Our goal is to educate, empower, enable women and girls – Soroptimist Intl
A group of Nigerian business and professional women volunteers with passion for the welfare of women and girls nationwide installed its 21st National President in Lagos recently. Features editor, Gbubemi God’s Covenant Snr was there and reports.
Known as the Soroptimist International Nigeria (SINA), these accomplished mothers with the Shepherd’s heart gathered to prove that the welfare and wellbeing of the female population is not a task for governments alone.
At the Colonades Hotel, Ikoyi, last Sunday, the organisation held a grand ceremonial Change of Insignia and Installation of its 21st National President, to commission a new government for the next two years.
The event, crafted to coincide with World Mothers’ Day paraded notable personalities like political economist and management expert, Professor Pat Utomi who was special guest speaker ably accompanied by his wife, Professor (Mrs.) Utomi, former Interior minister, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke, Mr. Stanley Amuche, Nnamdi Obi and Chief Goddy Uwazurike, among others. Chairman of the occasion was Mr. Ken Orji ably supported by husband of the 21st National President, Dr. Chris Asoluka and Dr. Okparaugo Udebiuwa among other dignitaries.
In her handing over speech, the outgoing president, Soroptimist Bona Okigbo-Udebiuwa, congratulated her successor and informed the house that they hold this ceremony every two years, “but I will tell you why this event is a special one: this is the first time that a member of Surulere Club will take up the position of National President.”
The new President, an SI Surulere product is SI Barrister (Mrs.) Nneka Chris Asoluka, the first ever Soroptimist from the Surulere Club to mount the stable.
In her acceptance speech, SI President Asoluka said she felt honoured and proud that members of this great association have voted her worthy to lead the association for the next two years. She commended IPP Soroptimist Bona Okibo Udebiuwa, and thanked her “for your dedication to service, diligence and thoroughness with which you stayed on top of all issues.”
The organisation
Speaking on the organisation, the new President said SI is a global international volunteer movement working to transform the lives of women and girls worldwide. “Through our network of over 80,000 club members in 133 countries and territories, we have earned the prestigious consultative status at the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations which oversees all UN activities and policies in promoting human rights. This status in the UN gives us a seat to lend our voice to important discussions and allows us attend discussions on status of women in New York in March of every year.”
Their activities, she said, cuts across the local and international levels to achieve their tripartite goals to Educate, Empower and Enable opportunities for women and girls.
Prof Utomi in his speech, commended the remarkable job of work that Soroptimist International does and said he was privileged “because I am fortunate to know the passion with which the leadership engages on this subject; even a greater privilege because I have had the opportunity to associate with SI through SI Surulere particularly in the work that the Centre for Values and Leadership has done with widows for nearly 30 years now.
His speech titled, To Serve is to Live, and to Live is to serve, (drawn from a book he wrote before he turned 40 in 1996 or 1997), Utomi said he chose the title because a lot of people are confused about what service organisations do. Focusing his discourse on service to humanity, Utomi released a little of his humanity in his analysis. Hear him:
“Service has profound value both for us and for society. The essence of our humanity is captured by an orientation towards service because, if you really think about it, where were we created? Why are we here? What’s the purpose? One of the greatest challenges we have as human beings is that we don’t spend enough time asking these questions. “One of the things that happen in a country where we have a collapse of culture like Nigeria, is that every day we seem to wake up and we look across the road at our neighbours and we begin to get into a rat race to outdo our neighbours. Very often you find us chasing after the money we don’t have any need for, just to buy something we don’t really care for in other to impress our neighbours we don’t really like!”
Besides entertainment and buffet that showed the women knows even the way to everyone’s wallet, awards were given to members who had distinguished themselves, as well as friends of Soroptimist International.
