Mrs. Obiano made the plea over the weekend while addressing the 2015 Women Convention at the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry Uke, Idemili North, Local Government Area.
The wife of the governor told the participants that sustaining family values also rests on the ability to hold the household together with love and prayers, instilling fear of God in the children and helping people in need in other to attract blessings from God. According to Mrs. Obiano; “Today I may be the wife of the governor but it is important to let you know that we started small. Sometimes the family income may put undue pressure on the husband and wife and that is when a woman must persevere in prayers.” Sharing personal experiences, Mrs. Obiano stated:
“Many years ago I asked God with hope and prayers to give me my husband and not a husband. My husband’s income was not enough, but I started selling thyme and curry to augment what my husband is making. Eventually I got work with NNPC which I did for nineteen years, and my husband also got job in the bank. We were then able to buy second hand car and following my husband’s promotion as manager, he got a car. I also ensured that my job gave me time to play my role as mother. I can tell you that as long as you do what is right that pleases God, you will be blessed.”
Mrs. Obiano recalled that she had visited the Adoration ground on two previous occasions with her husband and expressed worry over the consistent loss of family values and its negative impact on society.
As she put it; “I have no doubt that we are all witnesses to this gradual, but steady loss of values. The erosion of values is evident in the manner in which our people assimilate tendencies and behaviors that were once considered unacceptable in our communities. I admit that I have no superior insight into the cause of this malaise, but experience has shown that quite a number of factors are behind it. Among these are; poor parental upbringing, the negative influence of the mass media and now the social media, and peer pressure among others. Teach your children what they should know to help them avoid wrong influences."
Reflecting on the prevailing economic crisis which has put many states in hard times leading to massive unemployment, the wife of the governor noted that Anambra State is on the right path with her husband, Governor Willie Obiano commitment to develop the state, beginning with achievement in the security of lives and property, building of roads across the state and flyovers at Awka, as well as regular payment of salaries and welfare of workers and the citizens amongs other programmes aimed at sustaining good governance and service to Ndi Anambra.
On her part, she stated that apart from managing her household, she engages in numerous charity and empowerment programmes through her pet project, the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ).
Emphasizing her NGO’s belief in the philosophy of teaching people how to fish rather than offering them fish, Mrs. Obiano, enumerated some of the activities which underscores her passion and commitment to uplift the dispossessed and the disadvantaged, especially indigent widows.
These include; Empowerment of 945 skilled and 567 unskilled persons with equipment such as blenders, hair dryers and garri processing machines, distribution of free artificial limbs to over 600 physically challenged persons; and sponsorship of over 500 women to skills acquisition training in hair dressing, tailoring and fashion designing, soap making and confectionary.
Also to reduce mortality at birth, CAFE trains rural health workers and midwives who are given fabricated motorbikes with baby cots, with cellular phones to reach women and manage child delivery in emergency situations. She confirmed that the NGO has treated 150 children with cleft lip and cleft palate deformities, through free surgeries performed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi. In the same vein, they rescued 80 mentally challenged people, and treated and discharged 32 men and women of which 28 are from other states.
The wife of the governor equally commended the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry for the spiritual exercise and for providing a platform for children of God to reclaim their lives.
Earlier, the Spiritual Director of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry, Uke, Rev Fr. Emmanuel Obimma, (Ebube Muonso) thanked Mrs. Obiano for coming to worship at the centre and inspiring the women with her experience. He also charged the women to imbibe the virtue of tolerance and gratitude to God always; and assured that they will continue to pray for the governor and his wife so that they can continue to serve the people with the fear of God.
