Recently, over 1,500 widows from various states of the Federation converged in Abuja for an intercessory prayer for the nation.
The programme tagged “Widows Pray for Nigeria” was organised by the Rock of Ages Widows Empowerment Foundation,
a Non-Governmental Organisation, witnessed the distribution of food items to these indigent women who are left to the vagaries of life following the death of their spouses.
About 300 of the widows who were earlier trained on various vocational skills were provided with aftercare materials and seed money to enable them become self-reliant and as well take care of their children.
President of the Foundation, Mr. Newman Ezeigbo, said the nation was passing through trying moments in the face of the Boko Haram insurgencies, which have claimed the lives of many innocent Nigerians as well as the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He said the prayer session was to intercede for the country, saying instead of sitting and bemoaning the woes of the nation, it was better option to offer prayers and supplication to the Lord.
“The scripture says that every time the widows pray and cry, the Heavens hear them and Nigeria needs these prayers and cries from these widows because people are already fed up with what is happening in the country,” he said.
The philanthropist, said those who thought Nigeria was going to break in this “trying period” would be disappointed as he predicted the country would come out of these critical moments stronger and more united.
Ezeigbo, while stressing the need to empower women who are the most vulnerable group in the society, encouraged the widows across the country not to lose hope.
He condemned the killing of students of College of
Agriculture, Yobe State, by unknown gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect, saying the Boko Haram insurgencies have left many families without their bread winners, particularly in the northern part of the country.
All the widows who participated in the prayer session left home with a bag of rice and other food items, while 300 of them who were trained on various skill acquisitions were empowered with N20, 000 cash and relevant materials related to their trades.
