Women
Mothering Sunday: Women, Servants In Church, Society
Mothering Sunday is one ceremony that is celebrated annually in Christendom, especially the Anglican Communion, to remember the importance of women and the role they play in church, family and the society at large.
Usually, it begins with a week-long activity in many churches within the month of March. Mothers all over the world are celebrated. Women appear in white materials specially to celebrate and give thanks to God for making them who they are.
During the period, women organisations use the ceremony to reach out to the needy, visiting the less privileged and the vulnerable in the society.
At the beginning of the week-long activity, women of the Anglican Communion, Church of Nigeria, start with rallies while various groups dress in different uniforms, march through the streets and neighborhood.
In some churches, activities like football matches, march past, cooking competition amongst others come to play. Drama presentation, singing competitions, play let are some of the activities women engage in during Mothering Sunday.
A statement of wisdom says: “A real mother is one who murders her dirty character because her worthy characters is what makes her really beautiful”.
A woman works almost 24 hours. She is a prayer warrior, comforter, guidance and counsellor to her children and others, a teacher, a nurse, a doctor, to mention but a few.
Women beautify the society as they are special and peculiar specie from God.
At New Wine Anglican Church, Okporo in Port Harcourt, women took time to examine: “The Christian Woman: A Servant of the Church”.
Admonishing the women during the Mothering Sunday Thanksgiving Service to mark the end of the week-long activity, the preacher, Mrs Philomena Ezigbo, said women should recognise that God has called them to serve.
Examining the theme for this year’s Mothering Sunday, “The Christian Woman: A Servant of the Church”, she said rendering service to God by women should not have boundaries bearing in mind that time is short on earth while reminding them that such service should be unto God and not man.
Taking a text from: Roman 16:1-3, she emphasised that women should be willing instruments in the house of God and noted that they should learn from Phebe who was a servant of the church.
According to her, God is a rewarder of those that diligently serve him and explained that willingness to serve, availability of the person and being faithful are the major factors
She described the woman as a scourer who should serve with their hearts without being lazy.
Many women expressed joy for being alive in the land of the living go celebrate this year’s Mothering Sunday.
A lay reader, Mrs Priscilla Chukwuemeka thanked God for keeping her to witness this year’s celebration despite the difficulty facing families.
She expressed optimism that after celebrating with all the cries from women, something meaningful would be done to save the economy of Nigeria.
In the views of Mrs Chikaodi Emerie, “ I thank God for making me a woman and to partake in the celebration.
According to her, I will continue to serve the Lord because I have received great things from him.
A pharmacist, Dame Nkechi Omeaku said Mothering Sunday celebration is a period for remembering the roles of women in the family, church and society. She said a mother that does her duties right will set her children on the path towards fulfilling God’s plans for their lives.
A nurse, Mary James, said mothers are very special people because of how passionate they are about their children.
As she puts it: “I’m where I am today because of the grace of God and the prayers of my mother”
Dr. Agnes Godknows said, mothers are pivotal to the fulfillment of the destinies of their children.
Unfortunately, she said, mothers are so carried away by the things of the world that they forget their role in interceding for their children.
As women render services in church, who are we serving? As a woman, serve without being slothful in business and remain persistent. A steward in church is supposed to be called a servant.
Phebe abandoned all she had to do serve in the Roman church. Even as Paul sent her to deliver letters to the Roman church, she never hesitated. Before Paul got to the place, she has already gone to do the work diligently.
According to Anglican Voice, Motherhood is more than a stage; it’s a lifelong calling from God. With it, He gave mothers hearts that love deeply, hands that serve tirelessly and vision to see His blossoming image in the precious ones entrusted to them.
By: Eunice Choko-Kayode
Women
Nigeria Deserves Stylish, Sophisticated Designs-Igiebor Daddy Lucky
IVY-K Fashion by Igiebor Daddy Lucky, a Nigerian-born designer now based in the UK, has launched the latest menswear line, Dapper Man.
One of the collection’s strengths is its classic, clean aesthetic. Dapper Man delivers sharp, structured suits in a timeless black and white color scheme that exudes a sense of luxury and professionalism. The use of high-quality fabrics like wool and silk ensures that the suits not only look high-end but also feel luxurious to the wearer. The designer’s focus on detail is evident in the meticulous tailoring, with fitted blazers and crisp trousers forming the foundation of the collection.
Where IVY-K Fashion shines is in the subtle yet elegant touches. The inclusion of beads as embellishments on lapels and cuffs adds a unique flair, blending traditional craft with modern tailoring. This nod to African heritage gives the collection a distinct identity, offering something more personal and culturally significant than your standard menswear line.
However, despite the elegance of the Dapper Man collection, there is a lingering sense of missed opportunity. The black-and-white color palette, while classic, feels overly safe. In a fashion landscape where bold colors and daring patterns often make the strongest impact, the collection could benefit from incorporating more vibrant hues or experimenting with unconventional fabrics. Pushing the envelope with color or texture could elevate these designs from simply elegant to truly memorable.
In addition, while the tailoring of the blazers and trousers is immaculate, the collection lacks a sense of playfulness or modern edge that many contemporary menswear lines are embracing. The suits are undoubtedly stylish, but the collection as a whole leans heavily on tradition. Experimenting with asymmetrical cuts, bold patterns, or even layering could add an exciting dimension to Dapper Man. The challenge is to maintain the sleek sophistication of the collection while infusing it with a fresh, innovative spirit.
Another area that could use improvement is the overall cohesion of the collection. While the suits are well-crafted, there is a feeling of repetition across the pieces. More variation in design, such as different lapel styles, pocket configurations, or even bolder accessories, would give the collection greater diversity and visual interest.
In conclusion, Dapper Man by Igiebor Daddy Lucky showcases the designer’s strong grasp of classic tailoring and elegant design, but to truly capture the attention of a broader audience, IVY-K Fashion would benefit from more daring choices. By infusing the collection with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a more modern edge, Dapper Man could move from a well-crafted line to a trendsetting force in men’s fashion. With such a solid foundation, there’s no doubt that Igiebor Daddy Lucky has the potential to lead his brand toward greater heights
Women
Women Can Curb Indecent Dressing
The trend of indecent dressing all in the name of fashion is fast becoming a norm in our generation and society at large. Most married women embrace this fashion as competition with single ladies.
Different scholars have given an in depth insight about dressing as a tool of communication. Non-verbal communication has been asserted as the communication between people by the means of signs or symbols. It conveys what we wish to disseminate to the public as either intentionally or not.
According to Paul Ekman and Michael Argyle, communication is carried out through what has been classified as “Presentational Code”. He listed nine codes of non-verbal communication, as body contact, facial expression, gestures, postures, eye movement, proximity, orientation, head nods and appearance.
This, being stated, married and single ladies should understand that their mode of dressing is communicative be it directly or indirectly as such body parts we call “private” are now being made public because of the trends or wearing of transparent dresses and this in turn calls on the attention of men who are weak and prone to illicit thoughts thus, resulting to most rape cases in our society.
This indecent dressing by most ladies has denied many their future husbands. The truth is that a man is attracted to his kind; his desires in marriage. It is often asserted that decency and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, yet, in trending times of this 21st century, dress code and fashion in nudity form is gaining popularity.
This has become complicated as most men tend to toggle between their emotions (lust) and sanity (rationality) in terms of marriage, thereby setting a wrong foundation upon which most marriages are consummated.
On the other hand, most married women have embraced the trend of indecent dressing nipping it on the state of it being the choice dressing, approved by their spouses, leaving society with the question of what “responsible” man would prefer that the secrecy of the benefit of his marital vow has become the centre of attraction and viewership by the general public.
Hence, communicating with their dressing gas given licence to every male gender who is interested or attracted to what they see to make unsolicited sexual passes at them, which might be considered embarrassing.
At this juncture, it is important to state that ladies should dress decently knowing that they are the epitome of nation-building, they are nation-builders, character moulders and pacesetters not just in the lives of their families but to the society at large.
In most occasions, there are no clear border lines between the married women and the single ladies because of the rate of scanty dressing which has close the gap of differences.
Women and girls should embrace this call awakening to decent mode of dressing. Dresses that are meant to be worn indoors should remain indoors.
It is worrisome to see ladies wear shorts that are supposed to be worn in the living room on the streets without shame. This is an awakening call to our ladies, married and singles that the opposite sex do not expose their private body parts for the public. Sometimes, the ladies go about in the streets without wearing brazziers as to showcase their nipples.
The society should be sanitised of the menace of indecent dressing that is lurking and taking over the entire nooks and crannies of the society and the nation at large.
Let it be known that he or she is addressed in the manner he or she is dressed. There may be no room for a second impression. To the single ladies, your dressing decently will not stop you from meeting your Mr Right rather, it will increase your stake and place you on the list of most valued women in the society.
Dressing speaks louder than words.
Kate Chisom Isiocha
Isiocha is an OND final year student of Temple Gate Polytechnic.