By Our Reporter
Former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has said that insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping and killings by Fulani herdsmen, will stop if women are empowered to bring up children in society.
Speaking Saturday in Abuja during the first conference and inauguration of the United Business Women Association of Nigeria (UBWA), Okorocha said that poor family upbringing is the reason insecurity is on the increase, but revealed that women will play a great role in curbing the menace if empowered.
He said: “I am very happy to be a part of this history making event. It is an occasion that will go down in history as one of those efforts being made by women to move our nation forward. A woman is a special creature by God. Whatever is given to a woman is nurtured. Nations that have ignored their women are considered failed nations, while nations that make proper use of their women are considered developed nations of the world. If Nigeria must rise, the country must turn around and look at women.
“If any nation can rise, it starts with family. It is the bad family we have today that is giving rise to insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, among others. No sane woman who gave birth to a child would allow him to go astray or become a problem to society. Our problem is that we have not taken care of women. We have not empowered women to take care of children.
“Why we men have divided this nation along ethnic, economic, political lines, our nation is thriving on poverty and injustice. For as long as we have not empowered the women in the house to give us a good family, our politicians continue imbibing the spirit of injustice and poverty ravaging our nation, insurgency, herdsmenship, kidnapping and others can never stop. However, for those who have lost faith in our nation, Nigeria is not finished. Nigeria will rise again, but women must be empowered to ensure that.”
Speaking earlier, the president of UBWA, Hon. Mrs. Nkiruka Duru, said that the association is barely a year old, it has achieved tremendous sources in ensuring the emancipation of women.
She said: “United Business Women Association of Nigeria (UBWA) can be likened to a great unifying voice whose role is to unify business women across the nation and the world irrespective of tribe, religion and nationality.
UBWA is above one year old. It was founded in January, 2020 with its headquarters in Abuja and Anambra. In one year, UBWA has gone far and wide even beyond my dreams. In one year, the association has spread to the 36 states of the federation including FCT.
“Just as we are in the 36 states of Nigeria, so also do we have women leaders in over 773 markets of the country. UBWA has tirelessly taken action to empower the widows, less privileged, business women with no capital and today we are proud to say that the dream of a year ago had transformed and changed the lives of Nigerian business women.
“UBWA will continue to be a defense to the defenseless business women and will continue to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian business women towards economic growth and total wellness. UBWA will continue to take action towards attracting the dividends of democracy and good governance to Nigerian business women.
“We will ensure that business women in Nigeria are educationally sound, economically, intellectually sound for a rewarding present and innovative future for our children. However, even more importantly we appeal that you do not withdraw your support from us as there are so many lives to be touched.
“We have an ongoing land project for the proposed UBWA estate. Our goal is to help the less privileged women have a land and in the nearest future a home of their own through UBWA. The proposed Estate will have a school, hospital, orphanage and we humbly appeal for your financial support to actualize this dream.
