By Maria Famakinwa

If Nigeria must return to the path of sanity and decorum, mothers must rise to their responsibility of instilling discipline and  love towards their children and wards.

This was the words of  the wife of Ondo State Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, while addressing congregation at the 2022 Mother’s Day celebration of the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) First Baptist Church, Wetheral road, Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Attributing the increasing rate of social vices to failure of motherhood, Mrs Akeredolu who was represented by Ondo State BRECAN Chairperson, Mrs. Chinyere Iyke-Nneke noted that those children who were into illicit acts like Yahoo Yahoo, drug abuse and prostitution, were products of failed families.

She described the theme of the event, ‘Mothers as Backbones’, as apt in this dispensation where motherly care and guidance were fast eroding.

Her words: “A major aspect of failure in life, in my opinion, is parental failure. When mothers fail to raise children with discipline, the society bears the sad consequences.

“The special role of women to nurture and care for not only children but all members of the family, including the husband and all dependants is a sacred role which must be given priority over other issues competing for attention.”

She, however, expressed optimism that the society could regain sanity if mothers rise to their God-given responsibility of being the backbones of the family.

Mrs. Akeredolu who was honoured at the event as a ‘Distinguished Mother’, hinted that mothers shouldn’t spoil their children in the name of showering love, but learn to love and at the same time scold rightly.

She appreciated the recognition, saying, “it will no doubt motivate me the more in living exemplary life worthy of emulation by the girl child and women in general.”

Mrs. Akeredolu used the medium to admonish women to be breast self aware, noting that breast cancer was a killer disease that could be prevented if detected early.

Earlier in her welcome address, the WMU’s President, Mrs. Patience Osondu, noted that the event was in recognition of virtuous women for their significant roles in the family, church and the society at large.