By Job Osazuwa
Seventh-Day Adventist Church Women’s Ministries, has empowered more than 5,000 of its members to contribute their own quotas to a sustainable national development.
The women recently converged on Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, to discuss issues affecting women in Nigeria in particular and Africa as whole.
The national convention, tagged: Revived for Service, formed part of a global movement of the Adventist Church, which offers participants insights into socio-economic and political opportunities.
Beyond spiritual rebirth, it was also an event targeted at building strong family values through preventing and eliminating family abuse, health risks, illiteracy, idleness and poverty. The resource persons gave different leadership trainings to the participants.
The Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, said women play a crucial role in nation building. She stressed that their roles as mothers and care-givers in the homes were evidences that women remain indispensable pillars of the earth: “As mothers, you have an important role to play in national development and you must not shirk this immense responsibility in raising this nation’s future leaders.”
Represented by a Senior Special Assistant, Mrs. Abiodun Oyedele, she encouraged women to inculcate strong family values as these would in turn influence the mental development in the children.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo, said the convention would undoubtedly lead to a spiritual and social networking needed to mould the new generation for positive productivity:
“In your unique roles as mothers, faith builders and co-labourers, I encourage you to remain steadfast and lift up Jesus.”
Ministries director from the West Central Africa Division (WAD) headquarters in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, Mrs. Omobonike Sessou, encouraged participants to maximize the time at the conference in expanding their knowledge based on God’s word and skills. She provided participants with parenting skills in dealing with children and challenges posed by the social media in the 21st Century.
Prof. Yetunde Makinde gave a special training on managing an agro-business necessary for women to augment the financial strength in their homes.
The ministries leader for the Eastern Nigeria Union Conference (ENUC), Mrs. Comfort Abali, said over 400 widows and single mothers benefited from various programmes targeted at improving their economic status.
At the end of the event, some of the participants couldn’t conceal their joy, saying they have gained the requisite empowerment skills needed to develop themselves and the society at large.
One of the women leaders from the Church’s General Conference in Berrien Springs, Maryland, USA, Mrs. Heather-Dawn Small came to throw her weight behind the convention.