In a bid to empower women within the Apapa District of Assemblies of God Nigeria, Reverend Izuchukwu Chukwudebelu, who is the Apapa district superintendent, has emphasised the importance of financial wisdom.
Speaking at Apapa District Women Ministry’s rally recently, Chukwudebelu, urged women to prioritise financial literacy, citing its relevance for both personal, family and communal well-being.
Apapa District Women Ministry is a department in Assemblies of God Apapa, being coordinated by Reverend Adanma Hope Chukwudebelu.
Taking his reading from the scriptures, the book of Matthew Chapter 25 verse 1 to 13, the clergy spoke on the topic of the rally, ‘We are in the 10 virgin’s night: be the wise five’.
He likened Nigeria as a community of 10 virgins and urged it to be the wise five.
He made reference to a statement by Peter Obi, the presidential aspirant of Labour Party, stating that the church does not have a special market where others cannot buy or a different school for her children.
While acknowledging that there are 10 virgins among women, he noted that the Bible classified the 10 virgins into five foolish virgins and five wise virgins.
“If you are not one of the foolish ones then you are one of the wise ones. You need to improve and continue to be wise. But if you are among the foolish, migrate to the wise,” he said.
Chukwudebelu, admitted that the women ‘s department remains the strong force holding the church in Assemblies of God Nigeria.
He added, “I have been privileged to preach in every church in Nigeria and outside Nigeria, the women are the strong force. If you see any church that is doing well, remove the women and you will see that the church is empty.”
Analysing the similarities and differences of the 10 virgins, he said they are all female, adding that virginity is not exclusive to women rather the women claimed it.
According to him, virgin means untouched, fertile as the Bible called them virgins, they were untouched. He added that originally virgins are young girls who have not been disvirgined.
He said they were waiters, waiting for the bridegroom. They were carriers of lanterns.
On the differences, he said out of the 10 virgins, five had lanterns without oil while the other five had lanterns full of oil. “The five foolish ones value dependence. They are people who are ordained to depend on people. The five wise ones value independence.”
Chukwudebelu’s message centred on the significance of financial prudence, particularly for women who adhere to godly principles. He highlighted five key reasons why financial wisdom should be a priority for women, irrespective of their religious affiliations.
Financial wisdom, according to Chukwudebelu, grants women a sense of independence and autonomy. By making informed financial decisions, women can align their choices with their values and priorities, reducing dependency on external support.
