Right from creation womanhood is built on the concept of helpmate. Brought to life through the rib ofThe Bible has it that when she was created,
man was given the opportunity to name her.
Thus, through ages, the role of a woman in a
man’s life has always been secondary. Even
in religion and in some cultures, woman has
no role at all.
A case of Joan the Arch, a French female
army officer who led the French army to a
number of victories on the ground that God
commanded her. However, she was
crucified in 1431 by the ruling class on
account that one, she was a woman and two,
God could not have spoken to her, thus
accused of blasphemy and sentenced to
death.
However, over the years this passivity has
given way to more active roles. Women are
now presidents, heads of states. Even there
are women preachers around the world.
Women nowadays are more daring than in
the past. Therefore, women are today in
more advantaged positions to push for a
change in the society. They should wake up
from docility to more dynamic roles given
the peculiarity of their creation.
This is what the book: Woman An Asset
To The Nation, written by Mrs Nike
Adeyemi attempts to reconcile. The book
deals with the complex issue of
womanhood. Although she has been grossly
misunderstood by the men folk, she is the
sun, which humanity revolves. According to
Mrs Adeyemi, woman is not an accident that
has already happened or about to happen.
She is neither evil nor a necessary evil. The
woman is the masterpiece of God’s creation
and has her place in God’s scheme of things
on the earth and for all humanity.
The eight-chapter book, indeed, is
devoted to those things that make a women
peculiar and a blessing to humanity.
The first chapter defines the essence of
woman. Under the title: Essence of
Womanhood, Mrs Adeyemi explains that
“the Bible is full of symbolisms, which
shows the woman as an embodiment of
hidden treasure, to be discovered, dug out,
diligently mined, affectionately nurtured
and cautiously cuddled to bring out her
gracious fragrance.” With biblical
references, she asserts that a woman is like
gold to be dug out, processed and used for
ornament and blessing. Thus, it is important
for a woman to ask God “where is my
place?” For her, every woman should see
herself as an embodiment of gift to her
husband. “You were given to man’s
purposes, to his works, to every thing that
would come out of him. Beyond your man,
though, you were given to bless the whole
earth too.”
The writer confesses that woman is a
complex being, requiring high thinking to
understand. However, this is not a minus for
her. In fact, she says, her complexity is part
of God’s infinite wisdom in his creation
plan. “We agree that a misunderstanding
exists about the true identity of the woman.
Most men are confused about who the
woman truly is.”
She tasks the woman to stop murmuring
and complaining, because she is the gate
way to heaven and custodian of blessing.
Taking a particular woman as an
archetype for others is a disservice to
womanhood. Though, she agrees that some
women are a negative influence,
nevertheless, it should not be a yard stick to
judge all women. She gives biblical
instances of both good and bad women, who
played prominent and negative roles in the
lives of their husbands.
She advises women to be informed, watch
and pray, choose their company and never
hold back because by her nature, she is a
giver.
In chapter two-Beauty of Ashes, the book
says woman is typically in situation of help;
therefore, she needs the intervention of God
in her life. To this extent women should step
out of their past, rather than be perpetually
marked for failure. This, invariably, will
lead to great joy ahead.
Using Esther as a character to be
emulated, who though from lowly
background got God’s favour because of her
tenacity and righteousness, and so no reason
for any woman not be blessed by God. “The
earlier you begin to tap and walk in God’s
favour the better, especially if you know you
don’t really have a natural helper
anywhere”, says the book in page 31.
Women liberation struggle, according to the
author, is not part of God’s plan for
womanhood. It is scripturally unfounded
and has no place in the life of a Christian
woman.
The book asserts that it is when a person is
hated and rejected by the world that such
person gets the favour of God especially
when close to Him. The password for
women should be humility, looking beyond
physical beauty, pleasing God always,
saying, it is by so doing that a woman can
win over her enemies.
Oil of Joy is the pre-occupation of chapter
three. Using the biblical Ruth as a point of
reference, the author focuses on Ruth 3: 1-
18 for illustration. She notes that right from
the beginning God created woman as a thing
of joy, distributor of life and a new
beginning with fresh hope.
In the fourth chapter, the author, writing
under the title, Heal and Sent to the Nations,
she posits that a woman could be likened to
the balm of Gilead, which heals the heart of
hearts. She advises women to always sing
the song of the barren as recorded in Isaiah
54: 1-17.
She is of the view that the world is at the
feet of a woman. “Let me tell you that
nations are in you”, she wrote.
In chapter five- The Fruitful Branch, the
book states that God has destined women to
be fruitful. Advising women not to lose hope
especially while waiting upon God for the
blessing of the womb. She says it is already
ordained that being a woman is a sign of
fruitfulness. Dreaming big for Christian
women is part of the vision God has placed
in their hearts. So, it will not be out of place
for both single and married women to
enlarge their dream, advising husbands to
allow their wives the liberty to realise their
potentials.
Chapter six draws attention of women to
the fact that God has made room for them to
be the object of multiplication. In Room for
Fruitfulness, she assures women, especially
those waiting for miracle, to remember that
nothing escapes and is bigger than God’s
power. “One thing I like about the power of
God is that it always produces a miracle;
miracles that bring to an end our shame and
the intimidations of the devil”, she writes.
She likens women as a tree planted by the
rivers of water and therefore brings out fruits
in its season.
Chapter seven talks on Her own Business,
which dwells on the need for Christian
women to be business minded; adding that
women need courage to set up a business.
The last chapter-eight, is loaded in the
sense that it enjoins women to be purpose
driven. She defines purpose as the intention
of a thing or the aim or function of it.
According to her, women should be
purposeful in whatever they do. Thus, the
place of purpose is the place of fulfillment; it
is the place of blossoming. It is not a place of
complacency, she warns.
Indeed, the book is an expedition into the
realm of rediscovery of womanhood,
elegantly written for the benefit of both the
man and woman. Nike, wife of pastor Sam
Adeyemi, is the president of Real Women
Foundation, an organisation that brings
practical healing to abused women. The
organisation that runs a home for distressed
and displaced young ladies between the ages
of 13 and 25 years also helps the inmates
realise their potentials.
Mrs Adeyemi,a motivational speaker and
associate pastor of Daystar Christian Centre,
Oregun, Lagos, is a recipient of so many
awards.