By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan
Wife of the Alaafin of Oyo, Ayaba Abiwumi Owoade, has said her husband will not only encourage, but support any activity that can improve women economic power, in order to enable them develop high esteem and more confidence in one another through exhibiting their God-given potentials for good.
She stated that despite challenges, women had continued to display great dynamism.
A release issued by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin of Oyo, Bode Durojaiye, on Wednesday, April 2, quoted Ayaba Owoade as speaking on the imperative of women in nation building, to commemorate the World Mothers’ Day.
She said women had displayed ingenuity and creativity in finding alternatives to any situation, “individually at the household level, and collectively at the social level, thereby creating conducive atmosphere for democracy and democratic governance to thrive.”
According to her, “as women, we constitute a dynamic breeding ground within the framework of any perspective for change. Women have indispensable roles in the society, as mothers, custodians, and shapers of the society.
“In Nigeria, women’s population is currently put at about 55 million, which is significant, considering the total population of about 140 million. It is indisputable that empowering women is empowering the nation, as they are indispensable group in the development of any nation.”
Ayaba Owoade added that “there is hardly any culture, East or West, where women are not home builders. As home builders, we are, therefore, nation builders.”
She noted that besides the five sensory organs given to every human being by God, women were also endowed with distinct ability, “which is the power of adaptability to perceive and prevent their families from danger. Wise women build their house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.”
She added: “To build a happy home successfully, a woman has a major role to play and it is also of great importance to know that it takes wisdom to build a happy home.
“A woman is expected to love her husband and to love her children. In building a happy home, a woman should display a high level of love to her husband and children. By this, I mean unconditional love.
“A woman should not show love to her husband mainly because of what she is getting from him or based on the facts that things are rosy. Likewise, a woman must be available to her husband and should not deny him of his rights.”
She called on the three tiers of government to continue to provide enabling environment for women, as well as intensify awareness campaigns among rural dwellers for meaningful participation in the development process.
This, she said, would go a long way in ensuring a bright and stable future.
“In recent times, the home has not been what it should be, with regards to God’s standard for Christian homes.
“A lot of homes are in a shambles, with husbands and their wives going in different directions on issues relating to the family.
“Many wayward and morally disgruntled children are products of the family these days.
“Tragically, in today’s society, poor value is placed on the family. In the most extreme cases, where relationships in the homes are not well managed, breakdown of the homes arises, leading to divorce cases,” she added.
