By VIVIAN DANIEL
At an end-of-year gathering and night of recognitions, a time of thanksgiving and feasting while celebrating Christ and his mercies shown to them as a community of women clergy in the city of Abuja, the Mothers Circle honoured two Amazons who have distinguished themselves in the society.
The event took place at The Macquee, Livingbrook Park, Asokoro, Abuja on Sunday, 1st December 2024. Tagged ‘Unity’, the aim was to reach out to other women pastors, wives of pastors and women leaders in other cities to be identified with Mothers Circle.
The Convener and Founder of Mothers Circle, Apostle Obii Pax-Harry, while giving a brief background on her leadership style, told Sundiata Post that hosting the event was more like taking the women beyond their comfort zones and opening them up to the world. She narrated how she has been a part of hosting events that brought together different races when she was in the United Kingdom. She said leadership is a gift and not a right.
Apostle Pax-Harry, who is also a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Sundiata Post, said: “hosting this event was not an easy one for us, as it was taking us beyond our comfort zone. Change is never an easy journey; however, the current state of the world makes adaptability a key requirement for effective leadership. It is understandable for us to be uncomfortable with opening ourselves to wider scrutiny, and to greater responsibilities of managing expectations of others (the public).”
“We have led a ministry for a decade in the UK called Women Arise, where we had 50% men and 50% women, with 22 chapters and about 20% of them were pastors’ wives, and only about 2% were blacks. Perhaps sometimes we may have certain gifts in an area but have not identified them and mine could be to bring leaders together. It is the same thing that I did before but now in a different context. And leaders across the UK used to ask me how did you do this? A group reflects who their leaders are and leadership is a privilege even though we intend to make it a right. My leadership style makes everyone have a spiritual heart connection that becomes relational.”
While responding to questions from newsmen about leadership, Apostle Pax-Harry, who told Sundiata Post that she had not judged a case since Mother Circle was founded, noted that “leaders nowadays are no longer concerned about the character they exhibit and the legacy they leave behind for those who are coming behind us. In those days, Nigerians were concerned about what they did while in office and other spheres of life. I think we’re now being led by people who may have come from major dysfunctions.
“What may have changed is that we have become so transactional and so conscious of material things alongside our values being eroded and distorted without remembering that leadership is about responsibility and inconvenience.”
Additionally, she said: “leadership is about forsaking for the sake of those that you lead. We must also learn about how to lead with people. We must regard and respect people, and if we regard the average Nigerian, we would not want to see them suffer, knowing that our leaders have equal rights as well as those they are leading.”
-
Pastor Funmi Ashaolu, to the Coordinator (2024 and 2025), who gave a thorough background of the Mothers Circle, said, “Mothers Circle has been in existence for six years. It is a fellowship of frontline women leaders, women pastors in Abuja, itinerant ministers, and pastors’ wives and there are about 20 of us in number from 15 churches. Apostle Obii brought us together and it has been a beautiful sisterhood where we love up on one another and get vulnerable as well. These are leaders who have people coming to them for counselling and when we are down, we can’t turn to those we are leading to seek help or tell them what is going on with us.
“This is a sisterhood where we can let down our airs and guards, love up on ourselves. We have also had meetings where we shared tears and joy moments. We have our prayer meeting every month, and we pray for the city of Abuja, our nation, Nigeria and most times, even without any of the challenges we may be facing, while fellowshipping together, a lot of us would feel relieved. For now, the Mothers Circle is only running here in Abuja but the Lord will guide us appropriately when it is time to diversify to other states.”
Meanwhile, the end-of-the-year gathering and night of recognitions had two pace-setters and powerful women honoured and given awards. They are Honourable, Pastor, Adebayo-Benjamins Laniyi, popularly and affectionately known as “Aunty D” or “Pastor D” – a pioneer mandate Secretary for Women Affairs Secretariat in the FCT. She is also a leader in the marketplace reaching out to women of different calibre and orphanages through her humanitarian services, along with Apostle (Mrs) Opuaya, fondly called “Apostle Opi” or “Pastor O”, the founder of When Women Pray International (WWPI) for their deep commitment to empowering others, women at large and towards the development of our nation Nigeria.
Apostle Opi, speaking to Sundiata Post on her experience with Mother Circle, noted that “It is a gathering of Apostle Obii Pax-Harry’s mentees and friends in ministry who came together to form a formidable force of women doing great things in the city and be friends. As you know, pastors hardly have friends, so, some of them may go through depression as well. We have indeed found friendship in Mother Circle.”
On how she feels being honoured and given an award, she joyously underscored, “I feel humbled, so humbled because when you are doing something without knowing that you’d be recognised. You are just working for your heavenly Father, and they now add a recognition; I am truly honoured. I know it is God that is invariably giving me a thumbs up.”
About how she would rate or what she would say on the milestones of Mother Circle, Pastor Opi exclaimed the word “Unity.” She said “bringing women together who are frontliners on their own is a great thing and the best achievement and also bringing the churches together as well; allowing us to be judged and embrace constructive criticism. “And regarding what the future holds for Mother Circle, I will say that initially we were getting so comfortable bonding within ourselves, but our doors are wide open for other women ministers who desire to be a part of us. One of my core values in life is remembering that I will meet the Master.”
While describing how she feels about the huge success of the event, Apostle Opi said, “There is God. Trust God in everything but be ready to take risks. Everyone preferred our intimate meetings, and at some point, people had to be informed who were not aware of the Mother Circle. We have many pastors who brought their wives to join the Mother Circle. I am overwhelmed. I have a fear of God renewed that anything is possible. Trust God and be willing to pay the price of change. What we see now is about transition, taking a small thing out for people to taste … Because as we are out in the public from today, every member of Mothers Circle will be obligated to behave even far better as we are now under a renewed responsibility. From henceforth we will support each other better. It is a whole feeling of joy that cannot be articulated,” she exclaimed.
Other women present at the epoch-making event include Reverend (Mrs) Ibukun Odusote, an ordained minister in the Foursquare Gospel Church, who recounted the impact of Mother Circle and noted that women are the strength of any nation while advocating for the Federal Government of Nigeria to make it a mandatory for women to have at least 40% participation during election and in governance at large; Sharon Adefarasin, wife of Apostle Micheal Adeyemi of Kingdom Lifeline Apostolic Ministries in Abuja; Binta Max-Gbinje, former pioneer Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Trustees Limited; Pastor Ugochi Christie Favour; Evangelist Chinwe Nwanosike; Pastor (Dr) Angela Mbah and many more.
Among the men who graced the occasion as well, Pastor Sam Oye, the Lead Pastor of The Transforming Church, urged the Federal Government, CEOs, and operators in the private sectors, alongside other well-meaning Nigerians, to reach out to the downtrodden in society in this yuletide season.
