Family values should be cherished, nurtured —Aisha Buhari

Wife of the Nigerian president, Aisha Buhari; Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode; his counterparts in Oyo and Osun states, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Mr Rauf Aregbesola, respectively, have stressed the importance of women in nation building, saying they are the bedrock of any family which in turn makes a nation.

They said this on Monday in their separate speeches delivered at the 16th edition of the National Women Conference, organised by Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), with the theme: “Strong family, strong nation,” held in Lagos.

This was just as they all emphasised the need to accord women more recognition in the country to fast-track development and transformation.

Speaking at the event, Aisha Buhari, who was represented by the wife of Imo State governor, Nneoma Okorocha, while stressing the importance of women in nation building, said family values were important and should be cherished and nurtured.

“Family values are important and should be cherished and nurtured. Love, support, friendship and guidance are key qualities necessary to form the family bond.

“We must continue to emphasise the importance of strong family values. Poverty, crime, declining school performance, are some of the challenges a country could face when families are not cohesive,” she said.

Lagos State governor, Mr Ambode; his counterparts in Oyo and Osun states, Senator Ajimobi and Mr Aregbesola, in their various addresses, noted that if the nation must make meaningful progress, the family, which is the mirror by which any society is measured, must be strengthened.

“With strong families, we can build a strong nation. But strong families will only exist in a society where nobody is left behind, where everybody has a voice and a stake. This is one of the toughest challenges facing governments – ‘to build an all-inclusive society,’” the governor said.

Governor Ambode said his administration recognised the critical need for societal inclusion and thus had initiated policies aimed at guaranteeing equal opportunities and participation for all Lagosians.

He said that his administration remained totally committed to empowering women as well as protecting the girl-child against all forms of negative vices, while creating viable platforms for families to bond and recreate.

Also speaking, Governor Ajimobi said the family, as the building block of the nation, must be given top priority.

According to him, women who hold the chord that binds the family together must be empowered to thrive both in their careers and the home front.

According to Aregbesola, if the family must be strengthened, the women who are saddled with the responsibility of building the home front must be encouraged and celebrated.