Archbishop Ibezim's Wife Tasks Women On Proper Child Upbringing
Women have been charged to keep eyes at home and ensure proper up-bringing of the children, as a way to reduce crime and other vices in the society.
The wife of the Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, Dame Martha Chioma Ibezim gave the charge in her goodwill message to celebrate the 2020 Mothering Sunday.
She described mothers' role in family building and children upbringing as that which cannot be over-emphasized or underestimated by anyone, owing to its enormous significance and impacts.
According to Mrs. Ibezim who is also the President of Mother's Union, Womens' Guild and Girls' Guild in the Province of the Niger and Awka Diocese (Anglican Communion) respectively; women and mothers perform the bulk of domestic chores, including the task of raising the children, which she advised, should not be left in the hands of teachers alone.
She said, "I charge mothers to spend more time with their children.
"This, in my opinion will ensure proper up-bringing of the children and help reduce crime and other vices in the society.
"Mothers should know that teachers alone cannot not shoulder the responsibility of training and nurturing of children. All hands must be on deck to have a properly trained children.
"Mothers roles in the family building cannot be over-emphasized and should not be underestimated by anyone."
Mrs. Ibezim opined that men are always busy to attend to their children, even though they would always take the glory of the progressive children while mothers take the blame of the ill performing children.
She further urged men and boys to always appreciate women and girls and encourage them in the task of raising Godly children, while also charging women to fear God and see Him as the foundation in their marriage, rejecting everything that would bring dissolution of their marriage founded on love and God.
On gender inequality and biasness, the prelates wife said, "I call for efforts targeted at a gender balanced world by celebrating acheivemnts by women even at the grassroots, because it won't benefit women alone but the society at large."
"We should always stand against bias and raise awareness anywhere it exists. I encourage women to network and support building a gender balanced society.
"I strongly know that women have the capability to discover themselves and utilize their potentials in positioning for a generation of equality and an egalitarian society," she added.
For and on behalf of the church, Mrs. Ibezim, who doubles as Mama Niger and Mama Awka, consummately damned and decried same sex marriage, sexual assault and harassment in the society, describing such as not only humiliating and condescending, but also as outright sins against God and humanity.
"I urge men to love their wives no matter what the situation is, and wives to respect their husbands always at all circumstances, making Jesus Christ the cornerstone of their marriage," she said.