About 400 widows were presented with clothing materials and free medical tests as part of 21st annual congress of Kwara State Chapter of Women's Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (WOWICAN) empowerment initiative for members across the 16 local government areas of the state.

The occasion was graced by traditional rulers from Kwara South which included Oba Solomon Oloyede, Olusin of Isanlu-Isin and Oba Gabriel Adewoye, Olowu of Owu-Isin, among others.

Speaking at the occasion in Owu-Isin, the chairperson of the association, Prophetess Bosede Adimabua urged Nigerian women, especially Christians, to rise up to overcome such challenges of economic, insecurity and moral decadence facing the nation.

The two-day congress, themed: 'Women of courage at such a time like this', also had Prophetess Adimabua, saying that nation's leadership needs the courageous support and prayers of women folk to overcome its numerous challenges.

WOWICAN chairperson said Nigeria women could not claim ignorance of the recent happenings in the country which she said had threatened unity and peaceful co-existence of the citizenry.

"You will recall that the recent happenings in the country are a pointer that Christian women need to rise up again with the power of God to bail the nation out of its present predicaments.

"As women of God, we cannot claim ignorance of the need to rescue the nations from the jaws of wicked ones," Adimabua said.

She listed parts of the challenges as economic depression resulting in mass sack of both civil and public servant, incidence of flooding and high rate of unemployment.

She said that other challenges included moral decadence in religious and public establishments, high cost of tuition fees in private and government owned institutions and embezzlement of public fund.

She mentioned some of the association achievements as organisation of health seminars in conjunction with the state Ministry of Health and aggressive drive to assist the widows in the society.

Adimabua also praised the state government for bailing it out of its logistic problem through the provision of a bus for the use of the association.

Also speaking, wife of Kwara State governor, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, urged women to be focused and upright in their quest to promoting the growth and development of the nation.

Mrs. Ahmed, who was represented by the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs Felicia Kisra, urged women to improve on the level of their education standard and attitudinal behaviour.

She said it was the only way they could impact positively on the lives of their children and their immediate environment.

"You cannot give what you do not possess; it is what is within your capabilities that you can use as a tool in shaping the lives of those near you. So, there is need for every one of you to build more on the level of your education, as well as moral uprightness in both your internal and external interactions," she said.