Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has urged parents to promote love, mutual respect and shared responsibility in their homes, describing the family as the foundation of responsible citizenship and national development.
Governor Nwifuru made the call at the 2026 Queens Conference and 10th Anniversary Celebration of Moms Connect International, held at the Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, with the theme, “Home Intact.”
The Governor described the home as the first institution where children learn values, discipline and responsibility, stressing that maintaining family stability should not be left to women alone but must be a shared responsibility between fathers and mothers.
He commended Moms Connect International for its decade-long commitment to family development through prayer, mentorship, outreach and community service.
“Preserving the home is not the sole responsibility of women. Fathers and mothers must jointly provide care, guidance and protection for their children. To the men present, we need to know that a man is not diminished by honouring a woman. A strong family is built on mutual respect, shared responsibility and the dignity of every member,” he said.
Governor Nwifuru reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting women, children and vulnerable persons through institutions such as the Office of the Public Defender, Citizens’ Mediation Centre and the Department of Sexual Assault and Gender-Based Violence Response.
He also encouraged young girls to take their education seriously, develop their talents and pursue their aspirations with determination, assuring them of his administration’s commitment to creating opportunities for the girl child across Ebonyi State, irrespective of community or background.
In her remarks, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, identified trust, understanding and effective conflict resolution as essential ingredients for building healthy and lasting relationships.
She emphasised that trust must form the foundation of every relationship, while mutual understanding should guide human interactions, particularly during disagreements.
The Chief Justice commended Moms Connect International on its 10th anniversary, urging its management team to sustain its positive contributions to families and society.
Earlier, the Vision Bearer of Moms Connect International and Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Calabar Division, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, urged women to embrace godly values, strengthen their marriages and take responsibility for raising morally upright children.
She stressed the importance of humility, discipline, love and obedience in maintaining stable homes, while encouraging women to rediscover their identity and work in partnership with their husbands to build godly families.
The event featured award presentations to distinguished personalities within and outside Ebonyi State, including the wife of the Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, among others.
