Anglican women condemn illegal activities of touts, miscreants …urge Soludo to intensify war against them

Phil Okose, Onitsha

Anglican women, Diocese on the Niger, Anambra State, have made a passionate appeal to the state Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to among other things, legislate or enforce already extant laws checkmating activities of touts and miscreants in the state.

The Oyi Archdeaconry Women of the diocese had while recounting what they described as “very unbearable antisocial activities” of touts and miscreants in the state, said that the gangsters were making things difficult for people.

Rising from their three-day annual conference held at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Umunya, the women bemoaned the activities of the miscreants, saying that they were tarnishing the image of the state by their antisocial activities.

In a 44-page Presidential Address delivered at the conference by the leader of the women, Mrs Oby Okonkwo, the women called on the governor to exercise all legitimate powers within his control to arrest the situation, sanitising the state.

Although they commended the governor for granting free education to primary and junior secondary school children and the reduction of fees for senior secondary students in the state, they urged him to help reduce cost of essential commodities in the state.

They also thanked God for making the state a peaceful place to live in, saying, “This Women Conference also expresses its heartfelt gratitude to God for allowing Anambra State a peaceful atmosphere when, in fact, other states, far and near, are battling with various security problems.

“We commend the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, whom God has used to achieve this feat within a short period of his tenure. May God continue to bless you, our Solution Governor!”, they said.

The conference which theme was “Feed my lambs”, John 21:15, articulated a body of lessons from which believers were expected to draw some strength for their daily Christian living.

They were accordingly reminded that they were called to serve others with a burning desire for commitment as well as developing the spirit of forgiveness, restoration, repentance and obedience.

The three-day conference featured Bible studies, cutting of the conference cake, various renditions reminiscent of Anglican Christian Mothers and a talk on health by Mrs Uju Agugbuo.

In an interview shortly after the conference, Mrs Okonkwo, wife of the Archdeacon of the Oyi Archdeaconry, expressed profound gratitude for what she called “the women’s wonderful and unimaginable commitment to the things of God”.

She thanked the women for their individual and collective contributions towards the success of the conference, praying God to reward them abundantly while appealling to them not to relent in the christian race.

Mrs Okonkwo also advised the women to endeavour to translate into practical reality all they learnt in various Bible studies, including what she said they were equally taught in the health seminar in the course of the the conference .

“Please, I encourage you to judiciously apply all these teachings we received here in our everyday lives and also extend same to neighbours, friends and relatives: they are ways we can help “Feed” the Lord’s lambs, “, she explained.