Within and outside the Church the atmosphere was charged and boisterous to announce to the worshiping community of St. Cyprian Catholic Church, Oko-Oba, Agege, that Sunday April 24, 2022 has been set aside world-wide to celebrate mothers, even as Very Rev. Fr. Richard Fasuyi, the Parish priest described mothers as inestimable jewels to be celebrated given the role women play in procreation and for preserving nature.
It was Mothers’ Day marked across the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos and beyond that attracted husbands, children, friends and well-wishers armed with gifts to shower on mothers as a sign of their love and to appreciate them as home builders in the face of mounting challenges and economic woes Nigeria is currently experiencing. In a Mass concelebrated with priests, including the Associate Parish priest, Rev Fr. Anthony Ntia, Very Rev. Fr. Fasuyi, the Parish Priest extoled the virtues of mothers to high heavens, describing them as tenderly and extraordinary in bringing up the children in the fear of God and for taking care of their husbands.
Instantly, he asked the men and children in the Church to present gifts to mothers as a token of appreciation for the role they play in nurturing the family and domestic church, keeping it in place, and by extension impacting positively on the larger society. Men, children and well-wishers came out in large numbers to answer the call. The elderly, wives, widows, orphans all smiled home with custom designed cakes and other gift items. At the height of the celebration, Princess Mariam Kanu, the parish CWO President led the mothers, including Mrs. Pauline Nebo, CWONLA president in thanksgiving to the altar. Shortly after the Mass, the celebration shifted to the Church ground with the men putting on hold, and barely discussing issues involving men in their monthly meeting, to join the mothers in marking the Mother’s Day with pomp and celebration.
