By Chukwudi Nweje
Sunday, December 5, 2021, was a day Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Women’s Wing, Lagos State, put the injunction of the Holy Bible, Psalm 149:3; “Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp”, in action. They gathered at SS Mulumba and David Catholic Church, Olatilewa Street, Lawanson, Lagos, to thank God for His favours throughout the year.
It was the day of supplication and thanksgiving for the women who came from different parts of Lagos. It is the tradition of the women that the first Sunday in December of every year is set aside for the thanksgiving and end of year party.
Woman Leader, Mrs Violet Uche Obiora, said: “It is with a cheerful heart, in the spirit of Christmas, in the spirit of the end of the year appreciation and prayers, ushering in the New Year, ahead of time.”
She appreciated the women, adding that without the support of the women she would not have succeeded in her duties: “I want to say a very big ‘thank you’ to you all and ask God in a most peculiar way to shower His blessings upon you all, upon me and our noble organization for eternity, leaving our prints indelibly on the sands of time, in the annals of history.
“The progress we have made so far is relatively small, compared to the success on the way, for us to achieve, even as our tenure in office terminates in no distant time. It is important to note that ‘na eze ana achika bu maka na ndi ona achi kwadolu ya’, that is to say, how successful a king becomes depends on the support of the followers.”
The men of Ohanaeze Ndigbo were on hand to lend their support. They dispelled rumours of a rift in the organisation. They pointed out that the body “is united and intact under Chief Solomon Ogbonna’s leadership.”
The host and husband of the woman leader, Chief Edwin Uche Obiora, prayed for the women: “No organisation grows without women.” The secretary, Chief Everest Ozonweke, who represented Ogbonna, assured the gathering that there is no rift in the body:
“Every organisation from time to time have some issues, even families do. But be rest assured that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos is intact and united.”
Royal father of the day, Eze Uche Dimgba, Eze Ndigbo, Ikeja, prayed for peace to continue to reign in Ohanaeze Ndigbo.