BY RITA OYIBOKA
AS Nigeria marks its 65th Independence anniversary, Delta State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Hon. Pat Ajudua, has urged Nigerian women to remain resilient, prayerful and committed to their families and the nation.
She gave the charge during the Independence thanksgiving service at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Asaba, which drew top government officials, clerics, and faithful.
Ajudua, who hailed Nigerian women for their role in the nation’s independence struggle, urged them to remain steadfast in the face of hardship, stressing that their strength at both the family and national levels is vital to sustaining unity and progress.
“My advice to Nigerian women is to remain prayerful, resilient, devoted, and committed to the smaller family and to the general family, which is Nigeria. God will see us through as He has always done,” she said.
The Commissioner added that Nigeria, at 65, must continue to celebrate unity and independence with hope. “At 65, we cannot learn to use the left hand in old age. Nigeria is old enough to continue as one independent nation. By the grace of God, year in, year out, we will keep celebrating October 1st as Nigeria’s birthday,” she declared.
In his remarks, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori emphasised that Nigeria has remained united despite daunting challenges that could have torn the nation apart. He described the country as “God’s own nation” and urged citizens to sustain hope and faith.
“Sometimes countries have disintegrated under far less challenges than we have faced, but Nigeria has remained united. It is Nigeria that will build Nigeria, not foreigners. We must make the necessary sacrifices to secure our collective dreams. The future of this country lies in unity, peace, and shared responsibility,” he said.
Oborevwori also urged Nigerian youths not to despair over prevailing economic challenges but to remain hopeful as the government works towards recovery and sustainable growth.
Delivering the homily, the Catholic Bishop of Issele-Uku Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Elue, speaking from 1 Timothy 6:11-16 and Amos 6:1, 4-7, urged Nigerians to embrace righteousness, godliness, love, and steadfastness. He described the Christian life as a “good fight of faith” against forces of division and moral decay, stressing that true independence can only be sustained through submission to God’s will.
The thanksgiving service was attended by top government functionaries, traditional rulers, political leaders, including the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Catherine Onyeme; Speaker, State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Julius Pondi, Hon. Ngozi Okolie, and Hon. Benedict Etanabene; the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Tessy Diai and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, among others.
