From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Corss River chaprer of Nigeria Association of women Journalists (NAWOJ) and other women groups have called for God’s divine intervention to end security challenges in Nigeria.
The National President of NAWOJ, Ladi Bala, had organised a two-hour National Solemn Assembly Assembly across the 3t states country to seek God’s divine intervention in the insecurity ravaging some states.
Speaking during the prayer session held at NUJ State secretariat in Calabar, the Vice President Zone F, (South-South zone) Mrs Uduak Obeten, said the call for the national solemn assembly was as a result of the insecurity situation in the country.
Obeten, who lamented the incessant killings, banditry and kidnapping of school children, called for action from women across the country to go on their knees and pray for God’s mercy on the nation.
‘Due to the unrest going on everywhere in the country, we call on women to rise up and cry to God for peace in our society. We cant seat back and watch how our children have been kidnapped severally and banditry have taken over our motherland,’ she said.
‘We shouldn’t wait for the worst to happen. The time is now and NAWOJ is saying enough to banditry, we are saying enough to kidnapping and shading of blood.
‘We also urge the government to rise to the occasion and set our children free from the trauma they are being subjected to by these hoodlums who see then as prey. Our children have suffered enough so we must protect the rights of our children before it is too late.’
Also speaking, the Cross Rive State Chairperson of NAWOJ, Mrs Umoh Bassey, said the insecurity situation in the country has gone beyond our leaders and security personnel as such women should rise up in prayer for restoration of peace for the country.
Umoh, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Mrs Rekpene Uket, said: ‘When women pray, things happen. We have seen the security challenges in the nation and we looked at it and discovered that when the chips are down, the women are the worst hit because our husbands and children will be taken and we will be left empty.
‘We don’t want to wait for that to happen, that is why we are calling upon God. Security apparatus have failed, our leaders have failed but God will never fail us,’ she noted.
The Vice Chairman of NUJ, Mrs Florence Kanu, who represented the NUJ Chairman, MrVictor Odu, commended the women for initiating a prayer section to heal the country from its afflictions.
‘We are no longer safe and you know the role of women in the society, when we cry to God, he hears us, that is why we have gathered today and this is happening in all the 36 states of the federation,’ Kanu added.
The officiating Pastors, Right Rev Mrs Okonawan, and Pastor (Mrs) Olaitan Uwem, both called on religious and political leaders to join the women in praying for the country.
‘It is really a good thing to seek the face of God and I thank God our women have kick staryed it because our nation is passing through a terrible situation,’ Rev Owan said.
‘We cannot as human beings help ourselves, it is only divine intervention and we are believing strongly that God will not abandon us. Just as He has been saving Israel, He will also save the nation from insecurity and blood shade of innocent people.’
Other women group present at the prayer section is Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU).