The World Union of Catholic Women Organisations (WUCWO), Catholic Women Organisation, Abuja Archdiocese (CWOAA) has held its 2025 celebration and awards day.
Addressing the congregation women in celebration of the 2025 WUCWOO day celebration in Abuja, the President, WUCWO, CWOAA, Nneoma Ebele Lilian Okoye charged Nigerian Women to represent and serve “without fear but with Faith, Hope and Love” in the task of nation building.
“… that the country is hard does not give room for us to misbehave or to lose our focus. Let us go back to the family, from the family, the country will be okay,” she explained.
Okoye commended the Federal Government and Minister of Women Affairs Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim on the recently launched Social impacts programmes to support the women, children and families, charging women to contribute to nation building and pledged the support of the Catholic Women Organisation to its success.
“…We have the strength, we have the capacity to do it and we can do it. Honourable minister of women Affairs, God bless you, continue, no shaking, we are solidly behind you,” she explained.
The Social Development Director, Catholic Women Organisations, Abuja Archdiocese, Princess Joan Jummai Idonije said the event was a convergence to celebrate women across faiths because women do not really have a religion but contribute enormously to national development.
“We are first women before we are Nigerians and then before we belong to different ethnic groups or different religions. What binds us is that love that we are women and that’s why today we are all celebrating whether you are a Muslim, you are a Christian…,”
Also, the wife of the Minister for Petroleum, Oil and Gas States and CEO of Reaching Every Adult and Child Foundation. Mrs. Susan Heineken-Lokpobiri commended Nigerian women, calling for more support and cohesion for women and the girl child. She stated that proper mentorship would ensure intergenerational success.
“God has put a lot in women, we are multitaskers, we are builders, we are the home keeper and the keeper of our children’s life to be useful. So as women, we have a lot to do in the lives of our children, be it a girl or a boy or to the society, they are taking over, so I want to urge all Nigerian women to be more courageous, to be more useful to one another and above all to be prayerful.”
Awards
The event featured presentation of awards to deserving individuals, including “Icon of Hope Award” to the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim for redefining the women development space and the Minister of State FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud for efficient leadership.”
Speaking on the parameters for the choice of individuals who were honoured with various categories of awards, Princess Jummai Idonije said, they were chosen based on merit.
““You will agree with me that for instance, our Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Honourable Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim is a woman who has redefined the space for Nigerian women and that’s why she’s the only one taking away the icon of hope for women award, and we also have the Minister of State for FCT, another woman who is also representing us at that level,” she noted.
she noted.
She stated that the award was to recognise and honour individuals who are doing a lot, but their stories were not adequately amplified.
“…in the awards we are not only looking at Christian women we’re looking at women from all the faiths because women do not really have a religion…their stories are not told so this is our own way of telling their stories.”
Recipients Reaction
A recipient of “Pride of Mothers Award” Princess Nikki Onyeri, while expressing appreciation to WUCWO, charged Nigerian women to harness the gender inclusiveness engendered by the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to support the government and play their part in nation building.
Another award recipient, Co- convener Africa Women Conference and Founder, Helpline Social Support Initiative Dr. Jummai Ahmadu,expressed happiness for being recognised with an award of Excellence in Humanitarian Service.
“I feel happy as a mother that this has come to me, and it goes a long way to show that the little we are doing is being recognised because we were doing it unto God and I have this belief that nobody is too poor to give, and nothing is too small to give,” She said.
Empowerment
The pioneer Mandate Secretary for Women Affairs of the FCT, Dr Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi who bagged an Excellence in Humanitarian Service award, while urging the women to step into the leadership space boldly and continue to serve as pillars of positive transformation in their communities, announced an empowerment support under the Renewed Hope Initiative programme for 120 Catholic Women Organisation members
The theme for the 2025 WUCWOO day celebration “United As Women in Nigeria,” reaffirmed the power of purpose and unity by women in driving social change and national development.
Lateefah Ibrahim