It was a sight to behold today at St. John’s Anglican Church Oko, near former Vice President Ekwueme’s residence, when over 3,000 widows in over 45 communities in Aguata Anglican diocese led by their President, Dame Ngozi Nzeka, staged a prayer for peace in Nigeria.

At the event tagged Widow’s Day 2013, of the Aguata Diocesan Social Welfare Committee (Widows Fellowship Unit), wife of the Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Margaret Peter-Obi, lamented the number of registered widows in Aguata Diocese, wondering why the number of widows in the state and Nigeria is so large.

Obi’s wife urged the widows not to relent in praying for Nigeria and particularly for the successful conduct of the transition election in Anambra State which comes up November this year.

She donated N500,000, a hundred wrappers and 100 bags of rice to the widows fellowship, saying she was not aware that the number was so large. She assured that she would continue to support them.

The governor’s wife thanked the Archbishop, Province of the Niger, Bishop of Aguata Diocese, Most Reverend Christian Efobi, and wife Dame Jane Nkiruka Efobi (JP), who is the President Mothers Union/Women Guild of the diocese, for the way they are piloting the affairs of the women, especially the widows in the diocese.

Mrs. Obi reminded the widows that they cannot do anything without the grace of God and traced her mission with widows back to 2006 when she assumed office. She noted that she has visited each of the 177 communities in the state thrice, championing the cause of widows. She commended the Chaplain Reverend Canon Victor Ezeibe for his passion in the widows’ ministry.

In his speech, Most Reverend Christian Efobi disclosed that registered widows in the diocese are 3,139 while there are other 86 old widows who could not join in the event of the day. He said a day was marked out for widows in the diocese to honour them, pray for them and share in their joys and pains, reminding them that a chaste widow lacks nothing because God is always her strength.

•Photo: Mrs. Margaret Peter-Obi handing over a cheque of N1m to a woman widowed by Boko Haram in Adamawa State, Mrs. Perpetua Mgbemena, at St Andrew’s Catholic Church Adazi-Nnukwu today.. On her left are Gov. Obi and Hon. Uche Ekwunife.

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