BY GRACE ANYANWU, ABUJA – As part of its efforts to contribute its quota towards finding a solution to the challenges of insecurity threatening the unity and survival of the country, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), led by its National President, Comrade Ladi Bala on Tuesday, held a One Day Solemn Assembly in all the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Solemn Assembly witnessed prayers session asking God to intervene and assist the nation to curb the insecurity situation that include insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, rape, rituals among others.
In the FCT- Abuja, it was a combined prayers session led by the NAWOJ National President, Ladi Bala and ably assisted by the Chairperson of the Association in the FCT, Anne Daniel at a colourful event that witnessed members of NAWOJ adorned in red coloured dresses congregated at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Utako-Abuja.
The combined Christian and Muslim prayers session saw Ladi Bala leading the Christian prayers while Hajiya Arafat Salami led the Muslim prayers.
The prayers sessions were replicated in the 36 States capital where members of the NAWOJ congregated at the various NUJ Press Centres and bared their minds to God seeking His intervention over the insecurity situation in the country.
In Abuja, members of the Association showed the light as they turned out in their numbers, clad in red attires to symbolize the bleeding in Nigeria and prayed their hearts out to God at the NUJ Press Centre, Utako, Abuja.
Leading the Muslim prayer, former Secretary of the NUJ, FCT Council, Hajiya Arafat Salami, said that at this point when Nigerians are facing security challenges, with evil people trying to unleash mayhem, it is time to join hands regardless of faith and ask Allah for intervention.
She said that insecurity, banditry, kidnapping are not faith-based because Nigerians have risen against it and God is supporting them, stressing that as Muslims end the month of Ramadan, they are joining their Christian counterparts to raise their voices to Allah to ask for mercy.
In her words; “The story of Jesus is around the efficacy of prayer. His grandmother prayed to Allah to give her a child that will be dedicated to Allah through whom you will show your grace and Allah gave him Mariam and she was downcast. She had asked for a child that will serve Allah and she was given a girl but that girl changed the course of history. So women should tap into that.
“Nobody helped Islam except Mariam and we have a lot of women in Islam that have changed the course of history,” Hajiya Abdulsalami said.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the prayer session, President of NAWOJ, Comrade Ladi Bala, said that the Association saw the need to turn to God for intervention owing to what looks like some Nigerians turning their hearts to those of beasts thereby losing their sense of humanity.
Bala said that insecurity in the country is affecting every part as violence seems to be taking over the better part of Nigeria, adding that this is the major reason why the national leadership of NAWOJ resolved to lead its members nationwide to seek God’s face as only Him can deliver Nigeria from the numerous challenges bedeviling it.
She also said that insecurity has also affected the Nigerian economy negatively thereby creating so much hunger, frustration and pain in the land just as she stressed that owing to these concerns, NAWOJ believed that it is time to wake up the consciousness of Nigerians to the unfortunate situation they found themselves and to go to God in prayers to help the country attain justice, fairness and desired peace.
In the words of Ladi Bala; “We see that practically, every sector of Nigeria has been affected by one form of violence or the other. We are no longer united, a lot of things are tearing us apart. The insecurity itself is enough burden.
“Most Nigerians are going about their businesses with fear. They are not free in their minds. The uncertainty in the air is alarming. So, we now asked ourselves, what do we do? What is the way out?
“And we realised that the government of the day has been investing in security to address the issues. Practically, most of the stakeholders are doing their part, but the problem still persist.
“Our economy is not functioning, there is so much hunger, frustration and pain in the land. We then came to the conclusion that the only way to resolve this issue is to take our challenges to the God Almighty in prayers because He is the creator of the whole universe, Who created Nigeria and Nigerians.
“lt is by His will, we are here today as a nation. If not Him, who else can better our lot as a nation. One of the things that has been keeping us going is because of our inclination to the things of God. God is our foundation and we felt that the best thing is to go back to our foundation. And surrender ourselves to Him, ask for mercy because we have all gone astray. Let peace be restored again, we want to see Nigeria we used to know.
“We think it is wise to bring this to the notice of Nigerians because God says when we call upon Him, He will answer us and as mothers and women we have a critical role to play in our homes and in our nation. That is why we have come out to say all women should cry out to God.
“We must must make sure that we invest in peace that we so desire. This is not because the government has failed. The issue of security is global. We can no longer wait on government to do something, because the government’s efforts is not yielding the results that we desperately seek. That is why we turn to God, because with Him it’s a matter of seconds to turn things around.
“Prayer is a continuous thing. What we have done today is to awaken the consciousness of Nigerians that the situation we found ourselves today is better taken to God in prayers. The call is for all to go back to God, to seek the face of God.
“But first and foremost, we need to purge ourselves and search our conscience because like one of the speakers said, where there is no justice, there is no peace. Whatever you see in the physical has a spiritual dimension to it.
“There is a warfare in the spiritual realm and it takes prayers to overcome. That is why we decided in this month of Ramadan to fast and pray alongside our Muslim brothers and sisters to ask for mercy. The Bible says the mercy of God prevails over judgement” Comrade Ladi added.
Speaking in turn, the FCT Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche, praised the leadership of NAWOJ for taking the lead in the efforts geared towards rescuing the country from the clutches of insecurity and other challenges confronting the country.
Ogbeche said that the Bible teaches us that women championed the course of saving nation’s and how God responded positively to prayers of different nations in time of trouble.
The NUJ Chairman expressed optimism that God will answer NAWOJIANS prayers and heal Nigeria as well as redeem Nigerians from the present difficulties they are facing.
