Ayaba Abimumi Owoade, the wife of the Alaafin of Oyo, has revealed that the Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, would encourage and support activities that would improve women economic power in order to enable them develop high-esteem and more confidence in one another, and exhibit their God-given potentials.
According to a release issued by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin of Oyo, Bode Durojaiye, the Queen disclosed this while addressing women in Oyo on the imperative of women in nation building, saying that many women have displayed ingenuity and creativity in finding alternative to any situation, individually at the household level, and collectively at the social level, thereby creating conducive atmosphere for democracy and democratic governance to thrive.
According to her, “as women, we constitute a dynamic breeding ground within the framework of any perspective for change. Women perform indispensable roles in the society as mothers, custodians, and shapers of the society. In Nigeria, women population is presently put at about 55 million, which is significant, considering the total population of about 140 million. It is indisputable that empowering women is empowering the nation, as they are indispensable group in the development of any nation’’.
Ayaba Owoade went further, saying that: “there is hardly any culture, East or West, where women are not home builders. As home builders, we are therefore ‘nation builders’. Besides the five sensory organs given to every human being by God, women are also endowed with distinct ability, which is the power of adaptability to perceive and prevent their families from danger.
‘’Wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. To build a happy home successfully, a woman has a major role to play and it is also of great importance to know that it takes wisdom to build a happy home.
“‘A woman is expected to love her husband and to love her children. In building a happy home, a woman should display a high level of love to her husband and children. By this, I mean unconditional love. A woman should not show love to her husband mainly because of what she is getting from him or based on the fact that things are rosy. Likewise a woman must be available to her husband and should not deny him of his right”, she counseled.
Admitting that due to many factors, women have comparable qualities and strengths as men, Ayaba however said that God has ordained that wives should submit to their husbands. “Every woman has the role of being a wife and a mother, nurturing godly children, and teaching her children in Godly ways. It is her responsibility to teach and train the children—both boys and girls. Indeed, a good wife is meant to be a trusted confidant and a valuable counsellor to her husband. God expects us to be trusted helpers and wise counselors’’.
Ayaba Owoade further warned the womenfolk, that, ‘’even if you are the ones paying all the bills, when you are being provoked, control your tongue. You cannot sell members of your household cheaply, and still expect to buy back at a high price with gain. God expects us to be trusted helpers and wise counselors’’.
She nevertheless called on the three tiers of government to continue to provide enabling environment for women, as well as, intensifying awareness campaigns among the rural dwellers for meaningful participation in the nation’s development process to ensure a bright and stable future.
She finally submitted that “Any activity that can improve women’s economic power will not only be encouraged, but be supported by her husband, Oba Owoade, in order to enable them develop their potentials and perform positive roles in Nation building.
