Vivian Onyebukwa
Pastor (Mrs.) Henrietta Olotu is an entrepreneur. Her goal is to teach and empower women to navigate through the harsh economic realities of today.
She has taught many of them the skill of catering and baking.
As the coordinator of The Women of Issachar Ministry International, Mrs. Olotu is also impacting on women spiritually.
She spoke to Daily Sun recently:
As a pastor and mother, would you say women have failed, given the high rate of immorality today?
There is a shift in the paradigm. Women have been given more priority than men all over the world, both in workplaces and other sectors. A lot of women are in the business and secular sectors to take care of their families and for that reason there is usually not enough time to nurture the children.
By the time they go out in the morning and come back in the night, they would not able to take care of their primary responsibility, which is training the children. This was not so in the past when the women exclusively took care of the family and the men were at work to provide for the family. The woman was made to be the helpmate of the man and train the children with the word of God, but this is not so.
All the negative happenings in the world are signs of the end times. It is now up to us to pray unto the Lord to hear our cry and intercede. God has spoken it and it shall come to pass. It is just for us to stand relevant before the Lord.
What about the church, do you think it has failed?
In some areas, they have actually failed because that which they are supposed to preach and prepare the church for rapture, they are not doing it. They are only giving people what they want to hear and not what the Lord says.
That is why there is no fear even in the house of God. The state of the church is the state of the end times; so, it is our prayer that the Lord will raise up the remnant to stand in the gap.
What do you think government should do to address the negative issues the girl child contends with?
It is unfortunate that the girl child has always been a victim. I see it that the girl child is very important to a nation and also the house of God, and we pray that God will help government to put up strict measures and punishment for those who carry out evil deeds on girls.
When there are punishments and disciplinary actions on people who engage in such evil acts, it will put fear in the hearts of other criminals.
That way, they would refrain from such acts like raping women; but if they are not punished openly, others would continue with their evil acts because they would see that there is no punishment.
What’s your reaction to the judgment on the school supervisor who was jailed 60 years for child rape in Lagos?
You know what happens in Nigeria., when they have money they go behind and lobby. That is the unfortunate state we have found ourselves in.
We have the courts deliver judgment on many cases, but when the people are financially buoyant or they have influential people who can bring them out of prison, before you know it, they would come out of prison and go back to their crimes.
What is your advice to women generally?
My first advice to them is to have a personal encounter with the Lord. We must not cease from praying. Have an encounter with the Lord then you will be able to pass it on to the next generation.
We should always pray to the Lord for wisdom to be able to build the home, because a wise woman builds the home and when the home is built, a society is built. This in turn helps the nation.
With the wisdom of God, a child will be well-trained and grow in the fear of the Lord.
We also encourage women not to be in competition with other women, but to be contented with whatever they have because godliness is embedded in contentment.
Could you give us an insight into your ministry?
The Women of Issachar Ministry International was born out of a passion for women to stand in the gap to bear burdens at a time like this, where everything all over the world seems to be in disarray and in bad state.
With the crisis and negative happenings in the country, the only way we can fortify ourselves is to stand in the gap and intercede on behalf of the people. We have branches in Nigeria but it is not about branches, it is about women making themselves available for the work at hand. With the help of prayers and intercession, God can restore everything that has gone wrong.
What has been your achievement so far?
We have been able to counsel women, teach them, with a view to realising their focus in life. It is important that women would understand their value and aim towards realising their goals. Naturally, everyone has an ambition and talent but, if the talent is not harnessed, it will die with the person.
So, we raise women with a view to realise their focus. They must be focused on all areas of their lives.
In their spiritual life and secular life, they must be well rounded. The most important thing is to take care of the home, whether she is a housewife or a working class woman. The family is the first priority.
Women should be the watchmen of the home, community and the nation at large. Their primary duty is to ensure that the family is intact and at peace.
Also, we assist indigent students by giving them scholarships for their education. We offer training and help in sharpening their skills for their social and educational advancement.