I t was celebration galore and a show of solidarity as members of the Catholic Women Organisation, CWO, Agege Deanery turned out in their large numbers to celebrate their Day on Sunday August 31, 2022 at St. Cyprian Catholic Church, Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos. The women who were decked in their traditional uniform of white blouse and blue wrapper with scarf to match, drawn from the 14 parishes that make up the Deanery, left no one in doubt that they meant business right from the beginning of the Mass to the grand reception. In the Mass concelebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Richard Fasuyi, the Parish priest, Rev. Frs. Lucas Joshua and Dennis Iorkumbur 0SJ, Fr. Fasuyi said women should be celebrated and prayed for as the home keepers. He prayed for peace in their homes and encouraged the men, among other guests to support them in their endeavours.
A roll call of the parishes saw them dancing to the altar with gifts in thanksgiving to God, amidst standing ovation and admiration as each parish sang and displayed the traditional dance steps of the different ethnic groups, even with costume to match in pairs with one of the two transforming into a man by her dress and make up, in emphasizing the unity and strength of the Nigerian woman, though tribes and tongues may differ. Shortly before the reception proper, Mrs. Stella Nwosu, Agege CWO Deanery Coordinator, spoke with the Catholic Herald Newspaper. She revealed that they also want to use the event to raise funds to execute a water project in the Deanery projected to cost over thirty million naira. Mrs. Nwosu noted that the occasion would also provide them the opportunity to recognise and honour some of their benefactors and supporters with special awards in different categories, namely: Excellence, Unique Mothers and what she called in Igbo dialect, Ada Di Ora Mma/Achievers Awards. Earlier on, Dr. Uche Okereke, the Parish Pastoral Council Vice Chairman (PPC), on behalf of members of the Council, the Parish Priest, Religious and the Lay faithful welcomed the CWO members and their executives, emphasizing that they should feel free while they relish the hospitality the good people of St. Cyprian would extend to them. The event was attended by invited guests, dignitaries from the 14 Parishes and beyond, among them, Mrs. Pauline Nebo, CWONLA President and some of her executives.
