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By Vera Wisdom-Bassey
The President of Anambra State Women Association in Lagos (ASWAL) Mrs. Rita Okoli has called on Nigerian women not to “sit down look” in their homes but rather to engage in meaningful trade that will assist their families in the on-going challenges facing the country today.
She stated that the home front is mostly affected these days; therefore, “engage in trade that will help provide for the family and make a little savings for the family too”.
She made this statement during the Thanksgiving/Get-together of the women in Lagos, in which 78 Towns participated and each town has three representatives, with two invites from every town.
The first maiden edition of the Thanksgiving and get-together, “is a time to appreciate God for his goodness, and every good thing he has done to us in the association”. For us this year we bring in innovation, on the thanksgiving it is a situation that warrants us to go this way, she said because we are not holding Anambra Day this 2023, but rather decided to hold a “Thanksgiving instead”.
“The essence of this is to appreciate God for the Life he has given us, and what he has done and for the things he is going to do, for no one knows what will happen next”, she said.
Okoli remarked that there has been empowerment for women whereby some amount of money is given to the women to start a business for those who do not have capital to resume a business of their own and we also give out sewing machines to assist those who have learned the skill on fashion design.
She advised the Nigerian women not to “sit down look”, but engage in meaningful trade that will assist their family”, help in the provision, and also make a little savings for the family.
Also, the representatives of Governor Chukwuma Soludo Commissioner for Culture, Tourism, and Entertainment in Anambra State Mr. Don Onyenji appreciated the women and promised to take what he saw back to the Governor on the women and how to improve the association.
He praised the women and said “There is no part of the world where an Anambra man can not be seen”, and “an Anambra man turns stone to gold, because of their industrious attitude”.
He also stated that “if an Anambra man were not resident in Lagos, the state would not had the beauty, development which it possesses today, he therefore encouraged them to continue in the good work which they have been doing over years.
Another special Guest Mrs. Chinwe Nwene who lectured the women on stress management, talked about stress management; time management; and Financial empowerment; among others.
In her lectures, she advised the women to have a forgiving spirit by forgiving those that offend them.”Grudges will not allow you to make progress,” she stated.
“The company you keep matters if nothing meaningful is achieved at the end of the day. Don’t allow self-pity “We don’t gain or benefit from self-pity.”
She called on the women therefore to improve themselves, for those who are still in the lower level of life, should come up and move to a higher level in life.
“Every woman should be empowered financially, the issue that my husband does not bring money for food, is a long-dead adage. The fact that your husband did not bring money is not an issue, as a woman what do you bring to the table every month, you should empower yourself financially as a woman”, she said.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee Mrs. Uju Emenike Achichadindu in her closing remark appreciated the women for their selfless donation to make the Thanksgiving a good time out and promised that the second edition would be much better than what was experienced this first edition.
The event kicked off with breaking of kola nut, reciting of the Anambra State Women Association Anthem, a dancing competition, essay competition, among others.
Dignitaries in attendance were, the Anambra State Liaison officer in Lagos, Chief Leo Chiegboka, Prof Virgi Onyeli, among others.
