CDOWA tasks mothers on building impactful families meant to transform society positively
The Civil Defence Officers’ Wives Association (CDOWA) has tasked mothers on building impactful families meant to transform the society positively and build sound future leaders.
The Chairperson of CDOWA Enugu State Chapter, Dr Josephine Willie, gave the task during 2026 CDOWA Family Retreat/Workshop, with the theme: “One Heart, One Mission: Building a Stronger CDOWA Family”.
Willie noted that many of the social challenges and insecurities witnessed presently could be traced, in part, to broken family systems and the absence of positive nurturing during childhood.
According to her, children who are raised with love, discipline, moral values, and emotional support are more likely to become responsible, disciplined, and compassionate adults.
“Therefore, as mothers and wives, our role extends beyond our homes; we are builders of society and custodians of the future,” she said.
The chairperson said that the theme was deliberately chosen because CDOWA members are meant to build stable homes, raise responsible children, and strengthen one another through positive sisterhood.
She said, “It is a time to pause from our daily demands, reflect on our journey, strengthen our bonds, share our experiences. and renew our commitment to one another as members of one family.
“As wives of security personnel, we understand the unique realities of service life and endure long periods of separation due to deployments and sleepless nights of concern for the safety of our loved ones.
“The responsibility of nurturing our children, and sometimes the pain of loss and sacrifice. Yet through it all, we remain united by one heart, a heart filled with love, resilience, courage, and faith.”
The chairperson also sympathized with parents, whose child remained in bandits captivity, adding,: “CDOWA prays for the release and reunion of these children and others in bandits captivity”.
She appreciated Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA); Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA); Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Nigeria Correctional Officers’ Wives Association (NICOWA) and Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA).
“We thank the SHE CODE, and representatives from the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development as well as the Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Alleviation,” she said.
The Patron of CDOWA Enugu State Chapter, Dr Elijah Willie, said that families must take responsibility of children under them and ensure that negativity attitudes and tendencies among them were corrected on time.
Willie, who is also the Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Enugu State Command, said that the family remained the foundation upon which positive community, society, and nations are built.
The workshop featured interactive sessions, talk on empowerment and finance management, as well as a lecture on “Fostering Unity in the Family”, delivered by Dr Ebele Igwemeka, Senior Lecturer, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC).
The event, which was organised by CDOWA in collaboration with NSCDC Enugu State Command, also featured a medical talk and medical health checks and free drugs as well.