Behind Every Family Is a Woman: COWA Takes Breast Cancer Fight to Seme Border

Victoria Silvanus

In a society where many women spend their days caring for their families, managing businesses and supporting their husbands, taking care of their own health often comes last. But the Customs Officers' Wives Association (COWA) is reminding women that they cannot afford to neglect their health, particularly when it comes to breast and cervical cancer.

Taking the message beyond the walls of hospitals and lecture halls, COWA chapters across the Nigeria Customs Service have been engaging women, educating communities and encouraging early medical checks as part of the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.

The global theme, "Every Story Is Unique, Every Journey Matters," captures the personal struggles of women living with cancer, survivors and families affected by the disease. At the national level, COWA adopted the campaign message, "Inspect, Detect, Protect," to encourage early detection and preventive healthcare.

At its national headquarters in Abuja on October 6, 2026, COWA President, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, called on women to take regular breast examinations seriously and stop placing their health behind the needs of their families.

The programme also received a major boost when Trade Modernisation Project Limited pledged ₦50 million towards breast cancer awareness and medical interventions within the Nigeria Customs Service. Free clinical screenings, health talks and survivor testimonies were also part of the activities.

The campaign subsequently spread to different Customs formations, including Apapa, Tin Can Island Port and Seme Border, where COWA chapters organised activities to take the message closer to officers, their families and members of the public.

Seme Chapter Takes the Message to the Streets

At Seme Border, the COWA chapter, under the coordination of Mrs. Maryam Abubaka TA, brought colour and energy to the campaign, with members turning out in specially printed awareness T-shirts and white fez caps bearing messages on cancer prevention and early detection.

The sensitisation walk commenced at the Joint ECOWAS Border Post building, where the women, armed with a public address system, took their message through the Customs Barracks to nearby international motor parks before returning to the International Conference Centre within the ECOWAS building for the medical sessions.

It was more than a ceremonial walk. The intention was to reach people who might otherwise have little access to reliable information about cancer, particularly the importance of recognising warning signs before the disease advances.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila, demonstrated his support by appearing in solidarity with the COWA members in the campaign outfit.

Welcoming the participants, Kaila stressed that a cancer diagnosis should not automatically be regarded as a death sentence, particularly when the disease is discovered early.

" Cancer is not a death penalty if it is detected early," he said, urging women to take their health seriously through regular self-examinations, clinical checks and mammograms where recommended.

He also reminded men that breast cancer is not exclusively a women's disease and encouraged male officers to remain informed and support early detection within their families.

Kaila appreciated the wife of the Comptroller-General of Customs and COWA President, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, for the health-focused programmes she has introduced under the association.

He said the initiative had provided an opportunity for officers and their families to benefit from important health information and thanked the medical resource persons for their contributions.

Medical Experts Explain the Warning Signs

The first medical session was delivered by SC (Dr.) N. P. Vongdok, Officer-in-Charge of the Seme Border Customs Area Command.

His presentation examined breast cancer, its risk factors, warning signs and the importance of seeking medical attention without delay.

One important revelation was that although breast cancer predominantly affects women, men can also develop the disease. This prompted a reminder that cancer awareness should not be treated as a women's affair alone.

Explaining the condition, Vongdok described breast cancer as a disease in which abnormal cells in the breast grow uncontrollably and form a tumour, commonly beginning in the milk ducts or milk-producing glands.

He identified some warning signs that should not be ignored, including a new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit, unexplained changes in breast size or shape, swelling and other unusual changes in the breast or surrounding skin.

He warned that without timely medical attention, breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body, including the bones, liver, lungs and brain.

His central message was that women should not wait until they experience severe pain or visible changes before seeking medical advice.

Rounding off the Seme programme, COWA Coordinator, Mrs. Maryam Abubaka TA, expressed appreciation to Comptroller Kaila for his support and encouragement.

She also thanked the participating women, medical personnel and everyone who contributed to the successful organisation of the campaign.

Beyond the speeches, colourful T-shirts and awareness walk, the most important message from the programme remains simple: women must learn to make their health a priority.

Many mothers and wives spend years looking after their children, supporting their husbands and keeping their homes together. Yet, they sometimes ignore unusual changes in their bodies or postpone medical checks because of family responsibilities, financial concerns or fear of what a diagnosis might reveal.

For COWA, the challenge now is to ensure that the message does not end with the October awareness campaign. Regular health checks, access to screening and continued education must become part of everyday life.

Because behind every family is a woman whose health matters. 

And protecting that woman begins with encouraging her to protect herself.