Christian women have been challenged to confront insecurity, violence, economic hardship and gender injustice with renewed faith and collective action.
The National Chairperson of the Women Wing of the Christian Council of Nigeria (WOWICCN), Prof. Ekwutosi Essien Offiong, gave the charge at the opening ceremony of the 7th Biennial Convention of the organisation in Jos, Plateau State.
The convention, holding from September 2 to 6, 2026, at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Jos, has the theme, “For We Are Well Able to Overcome,” drawn from Numbers 13:30.Offiong said the theme was intended to remind Christian women that despite the numerous challenges confronting individuals, families, communities and the nation, God remained greater than the problems facing them.
She particularly urged women in Plateau State not to lose faith despite persistent insecurity, conflict and violence in parts of the state.
“My specific message to Plateau women is that you should not lose faith. These things come to threaten us, weaken us, depress and demoralise us. They should know that they have a God in heaven who sees everything and is still concerned with every affair concerning them,” she said.
The WOWICCN national chairperson said members of the women’s wing had remained committed to the service of God despite challenges including insecurity, kidnapping, banditry and attacks on communities.
She said the organisation had continued to build on the structures inherited from its previous leadership following the 6th Biennial Convention held in Ibadan in 2024.
Delivering the keynote address, the President of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), Most Rev. David O. C. Onuoha, represented by Rev. Dr. Ephriam Simon Yakubu, described the convention in Jos as significant, given the city’s history of ethno-religious violence.
He said the convention’s theme was not merely inspirational but a call to action, urging Christian women to emulate the biblical Caleb, who expressed confidence that the Israelites could overcome the obstacles before them.
Onuoha identified insecurity and violence, economic hardship, gender injustice and spiritual compromise among the major challenges confronting Christian women and Nigerians.
He noted that violence, banditry and abductions had affected communities across the North-West, North-East and North-Central regions, while Jos had also experienced ethno-religious violence.
He urged Christian women to remain grounded in Scripture, prayer and faith while contributing to the building of families and communities capable of withstanding contemporary challenges.
The CCN president also challenged young women not to allow the magnitude of Nigeria’s problems to diminish the significance of their calling.He urged women at different stages of life to remain committed to their responsibilities, while encouraging older and more experienced women to mentor and invest in younger generations.
The Plateau State Chairperson of CCN, Evangelist Dorcas Yusuf Lenkat, said hosting the convention in Jos provided an opportunity to bring women from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to Plateau State.
Lenkat said the gathering would help present a different narrative about Plateau State, strengthen Christian unity and provide an opportunity for participants to pray for peace in the state and across Nigeria.
She said the presence of women from across the country demonstrated unity and offered an opportunity for collective prayers against persistent crises, killings and other social vices.
The convention also featured the presentation of awards to outstanding women for their selfless service to WOWICCN and ecumenical engagements.
As part of the activities, WOWICCN donated relief materials, including food items, clothes and toiletries, to internally displaced persons in Plateau State.
Offiong said the gesture was intended to support people who had been forced to leave their homes because of insecurity, expressing hope that they would eventually return to their communities and rebuild their lives.
The convention is expected to continue with other activities before ending with a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday.
