READ DR SIJU ILUYOMADE’S SPEECH AT 2020 ARISE WOMEN CONFERENCE

The 2020 Arise Women Conference was held over the weekend at the Astro Turf Playing ground of City of David, Redeem Christian Church of God, Oniru, Victoria Island, it was also televised live by Channels tv. The event which was basically to sensitize women in the society as well as empower individuals, witnessed lot of prominent Nigerians. Here is unedited Speech of the Convener, Dr Siju Iluyomade……….

If ever, I am happy to welcome you to

ARISE WOMEN’S CONFERENCE; it is

without a doubt this year’s conference

2020, with the theme DEEPLY

ROOTED # STAYING ALIVE.

This year 2020 has been most unusual,

challenging and stormy. Darkness,

death, sickness swept across the whole

world like a science fiction movie.

The statistics are mind-boggling.

As at the 22 nd of October, 2020, an

estimated 41.3 million people had been

infected with a lethal virus called

COVID-19, killing 1.13 million people in

the world. It appeared suddenly,

carrying with it utter destruction and

chaos.

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The theme of this year’s conference is

so apt, only those who were DEEPLY

ROOTED stood a chance to STAY

ALIVE.

There was a clarion call on individual

and collective roots, i.e. spiritual,

physical, mental, medical, financial. We

faced the DARKEST DAYS AND

DARKEST NIGHTS. SUDDENLY THE

WHOLE WORLD WAS DARK AND

SCARY.

Every resources and resolve we had,

was challenged, our very roots were

challenged.

We were called out to confront darkness

with COURAGE.

COURAGE is the ability to fight or do

something that frightens our bravery.

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Courage is strength in the face of pain

and grief.

Today at ARISE 2020, we salute and

celebrate courage.

We applaud our Doctors, Nurses,

Technicians; all health workers and front

liners, you WORE SHEER COURAGE,

AND YOU SHONE.

I salute and applaud the people who

stood in the place of prayer day and

night, pleading our cause before the

ALMIGHTY GOD whose we all are, and

who sustains us by His spoken word.

TODAY, WE SAY ‘THANK YOU’ to all

those for fought that others may stay

alive. COVID-19 taught us and should

teach our Nation Nigeria everyday

courage.

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(a) Moral Courage, (b) Intellectual

Courage, (c) Disciplined Courage and

Empathetic Courage.

Using these tools, we would develop

courage in our convictions to develop

our Nation Nigeria and our world at

large.

Simply put, courage was the singularly

most important virtue of keeping us

DEEPLY ROOTED. To confront darkness,

despair, horror, shame, sorrow, pains

and fears. We NEEDED TO STAY ALIVE.

ARISE has for the past 12 years moved

and worked with COURAGE OF

CONVICTION. We have a clear

understanding of love towards all

without discrimination. Whatsoever,

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devoid of Religion, Social-economic,

strata, gender and such like.

For us, as ARISE WOMEN, we stand at

the forefront of delivering on the 17

sustainable Development Goals. THESE

GOALS ARE A WAKEUP CALL – A CALL

TO ACTION. It involves a global

partnership with many sectors. The

quest to end poverty and other

deprivations demands strategic planning

and impact from various other sectors.

There is an urgent need to improve

healthcare delivery, education,

infrastructural developments,

unemployment, gender inequality to

spur economic growth, most especially

amongst women.

In life, there is interconnectivity, Good

Health and Wellbeing are intertwined

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with economic prosperity; so also does

education impact on every sphere of

life.

Poor education has been linked to a lot

of social malaise. It widens the gap of

inequality. ARISE STRONGLY

ADVOCATES that all children, no matter

who they are, must have the right to

quality education.

Listen, 20% of the worlds out of school

children can be found in Nigeria. These

figure is staggering 10.5 million Nigerian

children between ages 5-14 are out of

school.

Also, when we look at the Health Sector,

thousands, millions die yearly of non-

communicable, treatable conditions

including cardiovascular disease, chronic

respiratory disease, lack of

immunization, malaria, cancer, diabetes.

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Nigerian’s Health Care System needs to

be upgraded. We boast of the brightest

minds in Health Care, but where are the

facilities. Why was the world not invited

to understudy our management of

COVID-19 to boost our Health Care

Sector?

The United Nation has advocated a

minimum of 1 Doctor per 1,000 people.

How close are we in Nigeria as a nation

to this? Presently we have 10,000

people to 3.8 Doctors or better still 0.38

Doctors to 1,000 persons. It is time to

articulate the vision for our Nation.

Proverbs 29:18

“Where there is no vision, the

people perish.”

Habakkuk 2:2-3

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“Write the vision make it plain

upon tables that he may RUN THAT

READETH IT.”

Ephesians 5: 15-16

Vision says “See then that ye walk

circumspectly not as fools but as

wise redeeming the time because

the days are evil.”

The UNITED NATIONS BY THE 17

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

MADE THE VISION PLAIN AND GOT IT

DOMESTICATED IN MANY COUNTRIES.

IT IS CALLED VISION 2030.

AS ARISE WOMEN, WE HAVE MADE

OUR VISION PLAIN, WE READ IT, AND

WE ARE RUNNING WITH IT.

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IT IS TIME FOR NIGERIA OUR

MOTHERLAND TO MAKE THE VISION

PLAIN AND RUN WITH IT – THAT WE

AS A PEOPLE MAY BE DEEPLY ROOTED

AND STAY ALIVE.

Take a deeper look at Vision:

– Vision is the window of the heart.

– Vision requires faith foresight and

oversight.

– Vision is a Mission.

– Vision is needed to be Administered.

– Vision requires goals, just as roots

are broken into smaller roots. So

also must vision be broken down into

smaller goals; to achievable,

sustainable developments.

– Vision is the Law that Governs us.

– Vision keep us in line, taking a cue

from the ant colony, it does not

destroy what it seeks to Build.

– Vision Reveals our destination.

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– Vision is the lens that interprets the

events of Life. The way we view

people, our concept of God in all our

affairs.

Question – ARE WE OUR SISTERS

AND BROTHERS KEEPERS?

– VISION IS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN

THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.

– Vision is not afraid of Momentary

discomfort; it does not take the easy

road.

– Vision entails great sacrifice.

– Vision keeps us restrained to avoid

future discomfort.

– Vision expects and Embraces Trials.

At this year ARISE WOMEN’S

CONFERENCE. We collectively refuse as

a people to be destitute of VISION OR

FORESIGHT.

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We need to propel our country in the

right direction, making use of the

opportunity of both our TRIALS AND

TRIUMPHS.

SHE OR HE WHO SEES FARTHEST SEES

– BEST.

At this Conference Deeply Rooted, WE

MUST REALIZE TIME IS PRECIOUS, AND

WE MUST MAKE GOOD USE OF IT.

Suddenly we move from child to youth

to middle age to elderly which bracket

are you.

Remember each bracket has its good,

bad and ugly.

At this conference, we will force our

country Nigeria to set priorities, have a

sense of direction and embrace:

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Deep Thinking

Deep Learning

Deep Mourning

Deep Rejoicing

DEEPLY ROOTED CALLS TO THE

FACULTY OF FORESIGHT improving

each passing day, imploring divine

favour, holding on to responsibility and

responsiveness.

3 John 1:2

“Beloved I wish above all things

that thou mayest prosper and be in

Health even as thy Soul

prospereth.”

To be deeply rooted is:

TO BE FOREWARNED

TO BE FOREARMED

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We will by God’s grace leave this

UNUSUAL, AMAZING, ARISE 2020

WOMENS CONFERENCE WITH A

VISION. REMEMBER –

A man without a vision is a man

without a future. He will always

return to his past.

ARISE BE DEEPLY ROOTED

ARISE # STAYING ALIVE

ARISE WRITE THE VISION

ARISE READ AND KEEP THE VISION

ARISE RUN WITH IT.

GOD BLESS US ALL

SIJU ILUYOMADE

ARISE 2020