When Dr. Nonye Soludo, wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, assumed her role as First Lady, many were unsure what to expect. Would she remain behind the scenes or step into the spotlight with her own vision? Today, the answer is clear—she has become a First Lady of many firsts, redefining what it means to lead with compassion, vision, and impact.
From the very beginning, Dr. Soludo set out a bold mission: to build healthier, stronger, and more empowered communities. True to her word, she launched the groundbreaking Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, a movement that has transformed daily life across Anambra. Through community fitness routines, organic gardening, and lifestyle awareness, her campaign has spread to all 21 Local Government Areas, turning wellness into a shared culture.
Her fight against child malnutrition stands out as one of her most life-changing interventions. Through the Pap Bank Initiative, fortified pap made from maize, groundnut, and soya is freely distributed to vulnerable children. Mothers now testify of malnourished babies regaining health, strength, and smiles—all thanks to her vision.
At the Onitsha General Hospital, Dr. Soludo commissioned a state-of-the-art mammography centre, giving women access to early breast cancer detection. Her message is simple yet powerful: prevention is empowerment.
Her grassroots empowerment programmes are also driving food security and economic growth. By equipping farmers with modern tools such as drip irrigation and feed processing, and by providing starter packs to women and youth cooperatives, she has turned farming from mere subsistence into a thriving opportunity.
In communities across Anambra, she continues to reach the forgotten. From providing wheelchairs to persons with disabilities to financial support for widows and encouragement to rural traders, her touch of humanity has earned her the name “Madam Solution.”
Her contributions have not gone unnoticed. Dr. Nonye Soludo has been decorated with numerous honours, including an Honorary Doctorate in Food Science and Nutrition and recognition from the Nigerian Union of Journalists as the Most Supportive First Lady in the South East. Even Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commended her grassroots efforts as a model of women-led change in governance.
What makes her story unique is not just her achievements but her hands-on leadership style. She is not a distant figurehead but a constant presence—gardening with women, visiting hospitals, walking through markets, and championing the vulnerable.
For the people of Anambra, the phrase “First Lady of Many Firsts” is not just a title—it is lived reality. In every village, hospital, farm, and market touched by her programmes, there is a testimony of transformation.
And as her journey continues, one thing is certain: Dr. Nonye Soludo is rewriting the role of First Lady in Nigeria, turning compassion into policy and vision into tangible change.
