Women in CBCN Agencies commemorate 2022 Mothers’ Day in grand style

By Rachel Kogi, CSN Media

It was a grand and colourful scene at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Abuja on Thursday, March 7, 2022, as all the women working in the agencies of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) celebrated their 2022 Mothers’ Day.

The celebration commenced with a thanksgiving Mass presided over by the Director of Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), Very Rev. Fr. Solomon Zaku, who also celebrated his 40^th birthday anniversary. In his homily which centred on the wonderful attributes of women, Fr. Zaku applauded the women for the initiative of setting aside such a day, notwithstanding the fact that they all belong to parishes and usually celebrate Mothers’ Day there. He noted that Mothers’ Day is a day to appreciate all mothers for their indispensable roles in the family, Church and society. “Nothing is enough to pay for these roles”, he said. “However, commemorating the day gives women a sense of being appreciated and therefore strengthens them to do more.”

Moreover, the Director expressed his joy for marking his 40^th birthday on a day when the women were celebrating, because the woman, he said, is very special, which is why God took his time to create her. He extolled the wonderful qualities of good mothers to include hard work, care, dedication as well as being industrious and forgiving, adding that women are usually the first to wake up in the home and the last to go to bed.

Furthermore, Fr. Zaku decried the terrible behaviours exhibited by most young people in society today, attributing it to poor parenting. He urged all the women to be good mothers by imbibing the attributes of the virtuous woman as outlined in Proverbs 31, affirming that “good mothers bring up good children who are like them.”

The 2022 Mothers’ Day celebration culminated with a reception at the CSN Resource Centre, with many attractions to entertain the celebrants and well-wishers. In an address at the reception, the Deputy Secretary General of CSN and Director, Pastoral Affairs, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, congratulated the women on the celebration as well as on the ruling in favour of the 35 percent affirmative action by the Federal High Court of Nigeria. He harped on the importance of women in all spheres of life, reminiscing on the good qualities of his own mother.

The Deputy Executive Secretary of Caritas Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr. Peter Babangida Audu, commended the women for the colourful celebration, emphasizing that there is a great improvement this year, as compared to the 2021 celebration. He noted that God did not make a mistake when He created the woman, stating that “women keep the world going, and there is no way the CSN or the CBCN agencies, especially Caritas Nigeria, would be complete without women.” Fr. Babangida concluded by reminding the women that the future looks up to them.

Also presenting a special talk, the CBCN Secretary for Family and Human Life Unit, Rev. Sr. Rosanna Emenusiobi, extolled the qualities of women as carers, nurturers and influencers. She affirmed, based on responses from some priests about who influenced their decision to go into the Seminary,  that most priests are influenced to go into the priestly vocation by their mothers. She classified mothers into three categories as biological, adoptive and spiritual, noting that she is a spiritual mother. She ended on a note of encouragement to mothers to play their roles effectively for a better society.

Highlights of the event were the male challenge of ‘Tie the head’ and ‘Back the baby’ done by Very Rev. Fr. Isaac Dugu of Pastoral Agents, Fr. Solomon Zaku of PMS and Fr. Boniface Idoko of Youth Animation, musical performance by Sr. Claire and crew, Efik dance, classical mother song and cutting of cakes for the celebration and for Fr. Zaku’s birthday. The President of the Women, Mrs. Ogechi Unegbu appreciated the Executive Secretary of Caritas Nigeria, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Uche Obodoechina (in absentia) for his beautiful gift of wrappers to all women as uniform for the occasion. She asked the women to give Fr. Uche a standing ovation. All the women also received a goody bag to go home with.