By Fr Victor Makinwa Ogunyemi
In my Pastoral engagement over time, encouraging people of God to grow in all fronts, to be actively engaged in the Christian community, to make women to be more equipped and be of service in the house of God.
As a pastor of souls, I always charge women to be prayer warriors at the home front, to join groups in the Christian communities, to be the real mothers they should be to their families, as I always teach that the Sacrament of holy matrimony takes it meaning from two Latin words matrex, monium, which are roots of the words in Latin office of the mother. This says a lot about marriage being built around motherhood. It means the woman, the mother must be well equipped to function effectively in the enterprise of marriage.
I have got feedbacks from many women who are having battles with their husbands in their bid to join spiritual groups but always meeting brick walls 🧱 . For example, a woman who would love to improve her prayer life, study of the word of God, evangelization drive, gift of singing and devotional pious life but the husband is not letting her to do any of such. Many women are having it tough as they make great efforts to increase, improve and grow in their spiritual lives.
Many women are already given time ultimatum to return home after Mass or on other days. Many women are already told “it is either you marry or stay with Father or stay with me” so say by their husbands.
A question begging for answer is, what’s the fear of the husbands for not wanting their wives to know God more and be more active in serving God?
Another challenge facing women in marriage is inability to grow educationally or professionally. Many women have the dreams of going to school to study what
they want to but the moment they get married their husbands shut the door of education and schooling against them even when the father in- law has pleaded that the young woman should be allowed to go to school or further her education. What of practicing as a career woman? Many men don’t allow their wives to practice or work for reasons best known making them to be full time house wives and with time wasting the knowledge acquired.
Women should be given all the encouragement to grow
Men shouldn’t be afraid of their wives to grow.
An equipped woman is a treasure to her husband, herself and humanity.
Don’t suppress their growth.
Women who are prayerful and spiritual are assets to their families and walls of defence and protection to their children and husbands.
It is better to have a wife that wants to know God and grow in God than to have a woman who is loose and wants to be part of the busy body groups in the environment.
It is better to have a wife who is academically excellent like Oby Ezekwesili, Okonjo Iweala, Uche Arinze Anaduaka and late Dora Akunyili that lift your name as a man than to shut your wife out and make her nonentity of a woman, what do you stand to gain from that?
No matter the height of growth of a woman spiritually, academically, politically and any wise, she must realise that her position as a wife and mother shouldn’t be overshadowed by her achievements and growth and high positions.
The more a wife advance , the more humble and submissive she should become and that becomes a good example to all other women and a message to men that allowing their wives to grow is the way to go.
This piece celebrates all men and husbands who have and are allowing their wives to grow. You’re given a salute and hugs .