Ambode’s wife advocates women empowerment

For wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, the recently concluded All Sisters Regional Conference of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Region 19, Ogba Lagos, provided ample opportunity for her to admonish women on the need to seek economic empowerment.

Ambode, who is also a deaconess of the church, while speaking at the conference titled, “Occupy Till I Come,” also tasked Nigerians on the need to be pious and put the fear of God in their endeavours.

Empowerment, according to her, will guarantee stable income, which will enable focus and commitment “to our most cherished ideals. It will make us better Christians.

“While we occupy, it is important that we get economic empowerment. Ecclesiastes 9:10 advises: ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor advice, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest,” she said.

The governor’s wife likened the gathering with the day of Pentecost, when the disciples gathered to seek the face of the Lord and were baptised with the Holy Spirit, saying “we are also humbly gathered here, to seek the counsel of God on many issues, with a firm conviction that our merciful God will give us direction.”

Making reference to the theme of the conference, she said: “This statement is neither a suggestion nor an advice but a definite instruction to us. It is a charge that conveys enormous responsibilities on us as children of the Most High.”

She urged them, as true children of God, “to occupy till He comes so that when He finally arrives, we will not be found wanting like the servant that buried his talent.”

Wife of the Pastor in Charge of Region 19, Pastor Helen Oyitso, said the programme was aimed at “refocusing us as individuals and as a group that we may rise up from our slumber and say like our Master Jesus, my meat, is what gives me pleasure or the reason why I live, is to do the work of Him that sent me and finish it, so that we may quickly recognise that we need to do the work when it is day, as night is far approaching when no man can work.”

The Conference also provided opportunities for free health screening for over 1,000 members, where Dr. Funmi Shokunbi, a member of the conference’s medical committee said the focus was more on 45-year-olds and above “because most of these disease conditions are common after that age. We are screening for hypertension, diabetes, eye defects, cervical cancer, breast cancer, etc. We are giving free reading glasses, We also have doctors that are doing general consultation, and attending to minor ailments. We have the pharmacy section if they need drugs, they go and take their medications and if they need referral, we refer them to the general hospital or any specialist hospital around here.