Eki Igbinedion

{{Short description|First Lady of Edo State (1999–2007)}}

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| name = Eki Igbinedion

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| birth_date = 4 August 1959

| birth_place = Benin City, Edo State

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| order1 = First Lady of Edo State

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| term_start1 = 29 May 1999

| term_end1 = 29 May 2007

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| alma_mater = Boston University

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| spouse = Lucky Igbinedion

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| parents = Pa Benjamin Norense and Mrs. Grace Iyonawan Oyemwense

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Eki Igbinedion (born 4 August 1959) is the former First Lady of Edo State{{Cite web |date=2016-10-08 |title=Eki Igbinedion returns |url=https://punchng.com/eki-igbinedion-returns/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}} and wife of Lucky Igbinedion, the Former Governor of Edo State. Eki Igbinedion founded Idia Renaissance, a non governmental civil society organization based in Edo State, with the aim of combating human trafficking, including reception of victims of human trafficking.{{Cite web |date=2017-12-19 |title=How victims of human trafficking find succor in Idia Foundation |url=https://guardian.ng/issue/how-victims-of-human-trafficking-find-succor-in-idia-foundation/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}

Early life and education

Princess Eki Igbinedion was born into a royal family of Prince and Princess Oyemarense in Benin City, the capital city of Edo State. She attended Boston University in the United States of America where she obtained a bachelor's degree in economics.{{Cite web |title=IDIA RENAISSANCE {{!}}{{!}} About Us |url=https://www.idia-renaissance.org/about.html |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=www.idia-renaissance.org |archive-date=2022-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102170314/http://idia-renaissance.org/about.html |url-status=dead }}{{Non-primary source needed|date=May 2022}}

Pet Projects

Being the First Lady of Edo State, Eki Igbinedion undertook some pet projects to help the less privilege and also help solve some societal problems in the state. In 1999, she established the Idia Renaissance to help address the issue of sex and human trafficking in Edo State.{{Cite news |last=Otabor |first=Osagie |date=2017-11-26 |title=How a Nigerian state turns the page for trafficked women |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/specials/women-in-action/how-a-nigerian-state-turns-the-page-for-trafficked-women/article20871940.ece |access-date=2022-05-26 |issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite web |title=Nigeria fights human trafficking with training and awareness programmes |url=https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/nigeria-fights-human-trafficking-with-training-and-awareness-programmes-24748 |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Nigeria fights human trafficking with training and awareness programmes |language=en}} She also founded the Edo Underprivileged Children Scholarship Trust Funds with the goal of providing scholarships to the less privilege in the state.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

References