Anglican Church Honours Gen. Adebayo’s Daughter, Adenike, Two Others With ‘Iya Egbe’ Title

By Victor Ogunje

For her contributions to the development of the Church, the Anglican Diocese of Ekiti, has conferred  honour on the daughter of the former Military Governor of the defunct Western Region, Chief  Adenike Margaret Makinde.

Makinde and two others, Prof. (Mrs) lbiyinka Ogunlade and Chief (Mrs) Oluwalana Olonisakin, were garlanded  with the Iya Egbe title of the Anglican Diocesan women organisations at the  Cathedral Church of Emmanuel, Okesa, Ado Ekiti, yesterday.

Mrs Makinde, is a daughter of the late General Adeyinka Adebayo, who was at a time the Military Governor of the old Western Region.

The honours were conferred on the honourees by the Bishop of Ekiti  Diocese and Archbishop of Ondo Province, Most Reverend Christopher Omotunde .

Speaking at the event, Makinde described the honour as an impetus that would imbue her with the spirit to serve God  more zealously and with vigour.

Makinde appealed to well-meaning Nigerians  to place high premium on charity, especially  empowerment of youth to wean them from social  vices.

She stated that most of the societal evils can be curtailed with good home training and better orientation, which she believed parents and  Churches  had pivotal roles to play to make them achievable .

Makinde  said: “Time has come for us to start reorientating ourselves and come to the realization that we need to serve God with all our strength. There are women in society that need helps and this we have to do as church leaders.

“Most of the problems our youths are confronting are background crises. Some of them were due to lack of  parental  care, because many of the parents used to abandon their homes in the course of running up and down to make ends meet.

“So, as women leaders  in the church, we will organise our women and expose them to how best to raise their children in the ways of God and how to get more economic opportunities that can support their homes. It is our duties to let them know that.

“This honour is the best for any human being, because it is from God. We appreciate the church for counting us worthy”.

In his sermon, Bishop Omotunde, who said the installation was contemplated  as a result of God’s instruction, added  that the Church was not  only honouring the women, but calling them to the service of God and humanity.

“I am not honouring you, but only calling you to service. We called you because God wants you to be there. You should be ready to serve God and humanity conscientiously. .

“It is not me that has recognised you, but heaven and because of that, you must not disappoint God”, he said.

Bishop Omotunde admonished the honourees to “be ruled and  governed by the words of God”, saying: “You must carry yourselves very well as  children of God.  Take after Jesus,  know him properly and be for him wholeheartedly”, he advised.

The service, was attended by the  Minister of Trade and Industry, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Ekiti State Deputy Governor,  Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, former deputy governor, Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, Bishop emeritus, Most Rev Samuel Abe, traditional rulers, Anglican priests,  diocesan women organisation and lay faithful.