Precious Ahiakwo
Women in Rotary have been called to not only aspire to leadership but pay every legitimate price to get into leadership.
CHIEF JUDGE, BAYELSA STATE HON. JUSTICE MATILDA ABRAKASA AYEMIEYE made the call while delivering a lecture titled “The 21st Century woman and her role in development” during a seminar organized by the Women in Rotary District 9141, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Justice Abrakasa- Ayemieye explained that “This is one area women need to explore with commitment and determination. We have been on the back bench for too long. The saying that ‘What a man can do/ a woman can do better’ is true where there is commitment and determination. Thus, we need to aspire to occupy leadership positions at the political, traditional and organizational spheres. There is need to rise up to the challenge and make concerted efforts towards this. We have paid lip service to this for too long”.
“For those of us already in one leadership position or the other, let us model godly, visionary and responsible leadership for others to emulate. Let us shun all forms of corruption, recklessness and irresponsibility. Rather, we must exhibit integrity, equity, high moral rectitude and people friendliness in the performance of our leadership responsibilities. That way, we can inspire others to aspire to leadership and create opportunities in that regard. It will also make the menfolk to repose confidence in us and encourage us in this regard”, she said.
On Economic Role women should play, the CHIEF JUDGE admonishes women to get their hands on legitimate ventures that can shore up their economic power.
She said even at the family level, a woman must be hardworking and generate income that would enable her contribute to the wellbeing of the family. “Gone are the days when women sat back as complete house wives. The realities of the 21st Century can never accommodate that posture. As such, no woman must fold her hands and wholly depend on her spouse for all her needs”.
On her part, Chairperson, Women In Rotary District 9141 Judith Nwachukwu while describing the lecture of the Bayelsa State Chief Judge as pertinent, said the WIR in the district as part of its Economic Development and Community empowerment project, empowered twenty indigene women with the sum of fifty thousand naira each to boost their small scale businesses.
Judith Nwachukwu said the empowerment will give the women beneficiaries the economic power to be able to contribute much to societal development.
The Chief Fund Raiser, Women in Rotary District 9141, Past President Ajoke Enebeli in her remarks, commended all women in Rotary who contributed immensely to the realization of the project. She said “indeed the women in the District 9141 financially supported the project and team up to change the status quo. We can do it if we unite, because where there is a will, there will always be a way”.
