As a way of starting the year 2022, we at Women of Worth (WOW) thought to remind ourselves of what WOW represents. And that’s why this series covers a lot of parts that makes WOW what it is called today. Kemi Adebumiti, the founder of this great group set the pace by showing us the way through Remembering WOW’s Mission. Relax and come along on this ride, it promises to be an exciting time.
Let’s go back to the ‘Genesis’ of how it all started. I believe strongly that when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. That’s why it’s important we remind ourselves the reason why we are here.
What exactly do you think we’re doing here?
Sometimes ago, due to the nature of things we were having to deal with on the group, my mind started to tilt towards WOW just being a support group for a particular gender. I was beginning to see WOW as a group of women gathered majorly for gender support purpose.
To be candid, I’ve had to struggle in my head to stay on course because really, it’s easy to shift as there are many other important things in the world yelling for attention. But thank God for a day like this, when we are able to sit round the table and remind ourselves of where we are heading to.
So, what is the original intent of WOW? Why are we here?
To help marriages. It’s as simple as that.
This is where it all started from:
I’m passionate about relationships and I just have this burning desire in me to have a community of people doing well in their marriages. I love to reason with people on how to better their relationships. And this is not because I know better or anything, it’s just Passion.
Before the creation of WOW, I belonged to a group of women and I was constantly having the feeling that marriages were suffering because of the kind of advice and things that were encouraged in that group. This further fired my passion. And WOW was birthed from the passion.
You may ask within you, ‘If WOW is to help marriages, why not couples’ group then? Why Women?’
Because Women are Changers. It’s that simple. The truth is, generally, it is women who move things in the home. We are influencers. That’s just the way we’re wired and it’s a blessing.
Now, aside this, men would readily not sit and be taught how to run their homes, it’s part of the ego thing and we’re not even going to start dragging that. It’s not just their world. If men are gathered, 70 to 80% of the time, they are talking Sport, Work or Politics. And if women gather, we are either talking about our marriages, our kids, the hype in the price of things in the market or maybe just random gist. Not like we don’t talk Career, Politics or other things but most of the times, we readily talk about things that hit us in the chest.
My point is, it’s in us to want to do things to better our homes, no wonder the Bible talked about women building their homes. (Proverbs 14:1).
Now, why did I say I was tilting?
Because WOW is a women group, it’s easy to mistaken it for a Feminism movement. And I fight that in every way because one of my greatest fears is that our husbands will start to feel threatened because we belong to a society of women like this.
Let me share this. A woman told me how her husband asked her to leave WOW because of fear of what we might be putting into her head. I understand anyway. And I simply encouraged her to leave until her husband readily come to terms with WOW being a group to help marriages and not to tear them apart.
Men can have this fear when we gather because of our ‘talky’ nature, they fear their wives might say or hear some things that might be detrimental to the home. And sincerely, I understand some men have this fear and I’m not even going to drag that. It’s in the hands of the wife to gain her husband’s trust.
We are not here to fight for gender equality. I’ll rather we use that energy to understand this other wonderful gender that God has put in our lives and see how we can have the best life with them.
Are we in the center of our mission? What are we doing to stay true to this mission?
Yes, we are at the center of our purpose. Every idea is gendered towards our mission directly or indirectly. Every of our programs find a way to connect to our mission. And by next week, we will be expatiating better on how our programs connects to our mission.
Aside our programs pointing us to our mission, other things we do that keep us on track is creating an atmosphere where people can boldly share their worries and confusions and people attend to them diligently. That’s why it’s important to carefully consider your contribution to any sensitive matter on the group, as your seemingly harmless and innocent response can put a strain on someone’s marriage.
One thing I hate is, an individual always being on the misleading path. When comments are apparently negative to what WOW is meant to achieve in people’s lives. I understand we can’t all think same way, range of thoughts are allowed but thoughts from the pit of hell are seriously frowned at.
To reiterate, our aim for gathering here is to help ourselves better our marriages in every aspect we can think of – major or minor. And I will encourage us not be carried away. Please, make sure you’re learning and unlearning.
Personally, I can’t quantify how WOW has changed me. In fact, sometimes, I feel God brought about WOW to actually change me because I can see the effects in my life and marriage. I am seriously learning, even from the very casual things.
If the only time you’re waiting for to learn in WOW is during lectures, then you’re missing so much. Every single program or even gist comes with lessons. And taking up these lessons and letting them change you is how you stay true to this mission. That’s why we have zero tolerance for passiveness. We are here for a mission. You can’t just be in the space without flowing with the mission.
In conclusion, let’s learn and unlearn as we catch fun. We are in the center of WOW’s Purpose when we are changing for better in all aspects of lives because a better woman is a better wife and mom.
Thanks for your presence and participation.
Question And Answers
Question 1: Can someone be left on the group if she takes permission to be passive?
Answer
Yes, please. It’s on our Rules and Regulations list. You will be removed if you’re passive for no reason. If someone says she will be off for a while because of exams or anything at all, we’re fine with that and we expect the person back. But disappearing without reason or not showing face at all is the issue.
Question 2: How long is considered as being passive?
Answer
Sometimes, it’s really not a thing of how long. Passiveness is more of an attitude to me. However, we usually remove passive members in the new year and before our anniversary. Sometimes it happens in between too. We just look around that period and list people that have been passive.
Please note that some people might not be removed even if they’ve been passive around that period, if we see that they are usually not like that. That’s why I said passiveness is more of an attitude.
For instance, some people are not active but you see how they struggle to catch up. The effort they put into showing their faces on the group, it’s obvious they are trying to be active. I won’t remove people like that. But some people are just there. They do not care. You understand why I said it’s an attitude.
Question 3: This permission of a thing, should it be made known to the group in general or to the Admin? Like, can I take permission from the Admin and just disappear from the group and come back once a year and the group will be cool with it, without me taking full permission from the entire group?
Answer
If it’s a secret and you don’t want the group to know your reason, you can tell the Admin. That way, we still let the group know we are aware you’re away; we just won’t disclose the reason.
Now, we encourage people to leave if they will be away for so long. We simply tell them to chat us when they are back. So, yes you can take a year break but it’s only reasonable that you exit to return whenever you’re done.
Contribution 1
WOW is a group of women of great worth, a place where we learn about anything and everything relating to Womanhood, Marriage, Motherhood and everything related to them.
Contribution 2
WOW is a place that build women to be what God intend for them. A place we learn, unlearn and relearn about our homes.
Contribution 3
WOW is a community for women of like minds. A place where you can be ‘naked’ literally and not be ashamed. A place you can be yourself and grow into someone better.
Topic: Remembering WOW’s Mission
Lecturer: Kemi Adebumiti
Date Delivered: 19th January, 2022.