Ex-women affairs minister Pauline Tallen has congratulated a Nigerian woman, Uzoma Asagwara, on her emergence as the health minister and deputy premier of Manitoba Province in Canada.

In a statement issued on Monday, Ms Tallen described Ms Asagwara as the epitome of a Nigerian woman.

Ms Tallen said, “I wish to congratulate you on the attainment of this rare feat of becoming the health minister and deputy premier of Canada’s Manitoba Province at the young age of 39.

“Indeed, your success story has further reinforced the fact that the Nigerian woman is hardworking, resourceful, diligent, capable, able and can be entrusted with any position, including Governor and President of Nigeria in future.”

She added, “I urge you to continue to do the Nigerian women proud abroad, fly the national flag higher. I also call on our young women to borrow a leaf from your achievements by following in your worthy footprints.”

Born in Winnipeg when her parents from Abia migrated to Canada in the late 1970s, Ms Asagwara was earlier elected to represent the Canadian Union Station in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly in 2019.

By winning a seat in the Manitoba Assembly and becoming the first black queer legislator, Ms Asagwara broke a 150-year jinx to achieve such a feat.

Ms Asagwara’s duties as the new health minister will intersect with the bioeconomy in different ways, and she will be expected to drive innovation and health advancements within the biosciences.

The Nigerian-Canadian psychiatric nurse, whose career spans over a decade in the country’s health sector, has also played basketball actively in Canada.

In 2008, she bagged a Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing and completed a joint programme between the University of Winnipeg and the University of Brandon, both in Manitoba.

(NAN)