The Catholic Bishop of Osogbo, Most Rev. John Akin Oyejola, has tasked the members of the Catholic Nurses Guild of Nigeria (CNGN), on the need to encourage their members especially the young ones to join the guild, because the Church needs their services now, than ever.
Bishop Oyejola stated this while welcoming members of the CNGN for their 34th annual conference in Osogbo, and appreciated the leadership of the guild for choosing to come to Osogbo diocese for their annual conference.
The 2023 annual conference with the theme, ‘Catholic Nurses: Breaking barriers, creating bonds, in a challenging Nigeria’, started on the on the 18th of September, 2023 with the arrival of the National Administrative Council (NAC) of the body.
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Ibadan, His Grace, Most Rev. Gabriel โLeke Abegunrin, who was the Chief Celebrant and the homilist at the opening Mass of the conference, welcomed and thanked all the nurses for choosing nursing as their vocation and for coming to Ibadan province for their 34th annual national conference.
While commending the choice of their theme for the conference, Archbishop Abegunrin admitted that Nigeria is indeed beset with so many challenges ranging from insecurity, injustice, poverty, hunger and therefore urged participants to use the conference as a moment for sober reflection on the causes of these challenges, as well as brainstorm on the possible ways of breaking these barriers.
The Metropolitan Archbishop charged the CNGN Chaplains from the various dioceses who concelebrated the Mass with him, to always live up to their calling as chaplains in guiding and directing the nurses under their care, even by correcting them when they go the wrong way. He also particularly thanked them for being present at the conference.
The opening ceremony which was chaired by Prince Charles Adedoja Oyawusi, the Governor of Osun State , Senator Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr. Adekunle Akindele in his goodwill message, welcomed all the nurses to Osun State, and declared the conference open.
Other invited dignitaries who graced the occasion were, the Commissioner for Health, Osun State, Barr. Jola Akintola, Director of Nursing Services (DNS) Nr. Olapeju Abiola Laogun, Acting Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Osun State, among others.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Voice of the Catholic Nurses of Nigeria (VOCANON) magazine by the editorโinโchief, Nr Joyce Asufi and subsequent launching by invited guests and members of CNGN, paper presentation by the lead paper presenter Dr. A.B Awosemo on the thematic focus of the conference; Breaking Barriers, Creating bonds in a Challenging Nigeria, followed by another paper presentation by Mrs. L. M Oyesiji, titled: ‘United we stand, Divided we fall โ Implications for effective Health Care delivery in Nigeria’.
The 34th annual conference of the CNGN, which started on the 18th of September, will end with the presentation of a communiquรฉ on Saturday, 23 September, 2023.
