…As husband calls for resistance to attempt to replace women’s role
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Wife of the Vice Chancellor of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, Dr Mrs Nkechinyere Iwe, has called for adequate investment in women to help them develop their potentials and contribute meaningfully in moving society forward.
The VC’s wife who made the call during the celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day by the university women on Thursday, noted that women are specially endowed with great potentials that could help navigate the human society out of the woods.
Giving the theme of this year’s celebration as: “Investing in Women Key to All Round Progress,” Dr Mrs Iwe called for support to enable women occupy their space in society as positive change agents.
According to the VC’s wife, both the family and society in general, will stop groping in darkness if women were given the necessary assistance to develop their potentials.
The VC’s wife encouraged families not to discriminate against their female children, arguing that investment in women will have multiplier effects in society.
She said that the university women under her leadership had posted some achievements since she came on board, including the completion of the university women’s skills acquisition centre, which was also equipped with modem tailoring machines.
Mrs Iwe who also said that the women last year, procured an 18-seater bus, announced that the target of the women for the year was the renovation of the university’s Day Care Centre built by wife of the third VC, Mrs Obioma Onyido, to have a befitting look.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, said that no society would make any meaningful progress without women.
The VC advocated inclusion and support for women to enable them accomplish their potentials and contribute their quota to the advancement of society.
Professor Iwe noted that most nations of the world lack progress in key sectors because women are denied the necessary attention, support and inclusion in such societies.
He said that women are uniquely made and heavily endowed with potentials that could be harnessed if adequate investments were made to develop them.
“Women have been so endowed with virtues that the men folk could hardly deny. The time is ripe to prioritise the space created; attention should be given and value placed on women if our society must move forward,” he said.
The VC called for resistance to any attempt by society to substitute women’s God-given roles especially in procreation.
He argued that if God had wanted same sex marriage, he would not have created women, thus, he frowned at any attempt to alter such divine arrangement under any guise.
“Why did God create woman if man must marry man? We must not allow society to replace the role of women with Artificial Intelligence or anything.”
Professor Iwe who solicited the prayers of women in the university, assured them of the unalloyed and continued support of the university management under his leadership.
Chairman of the ceremony and former Commissioner for Transport, Abia State, Chief Mrs Nnenna Obewu Onwuka, in opening remark, urged women not to leave all the financial responsibilities of the family for their husbands.
She argued that as helpmates, women should be ready to complement the efforts of their husbands for the good of the family.
The former Chairman, Ohafia Local Government Area, insisted that women could actually support their husbands in paying the children’s school fees to prevent the untimely death of men as a result of excess family pressure.
“Stop depending on the man alone. Rat did not eat your money. You can help pay the children’s school fees.”
Mr Onwuka, a lawyer, urged women to be resilient, resourceful and to use their womanhood positively to advance society.
“Be bold, courageous and audacious, and plan your life, otherwise men will take undue advantage of you if you depend on their aid.”
She particularly urged widows to plan their lives and determine to be meaningfully engaged instead of bemoaning their fate and resorting to begging.
Mother of the day and wife of the Lead Pastor of Power World Ministries International, Dr Mrs Chioma Uche Ume, said that “investment in women is investment in future.”
She charged women to help in identifying and grooming potentials in their children for the good of society.
Dr Chioma also encouraged women to maximise their potentials by making positive impacts in society.
Former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Joy Nwabueze, in a lecture, urged women to stay focused and avoid distractions.
The high point of the ceremony was the award of honour to some distinguished women in the state including the Accountant General of Abia State, Dr Njum Nnenna Uma-Onyemenam; Dr Chioma Uche Ume; Professor Nnenna Oke; and Mrs Amaka Chimegeiro.
The annual ceremony was attended by women from around the state including wives of traditional rulers and women from the university host communities.
