On her website, the first inscription that greets a visitor is “I’m on a Mission to Redefine Widowhood!.” While this inscription aptly captures Gozie Udemezue Esq’s mission in the life of the widowed, it definitely is not enough to capture all that she represents. Not only is Gozie redefining widowhood, she is redefining humanity through her numerous humanitarian activities.
Gọzie is an Attorney, Niche Coach, human rights advocate, writer and public speaker. She has a bachelors degree in law from Enugu State University of Science and Technology obtained in 1999 and also holds a Master of laws degree in Human Rights Law from University of London, obtained in December, 2015.
Prior to the above, in 2003 she obtained a Certificate in International human rights from the International Institute for Human Rights, Strasbourg, France.
In May 2008, she co-founded Healing Hearts Widows Support Foundation Inc. (HHWSF) with her late husband, Chief Emeka Udemezue. She founded Wevolution Coaching Services where she provides services to help the bereaved and those in pain over loss to navigate and evolve.
She currently sits on the board of two international non-profits based in Chicago, Illinois and Kampala, Uganda and 6 national non profits. Her work has received national and global recognitions. She sits on the administrative board of Hope Restoration ministry based in New York as a volunteer administrator.
In July 2016, her citation was read on the floor of the House of Representatives in Washington DC in recognition of the work she does with her team on widows’ issues. In March 2018, she received the Danny Glover award in New York for her work at the grassroots level among widows and their children. She’s been featured by BBC Igbo and BBC world service focus on Africa on interviews to discuss her book and work with widows.
Her career as a public speaker has taken her to platforms in different parts of the world including School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; different United Nations Commission sessions in Geneva and New York between 2005-2019. She has also spoken on local platforms and volunteered in different community outreaches to teach human rights to the indigents.
She is a gold star alumina of the US Department of State International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) and a fellow of the Africa Leadership Institute of West Africa (ALIWA) under the Aspen global leadership program.
Through her various initiatives, she currently leads a pan-African mission to change the narrative about widowhood and help widows to rise and shine, and be all that God wants them to be. This mission is titled ‘Widowed not Withered’ and it’s become her slang and hashtag used by widows across the globe.
She has authored the following inspiration books; Miracle on the Hudson, Widowhood Redefined and her very recent Chinweobo which would be unveiled during her birthday celebration on Monday, 3rd May, 2021.
Gozie practices law in the firm of Ike, Ike & Associate, a thriving law firm in Enugu.
DNL Legal & Style celebrates this woman of excellence as she joins the Golden league.
50 Hearty Cheers, Dear Goz!