Elochukwu Benjamin
Awka
The Executive Director of the Gender Empowerment and Rights Initiative Foundation (GERIF), Hon. Ify Obinabo, has urged women, particularly mothers, to prioritise sound parenting, strong family values and responsible womanhood in the interest of building a morally upright society.
Obinabo made the call while serving as a special guest at the August meeting of the Awka Catholic Women Organisation of the Catholic Diocese of Awka.
She described the family as the foundation of society and noted that mothers occupy a strategic position in shaping the character, discipline and future of their children.
According to her, effective parenting goes beyond providing children with food, clothing and education, stressing that parents must also provide moral guidance, emotional support, discipline and positive examples.
The former Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, who served during Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s first tenure, urged mothers to be intentional about raising their children, especially in an era of increasing exposure to social media, peer pressure and other external influences.
She advised mothers to create time to listen to their children, understand their challenges and provide appropriate guidance as they navigate different stages of life.
Obinabo also charged women to remain role models in their homes, churches and communities, urging them to cultivate virtues such as humility, integrity, compassion, wisdom, hard work and responsibility.
However, she expressed concern over what she described as the growing tendency among some women, particularly mothers, to belong to multiple social clubs and organisations.
While acknowledging that social organisations could provide opportunities for networking, mutual support and community development, she warned that excessive involvement could become counterproductive if it begins to take precedence over family responsibilities.
She said frequent meetings, ceremonies, levies, financial obligations and other social engagements could place unnecessary pressure on women and reduce the quality time available to their husbands and children.
“Women should be careful not to allow social engagements to take the place of their primary responsibilities as mothers and wives,” she advised.
Obinabo urged women to be selective and purposeful about the organisations they join, asking them to carefully consider the financial, emotional and time commitments involved before taking on additional memberships.
She also advocated greater cooperation between husbands and wives, stressing that raising responsible children should be regarded as a shared responsibility.
The GERIF boss encouraged members of the Awka Catholic Women Organisation to use their various platforms to promote peace, unity, charity, education and the welfare of vulnerable people in society.
She assured them that GERIF remained available as a platform for advancing the rights and empowerment of women and vulnerable groups.
Obinabo commended the Catholic women for their contributions to the Church and society, urging them to continue using their collective strength to support initiatives that improve the wellbeing of families and communities.
She concluded by reminding the women that their greatest legacy would not be determined by the number of social clubs they belonged to, but by the quality of lives they touched and, most importantly, the values and character they instilled in their children.
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