Protocols,

I am highly delighted to be in your midst today, and I am so happy for the honour bestowed on me to address this great gathering. I see this as a privilege. I must say this, it is an honour I hold in high esteem to be before our mothers here today, and I will not take this for granted. I know it is not by our powers that have kept us till this day, it has been God all the way who counted us worthy to be here. May His name be forever be praised
It is a good thing for me to be in the midst of our mothers to join you in the celebration of this year’s conference. This I say gives me joy always. Mother is regarded to be the pillar of home and they are the builder of family. Hardly can we see things done successfully in the family without the contribution of mother. This tells us how powerful they are in the management of homes and resources. Their role also in nation building cannot be over emphasized.
Firstly, I will like to welcome our mothers from other parts of the state to Igbara-Oke. I want to believe that Igbara-Oke town is not new to many who are seated here today. And I believe you have had a good experience in the course of your stays for this conference here in our humble town.
When I received the invitation for this great programme, while reading through the content and saw the theme “WORKING TOWARDS PERFECTION.” I said within myself that this theme is coming at the right time. Without any hesitation, I purported in my mind to be part of this programme, even though I am not a mother, but a king and a father.
As it is, there are so many things we can learn from our mothers. This year’s conference, I believe will be a trigger for the development of an action plan that will drive mothers’ issues toward the betterment of our nationhood.
Permit me to use women and mothers interchangeably. This is for us to have a clearer picture of where mothers are coming from. Because, before you became a mother, you are once a woman and a wife.
Women as agents of change are not a new perception; throughout history, women have led movements for change at every level and been an integral part of that change, political, economic and social. The story of women as change agents is very compelling, one of the grit and tenacity of ordinary women who have transformed themselves, their families and their communities, while battling against great odds. Often they were not noted or remembered.
It is also the story of women who have left their mark on global governance, democracy, development and peace. We have heard of Mother Theresa, Mary Slessor and others who championed the course of humanity. Their legacies live on
According to the scripture used for the theme, Mathew 5:48, which says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”. I want us to know that there are no two ways to perfection. The bible has spelt it out. God wants us to be perfect in all things.
The God we serve is a jealous God. He even made us to know how he wants us to be hot according to the book of Revelations Chapter 3. He detest lukewarm attitude in all ramification. That is why I have to say if you are not perfect, you are not and if you are you are. May the Lord help us to be perfect and perfect all that concerns us.
We have heard series of discuss and words of exhortations concerning this topic in the course of this conference, and this should not be new to us. We need to also emulate continually the virtues of a good woman, as accounted in the book of Proverbs Chapter 31.
Even our mothers from the account of the Holy Bible, we read about Sarah, Rebecca, Hannah, Naomi, Esther, Ruth, Dorcas, Elizabeth, Mary mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and many others are good mothers as accounted in the holy book.
In our present day, globalization has changed so many things. At times, I asked myself some certain questions about today’s mother and the kind attention they give their family, home and career. I did not condemn the changes the globalization has brought to our world, but I often question the distractions it has caused.
I do not want to delve much in to the book of Proverbs Chapter 31, but with this conference and the awareness it has created, I know and believe it will help change so many derailing mothers and put their feet on the right track towards perfection.
In conclusion, I want to emphasize that Mother still has roles to play in making our society a safe place. Our people would say “omo t’o ba dara ti baba e ni, eyi ti ko dara ni ti iya re.” Olorun a se awon omo wa ni dara dara amin.
There are lots you can do concerning the upbringing of the coming generations. As we leave here after this conference, we must ask ourselves the following questions
What can I do to be perfect?
How can I walk in perfection?
How can I help build or contribute to a safe society?
Thank you and God bless

His Royal Majesty,
Oba (Dr.) Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede FCIM, MBCIM
Ilufemiloye, Ogidi III
Paramount Ruler and Prescribed Authority,
Olowa of Igbara-Oke kingdom