How It Began
Founding the Nigerian Women’s Group Manchester
When Dr. Addy Lazz-Onyenobi and her family relocated from London to Manchester in 1994, they sought a Nigerian community group to join, primarily for the sake of their children, who were all born in London. During her search, Dr. Lazz-Onyenobi discovered ‘Appleby House’ (now known as Nigeria House), where she and her family joined the Nigeria Community Manchester.
After attending meetings for several months without seeing women among the members, Dr. Lazz-Onyenobi, a strong advocate for women’s empowerment and inclusion, began questioning the lack of female involvement. She shared her vision of starting a Nigerian Women’s Group in Manchester with like-minded women, particularly Mrs. Louisa Da-Cocodia, who became a key supporter, advocate, and later Patron of the Group.
While not everyone in the Nigeria Community Manchester was supportive, the group’s secretary at the time, the late Dr. Vin Okieimen, provided crucial support. He shared a members’ mailing list with Dr. Lazz-Onyenobi, enabling her to invite members’ wives and spouses to join in establishing the group. Dr. Okieimen also encouraged his wife, Anna Okieimen, to join, and she became the first secretary of the Group. Another early member, Mrs. Julie Asumu, later became the Vice Chair.
Inception - Starting Point
The Nigerian Women’s Group Manchester (NWGM) was officially established on October 1, 2001, with the aim to serve our local community, our country, and humanity. As a non-profit, non-religious, community-focused, and service-oriented organization, one of our primary goals is to integrate cultural values into the upbringing of our children and youth, aiding their education and empowerment. By serving our community, we also empower, enrich, and educate women. Our combined efforts and the harnessing of our talents as Nigerian women have enabled us to accomplish more in our communities. Most of the founding members remain active in the group to this day.
Progress Over the Years
In recent years, many of our new younger members have brought valuable skills that enhance our existing capabilities. We take great pride in our achievements, particularly our work with young people. For example, we provided grants to three of our youth while they were in higher education institutions, hoping to inspire others as role models. This initiative was inspired by our sister organization in the USA, the Nigerian Women Association of Georgia.
NWGM has represented Nigerian women and the broader Nigerian community at civic functions, led seminars and webinars on topical issues, and lobbied the Nigeria High Commission on matters affecting Nigerians in Manchester. We have also organized events to raise awareness about Safeguarding, Mental Health, Domestic Abuse, Modern Day Slavery, and Hate Crime. Additionally, we’ve hosted walking events, dance dramas, International Women’s Day celebrations, and sports activities to engage our community.
