A woman is not a piece of property that a man can toy with —Bosede Ola Samuel

Bosede Ola Samuel is a pastor at the Grace Way Christian Centre and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Women of Worth International. In this interview by KEHINDE OLADAPO, she speaks of her passion for young women and how they can learn from those ahead of them.

WHAT motivated you to convene the ‘Women of Worth,’ programme?

My motivation came from the home I came from. My father believed in me and believed there is no difference between a male and female child. He made me believe in myself and to see myself as somebody. Because of that, I have been able to do the things I do in life. I have seen women over the years who have low self-esteem, who see themselves lesser than the way God sees them. That is why in this programme, we bring women together and try to open their eyes, to paint a picture of who God has made them to be so they can be who they are meant to be.  Most programmes are for married people—and most often for men—while the younger women, youths are left behind. We hold this programme for them so that they can learn from our mistakes.

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What is the theme of the programme?

The theme of the programme is ‘The Jewel’ and its purpose is to show who a  woman truly is, as womanhood is very special. It is something God places a value on. The Bible says women are like weaker vessels. In other words, they should be treated with honour. We know the way we cherish our valuable and breakable things. We give honour to them. The Bible says that is the way a woman should be treated. This is because God sees a woman as a jewel. A woman is not a piece of property that a man can toy with. Women are special and we need to begin to see ourselves the way God sees us.

How long have you been organising this programme?

It is an annual programme for women. We started it in 2010. Although, for some years, it did not hold, we have been able to successfully hold it in six years. This year’s programme  is the 6th edition.

 

What is the nature of the feedback you have gotten from the participants of the programme?

In fact, the feedbacks have been awesome. One of the elderly women told us that we should do this more often. Every time we hold this programme, the responses use to be “Pastor Bose, can we do this every three months?” People have testified that it blessed their lives. During the medical health talk, a woman said if she had known about the programme before now, she would have understood herself better and would have been a better person a long time ago.

 

What is your advice for women out there?

My advice for women out there is that God has placed a great value on them and He needs them to see themselves the way He sees them. You are not your situation nor who people say you are. You are who God says you are, and you must embrace the picture of God concerning yourself. It is in that you would be able to do what God wants you to do. As far as you cannot see yourself as somebody, you cannot achieve great things in life. People don’t define you—they can only correct some things about you if their opinions tally with that of God for you. But if their opinions are different, then you should not accept it. The Bible says: I will make you an eternal excellency, the joy of many generations. Anything short of that is not what you should embrace.