A faith-based community, Mothers of the Nations, have called on the Federal Government, religious groups and political leaders to protect the rights of women and end all forms of discrimination against them in the country.
 
Speaking at its Grass and Trees campaign in Lagos, with the theme, ‘The Elephants, the Fights and the Plights of Women and Children in Crisis Situations’, founder, Mothers of the Nations, Priscilla Otuya, said when there is crisis in any nation, women and children suffer the most, noting that women are always at the receiving end in Nigeria.’’

“When the elephants fight, the grass and trees suffer. Who are the elephants? What is the fight about? And what is the situation that arises from such fights? We believe it is time for women from the faith community to lend our voice to the need to maintain peace in this country. We cannot go anywhere. We have a right to a peaceful nation to stay,” Otuya said.
 
She stated that religious crisis in the country is a false narrative championed by some people to drive enmity among Nigerians, noting that it is time to let those people know that they can’t use religion to disunite the people.
 
“Our message to the elephants is that God is not a Christian or Muslim. He is a spirit. Anyone creating trouble in the name of religion is having a selfish agenda,” she added.
 
Otuya noted that the group was trying to create awareness on the plights of women and push for concerted efforts to change the narrative.
 
“This is a pre-event meeting. By first quarter 2024, we will bring together notable women in the society and religious world to launch the campaign and get them to lend their voices. Like Modeccai to Esther in the Bible, if you think that because you are up there, you are saved, you are wrong. If you do not wake up to the need for peace in this country, it will affect everybody.
 
“There is deafening silence about all these in the church. Yet the church originated from Christ who was a defender of women. So, if the men are quiet, mothers cannot be quiet,” she added.
 
Otuya stated that the group would engage with government agencies that cater to the needs of women to be more proactive in their duties and also form connections that would ensure more women are empowered to know their rights and how to enforce them.
 
She stressed that women must start to speak out about their situation, noting that it is their right to talk when being oppressed.
 
“Beyond this, we want to also create employment. We want to support made in Nigeria products, because if we promote and are selling our own products, our children will have jobs. You don’t have to go abroad,” Otuya said.