The wife of Rivers State Governor, Justice Eberechi Suzette Nyesom-Wike has called on Christians and the church community at large to rise up to their responsibility for the protection of vulnerable women and children in the society.
She said the church must wake up to ensure that women and children were protected in line with the injunction Christ handed over to the church centuries ago.
Justice Wike made the call while delivering a lecture on the Role of the Church in the Protection and Advancement of Rights of Women and Children at the week-long programme organised by the National Association of Adventist Lawyers (NAAL), at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Rumuokwuta in Port Harcourt, last Saturday.
She decried the various ways women and children were being maltreated in the society as .a result of archaic customs and tradition, adding that any society that does not encourage women and children’s advancement was bound for doom.
According to her, “in spite of a glaring Supreme Court verdict on the eligibility of women to be part of their parental inheritance with their male siblings of same parents, some communities still forbid women from inheriting their fathers’ properties.
“Women and children are the most vulnerable in the society; the church must rise up to the occasion by ensuring that both women and children are protected,” she said.
The wife of the executive governor opined that the church was obligated to ensure that her seeds are protected from rape, molestation and denial of their parental inheritance, adding that the church must join other organisations to enforce the protection and respect of women and children’s rights in the society.
Justice Wike used the opportunity to thank the Adventist Church for initiating programmes under its corporate social responsibility, especially the Health Outreach Programme, adding that the initiative has impacted positively on the people.
She thanked the leadership of the state chapter of NAAL for finding her worthy for the award, adding that her Pet Project “RIVETHICS” was designed to reform character of the people in the state.
In his opening remarks, the state Chairman of NAAL, Victor Nweke said the association was established in 1992 to offer special support to the church as well as propagation of the gospel.
Nweke said the wife of the state governor, Justice Suzzette Nyesom-Wike was particularly given the award due to her various contributions to the development of the church as well as the milestones her pet project has achieved within the short period of time, even as he thanked her for the inspirational lecture.
Earlier in his sermon, the President of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Port Harcourt Conference, Pastor Anyalebechi Nnukwe urged Christians to be firm in their faith in God and pray God to open their eyes spiritually to see what God has in stock for faithful Christians.
Climax of the event was prayer offered for the governor and his family, the state and the nation at large.