievers who have left indelible legacies in their endeavours and in touching human life.

The award, coming up on May 23, 2025, will hold at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
AIWRA has recognized prominent personalities in the past. In the 2024 edition, notable women such as the First Lady of Niger State, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Bago; her Lagos counterpart, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; as well as the wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, were honoured.

Others conferred with AIWRA 2024 awards include Zamfara First Lady, Hurriya Lawal; her Katsina State counterpart, Zulaihat Dikko; former Minister of State for FCT, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu; a former governorship candidate in Adamawa, Aisha Binani; a former member of the Senate, Sen. Grace Bent; a retired Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, Aisha Abubakar; Mrs. Bola Bola Shagaya, and more.