Women Ministry

Diocese on the Niger Women’s Ministry is made up of the Women Ministry of the 18 Archdeaconries in the Diocese. The President, Dr Mrs. Elsie Nonyelum Nwokolo is assisted by the Presidents of these Archdeaconries as her Vice Presidents. The Archdeaconries are: Cathedral, Onitsha, Nnobi, Ogidi, Oyi, Obosi, Onitsha Central, Onitsha South, Oba, Nkpor, Awada, Inland Town, Abatete, Nkpor New Covenant, Ascension, Divine Grace, Alor and Oyi Central. Women’s Ministry also has Unit Committees through which it achieves its aims and objectives. These Units are Action and Outreach, Prayer and Spirituality, Finance and Central Services, Training, Marketing, Communications and Events. Others are Protocol, Kitchen, Music, Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC), Girls’ Guild, WOWICAN, Clergy Wives Choral Wing, Young Wives, and Catechists/Church Teachers Wives. Each unit has a co-ordinator at the Diocesan level that is part of the executive. At the Archdeaconry and Parish levels, each unit also has a coordinator. The Diocesan Women’s Ministry runs Non Governmental Organization’s through which we reach the less privileged, and also adds quality to the society. Some of these NGO’s are Mother’s Union, OVC – Crowther Homes. Some programmes of the Women’s Ministry are Mother’s Union and Women’s Guild Activities, Women’s Day Celebration and Diocesan Women’s Conference organized annually. It is our aim to demonstrate our Christian faith in action by transforming our communities through the nurture of Christian families as well as families of its various forms. The President therefore takes pride in promoting activities that will mobilize the women for effective work of evangelism in the church, in homes, places of work and the communities. It does this through Bible study and Discussion, enlightenment on Synod theme for the year and activities of various units. Activities are also organized for the edification of the women through Health talks and discussions on issues concerning women. Our website will be updated regularly so as to provide the women and visitors to the site with latest information about the Diocese on the Niger Women’sMinistry. BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN’S MINISTRY, DIOCESE ON THE NIGER Diocese on the Niger Women’s Ministries was instituted in 1975 by Mrs. Beatrice Onyemelukwe, the wife of the then Bishop on the Niger the Rt. Rev Jonathan Onyemelukwe. Her work and service have left a lasting and strong effect on the mode of activities and performance of the women of the old Niger especially as she introduced the Mary Sumner uniform to stop unnecessary expensive dress competition at women’s church meetings and conferences. She also produced the Women’s Guild and Mother’s Union uniforms for the same reasons in the Diocese on the Niger, and other Dioceses are imitating her example. The building of Sharon House which started as the Mary Sumner House was also part of her work worth mentioning. Mrs. Beatrice Onyemelukwe in 2000 handed over to Dr (Mrs.) Ngozi Okeke, the wife of the Rt Rev Ken Sandy Okeke. Dr (Mrs.) Ngozi Okeke met the Sharon House at the roofing stage. After roofing the building she did extensive internal changes to make the building more user-friendly. To the glory of God, she opened the building in February 2005. She started many more projects viz the Hair Salon, the Computer Institution and the Bakery. Later she introduced the practice of pulling together the fund raised from Archdeaconry conferences for our Diocesan projects and this proved very beneficial. Through this practice, the following projects were completed: -1. Sharon Business Complex which houses the Diocesan Human Development Services office, the Diocesan Women’s Health and Welfare Unit Office and the Youth Friendly Centre (in partnership with NYNETHA – National Youth Network for HIV/AIDS). 2. Crowther Children’s Home. 3. Crowther Teen Center. 4. The two – storey building for accommodation and dining hall at the Crowther Retreat Centre. Dr (Mrs.) Ngozi Okeke (Nneobioma) in 2011 handed over to Dr. (Mrs.) Nonyelum Nwokolo (Mama Niger), the wife of the present Bishop on the Niger Rt. Rev Dr. Owen Chiedozie Nwokolo. Dr (Mrs.) Nwokolo completed the Bethany Chapel, Crowther Retreat Centre and M.U plaza. She is currently building the Sharon Guest House with 46 rooms and Skill Acquisition Center. She has also embarked on Agricultural projects and many other investments like the purchase of lands and Hostel.