CWO Awka II Deanery 2024 Triennial Convention

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… Empowers Women and Confers Deanery  Ambassadorship

By Daruwana Daku and Emmanuel Chigozie

As the Catholic Women’s Organization (CWO) holds their triennial convention, the need to empower women of less privilege with food items and cash gifts took the centre stage at this year’s triennial convention.

The convention, which is symbolic to the CWO, and held every three years with the aim of sourcing funds to execute capital projects within the deanery, was held, November 30, 2024, at St. Mary’s Parish, Awka.

The convention which had the gathering of members of the CWO from the six parishes that constitute Awka II Deanery, began with a Concelebrated Eucharistic Celebration and had the Diocesan Chaplain of CWO, Catholic Diocese of Awka, Rev. Fr Dr Jonas Unegbu, as the officiating priest.

Presenting his homily during the Mass, the homilist, Rev. Fr. Johnmark Okafor, highlighted the essence of the convention, while admonishing on the need for members of the CWO to always embrace the mysteries of the Holy Mass by partaking in the celebration of the Holy Mass at all times.

Even though this year’s convention featured lighting of candles, unveiling of Virgin Mary’s statue, cutting of cake and march past, the climax of the event was the presentation of cash gifts and bags of rice and beans as part of the empowerment programme.

Speaking at the event in her address of welcome, the organizer of the deanery, Lady Lilian Ejy-Akwuba, LSM, spoke highly of the deanery’s interest to empower the members with start up funds for their businesses. This, according to her, was more important than building halls or buying buses for the deanery.

She appreciated the support the deanery had received from philanthropists and benefactors.

The convention was used as an avenue for the deanery to vest their patronesses and ambassadors, as well as award presentation to pillars of the CWO Awka II Deanery.

Princess Ebele Nawnkwo Ananene and Chief Dr Mrs Ego Obiegbunam,  were conferred as ambassadors of CWO in the deanery, while Lady Theresa Okafor and Mrs Cecilia Nnanudi Were awarded patronesses, respectively.

According to the Deanery Organizer, they were honoured for their impact on their society and the Catholic Church at large.

Speaking with Fides, one of the newly conferred ambassadors, Princes Ebele Nwankwo, expressed gratitude to God, the organiszer and the CWO Awka II Deanery for finding her worthy of being an ambassador of the deanery.

Even though she noted that she felt reluctant receiving the award, she felt happy that they were able to come this far as it would spur her to continue assisting the Church with her philanthropic gestures.

She also said the deanery felt it important to confer awards on pillars of the CWO from the six parishes that constituted the Awka II Deanery.

While the empowerment took the shine of the event, some of the indigents that were empowered with the sum of fifty thousand Naira to support their businesses included: Florence Ezeaha; Jacinta Nwode and Alio Clementina.

The convention had other engaging and enticing segments that included the Ideal Couple and the Ocheze contest.

The Ocheze contest came with razzmatazz amid other exciting contests from contestants within the six parishes.

The competition which was keenly contested had proceeds from goodwill messages as part of the criteria for winning.

In the end, Lolo Ijeoma Nwankwo from Annunciation Parish Awka defeated other parishes to win the competition. She got an edge over other contestants and clinched victory by having the highest number of Goodwill Messages and proceeds from the Convention.

Highlights of the event included cutting of cake, march past, unveiling of Mary’s statues, and financial  contributions as support to the deanery.

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