The Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) says it will equip women with the skills and information needed to stay afloat in these trying times of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chairman of COWLSO, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said this on Wednesday during the 20th National Women’s Conference (NWC) of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).
The theme of the two-day NWC is ”Exploring The Possibilities in A New World”.
Sanwo-Olu, who is also the First Lady of Lagos State, said that the unprecedented global health crisis known as COVID-19 had thrusted people into a ‘new normal’.
She said that for such reason, there was the need for women to be equipped with the skills to prosper in the new world.
According to her, the theme of this year’s conference was carefully selected in line with the new realities necessitated by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
”We have again carefully selected worthwhile topics and resource persons to dissect and discuss interesting and relevant topics to help us cope and keep up to speed with this season of ”new normal”.
”Our goal is to equip women with the skills and information needed to stay above board in this very interesting times.
”This year, we are being equipped with the right information to ”Explore The Possibilities in A New World”. It is possible, it is doable, and it shall be done!,” Sanwo-Olu said.
She said that COWLSO, founded in 1974 was a platform for wives of Lagos State Government officials to promote child healthcare, empower women to discover their hidden treasures and protect the environment, among other things.
Also speaking, Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, said the theme of the conference was an apt strategy to encourage women to live up to their expectations as the bearers and managers of lives.
Oyetola said that this would help women to swiftly mobilise and prepare humanity to find solutions to the challenges that COVID-19 had thrown at mankind and explore opportunities inherent in the new normal.
”As mothers and society builders, women constitute the best vanguard for propagating the strategy and the content of the new normal to the rest of the society, especially our youths, who constitute about 60 per cent of our population.
”The best way to help them to perform their roles properly is to equip them with the requisite skills and knowledge in conferences like this.
”I, therefore, encourage women across the state and the nation to follow the COWLSO example so that, together, we can abide by the new normal, turn the challenges posed by COVID-19 to opportunities and win the war against the global monster,” he said.
On her part, the Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs Aisha Buhari, congratulated COWLSO for hosting another successful conference, toward enlightening women.
The president’s wife was represented by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
Buhari urged women to take advantage of the opportunities being provided by the Federal Government through the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria, among others to cushion the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
