August, the Eight month of the year is a very special year to Nigerian women of the South East zone.. it is special because it is a month of the year when women both those living in the villages and those living abroad( outside the villages) hold a common meeting.
It was originally carried out by Christian women from the Eastern part of Nigeria .it is a borrowed tradition which was introduced to every part of Catholicism in the country.
The women are those married from the community and those who are iindigenes of a particular place by birth.
Pix- South East women in August meeting
The meetings are held in the month of August because In the month of August, there is a short period of dry whether popularly known as “August break”. Women in the South East Nigeria always looked forward to attending August meeting. It enables them to see relations, and friends they had not seen for a long time and to deliberate on issues affecting them, the church, the families, health issues, spiritual matters and the society at large.
It is a period of re-union for home and ‘abroad’ women. It is a forum for women who were married from outside the community to interact with the people and know more about their people, their customs and traditions.
In most places the meeting lasts between three to four days.. it starts with ward meeting and then ,the general meeting at the church. The general meeting starts with a mass/ church service . Church leaders , other resource persons were invited to give talks on issues bothering on health, spiritual, church’s teaching on family planning, divorce, abortion among other issues. It is a period of evangelization as many people are converted to the faith when they see different activities going on.
Pix- South East women promoting the Igbo culture
There are other activities like conferment of awards to distinguished personalities, recognition of men and women who have contributed to the growth of the local church , fashion parade , empowerment , and fund raising.
Victor Eyike, a Multimedia expert, observed that apart from enhancing national peace, the women also support peacebuilding and conflict resolution approaches in their local communities. Several cases of land disputes, domestic violence and other issues have been addressed during the annual meetings.
Nneka Okafor recalled a story of a poultry farmer, Vera Okolo, who had a land dispute with her uncle that lasted for over ten years and the issue was resolved during the August meeting.
In August meeting, quarrels were settled.
According to her, “Vera’s Uncle kept encroaching on her farmland, which she inherited from her father. She couldn’t take the case to court because she does not have the money .When she complained to the women during August meeting, they intervened and sent Vera’s uncle a call to order and he stopped encroaching and Vera farms on the land without any issues.
One of the leaders of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) in Udi, Enugu state ,Mrs Eddy Chime said, so many transformations had been recorded in the church and the society through August meetings . In some parishes, women built chapels, the CWO owns farmlands, commercial buses, businesses among others
The successes of August meeting do not mean there were no challenges facing the August meeting. Funding is one of them Some women seemed not to understand the objectives of August meeting and the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) and it’s activities have not been fully understood.
Some women leaders see August meeting as a period to make money through high levies paid by members.To some, it’s a time to show off wealth.
Pix- Women dancing during August meeting
While some women like attending August meeting, some do not. Some may want to attend but because of health problems, challenges in their work places, they may not attend The economy of the nation is another obstacle militating against the attendance of August l meeting by some women who find it difficult to make ends meet.
Since August meeting is a reunion of home and abroad women, all those concerned should endeavour to attend so as to make an input in the development of the church and the society, for as the saying goes east, west, north or south, home is home. Home is the best. Be that as it may, it should not be a do or die affair. Women should unite and be their sister’s keeper at all time.
Those who do not understand the concept of mass return should know that the August meeting is not the same as CWO meeting of the parish where one is domiciled.
It is expected that women should be seen and learned from as agents of positive peace – in terms of addressing not only the challenges of physical violence, but also the challenges of structural and cultural violence.
They contribute positively to broader social change processes to transform violent, oppressive and hierarchical structures, behaviour, relationships and attitudes into more participatory and inclusive ones
In 2022 Guinness, a premium brewery brand, supported 50 women with business infrastructure and equipment, providing opportunities for them to flourish through business ownership.
One of the beneficiaries, Rose Obi, expressed her excitement after getting a free health check-up, sponsored by Guinness.
“It’s amazing that we are getting sponsors who are willing to support our cause. It gives us more reason to keep pushing. We had free mental health workshops, business empowerment programmes and free business consultations during the three-day event. It was a nice experience,” she said.
Despite these sponsorships and the rich of culture from across the country during the August Meeting, the group has however constantly decried lack of funding as a major challenge threatening their existence.
August meeting has spread to the political class. Wives of Governors organised August meetings in their states. They empower women with various vocational skills, knowledge and disbursement of loans.
As the 2024 August meeting is starting in some towns this week, it is expected that issues like insecurity, neo-peganism, moral decadence, child abuse, sexual molestation, domestic violence, criminality, bad governance, drug abuse and other issues affecting the church and the society will be addressed. Women as home builders should be taught to be sensitive to their environment, to checkmate their children, know who they move with and I still discipline in their children.
Women should be spoken to against child abuse, child molestation, moral decadence and the ways out. Women should be spoken to to improve their prayer life and all lessons learnt should be taken home and put into practice. With that, the impacts of the meeting will be felt and the society will be a better place for all.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama