Tallen leads women in prayer against violence
Violent acts like kidnapping, arson and sectarian upheavals have left many people dead. The attacks by the Boko Haram sect may have redefined the history of terror in the country. As the proposed dialogue between the federal government and the group has been deadlocked in recent time, the group has constantly destroyed lives through bombing […]
Violent acts like kidnapping, arson and sectarian upheavals have left many people dead. The attacks by the Boko Haram sect may have redefined the history of terror in the country. As the proposed dialogue between the federal government and the group has been deadlocked in recent time, the group has constantly destroyed lives through bombing of places of worship, police and paramilitary formations and other strategic places.
Guest speakers and supporters of the summit included a former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Dame Pauline Tallen, Nollywood actresses and producers Funke Akindele, Omoni Oboli, Stella Damascus and Ufuoma Ojenebor and other female leading pastors from different churches across the nation.
Dame Tallen described the various forms of violence ravaging the country as foreign to the polity and urged women to rise up against it. She said, “What we used to read in the newspapers on foreign lands about various forms of violence especially terrorism are now happening here.
“We as mothers of the nation should be symbols of peace and as such condemn these acts of violence by coming out of our shell and condemning such acts as well as praying unto God so that the future generation of this country is not completely destroyed.”
Damscus, a Nollywood actress and producer said no government can stop violence, no single human can do it alone, adding that it is only God that can stop it.
She said, “Where they are coming from we don’t know, who is sponsoring them we do not know, the equipment we don’t know the sponsor. We cannot place a finger on the person who is sponsoring the cause we do not know. It is a sign of the end time. All the things that were written in the bible are what are happening now. The only thing that can save us are prayers, that’s the truth.”
Another Nollywood actress and producer, Akindele now popularly referred to as Jenifa lamented that the violence in the country is getting worse. According to her, “the Nigerian woman’s role is to pray, it’s by God’s grace. It is only God that can touch the hearts of those people behind this terrible act of violence to put a stop to it.”
Founder of Awesome Teasure Foundation, Jumoke Adenowo and chief host of the prayer summit said the country is currently at a point where the cords of nationhood are more fragile than a spider’s web.
Adenowo said the Nigerian woman has a major role to play in stopping wanton destruction of lives and property by terrorist acts and other forms of violence.
She said until Nigerians find a national identity and everybody can state clearly what it means to be a Nigerian, the ship of state will drift and our heaven is not in sight.
This is the third annual National Women’s Prayer Summit. Last year when kidnapping was a raging epidemic, the theme was “Women against Kidnapping”. This year’s theme was “Women against Violence”.