The Southern Governors’ Wives Forum has held an interactive and empowerment session with the women of Cross River State to boost their moral, social and economic status to enable them fend for themselves.
Speaking during the interactive session and empowerment held recently in Calabar at Adiabo Town Hall, Tinapa, on the ‘Rudiments of Running a Successful Business’, the wife of the Abia State Governor, Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu enumerated some business guidelines to include: choice, market, customers, target, accounting, avoiding borrowing money to start up a business, learning from experiences of others, awareness creation, amongst others.
According to her, choices should be made on what type of business to embark on and be familiar with the business before going into it to avoid failure as well as understanding the nature of the business/the market, adding that, there is need to set target and if one must take a loan, the terms of agreement must be favourable.
She enjoined women to desist from the act of cheating their customers in business and keep proper record of transactions.
Speaking on the topic: “raising capital for small scale business”, the wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki said that the problem in Nigeria was mostly poverty which bred crimes as well as all kinds of vices. According to her, empowerment is not all about money but also building capacity, adding that women empowerment is very important and that they were in Cross River State to support their sister, Dr Linda Ayade to teach Cross River State women on how to depend on themselves and not on their husbands always for every need.
She maintained that “business is not for everybody and that to succeed in business, one must have passion and interest, especially when one has no other alternative than to go into business.”
On her part, the wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs Feyisetan Fayose stated that women were good social, moral and spiritual managers of their homes, adding that, “the role of a wife to her husband goes beyond domestic chores.”
On Sickle cell disorders, the Delta State Governor’s wife, Dr Edith Okowa maintained that sickle cell was not a disease but a disorder inherited by a child from his/her parents.
She advised young person’s going into marriage to ensure that they know their genotype, adding that, a person with AS genotype should avoid getting married to a partner of the same genotype, for there is every possibility that one out of their children may have sickle cell anaemia, which is not an easy thing to cope with.
She also enjoined would-be couples to know how much love and knowledge of God they have before going into marriage.
Speaking on “the mother’s role in raising upright children in a decaying world”, the wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel, stated that a home was a place where a child was raised to be successful in life and that a virtuous woman was one who took care of her home, husband and children.
She maintained that mothers were the first teachers of their children, they understood the language of the child from infancy and should therefore correct them when they go wrong, adding that, as a mother there was need to focus on the child’s intellectual, emotional and psychological well-being, working on their potentials while playing down on their weaknesses as well as keeping a close watch on them, especially the girl child for many of them were being sexually abused by the opposite sex.
Speaking on “how to live and maintain a successful home,” the Oyo State Governor’s wife, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, said that the greatest success was to be happy with oneself at all times, especially at home, for this will enable one succeed in whatever he/she does, as positive thoughts will flow from the mind and enjoined women to keep their homes, making the place a happy one to stay in as well as learn to communicate effectively especially when offences come.