Speech by Rev. Dr. Omolola Omoteso, Founder of Walk With Widows Initiative at the
Commissioning of Executives and Committee Members 2023 and
Commemoration of Deaconess Ibiyemi Odu-Famuyiwa's Life and Times
I greet you on this special
occasion. I congratulate executives and members. This is a great day for all of
us. We have appointed and commissioned executives to ensure that each of us
enjoy better life as part of this body God led us to create to walk with
widows, advocate for widows, reach out to the unreached and inspire widows and
non-widows to excel.
MAMI: My Angel My Inspiration, Deaconess Ibiyemi Oluremi
Asake Odu Famuyiwa remained an anointed achiever who excelled and succeeded in
all the things she laid her hands on with the help of God. She earned a degree
in accounting after she had 5 children, so I don’t know what excuse or
limitation you have put on yourself. As a beautiful soprano singer, she sang in
church one day and a white dove flew into the church.
What legacy do you want to leave? MAMI taught me honesty,
integrity and remained a woman of faith. I shared her image with Pastor Praise
Tete who will be praying for the executives. Thank you for joining us sir and
for your commitment to our leaders and members. You are blessed and highly
favoured.
Though she spent double the years of Jesus Christ, her
impact on this earth is why we have the Cares Global Network which gave birth
to Prayer Channel for Nigeria, which gave birth to Ibiyemi Fund for Education (IFE)
through which some organisations and individuals get gifts to help them with
education. IFE gave birth to Bola Memorial Watch which gave birth to Walk With
Widows Initiative. My MOTHER remained an advocate for education, especially
girl-child education, and she inspired me to be all that people said I will
never become. She was my pastor, my spiritual mentor and my prayer partner.
To the topic of Excellence and Success, what would it
look like if every one of you is serious about excellence and success in
business?
Two of our members just became leaders in a state group!
That is what success looks like and I am super excited. They are leaders in the
society and leaders here in Walk With Widows Initiative (WWWI). Did they
achieve it alone? No. They needed spiritual, physical, social, intellectual,
and emotional support to achieve success. I congratulate them and pray that
their roles in National Council of Women's Societies (NWSC) will beautify
lives, move people forward and positively impact our members.
Still talking about excellence and success, when individuals
excel, there would be success in hearts, homes, and homelands. There would be
thriving churches, thriving companies, and thriving countries and people will
see God's Glory. That is one sermon my husband preached that I would want you
to listen to, I will share the link later. God's glory and goodness can be seen
through your good works; we are saved for good works. Enemies may want to
supervise your shame but if you continue to do excellent works, then God’s
glory will be seen, and they will have no choice but to praise your Father in
heaven.
Few have been called to serve today but we all have a
calling and career. We will climb the ladder of success and accomplishment as
we become excellent and share excellence with others because it is our calling
to do exceptional work. As we love God more and seek to do His will, God will
draw us to do good works and excel and we can continue to do our best through
the help of the Holy Spirit at work in us. James 2:26 tells us that faith is
dead without good works, without excellence. You are called to serve and to
serve well. If leaders serve well in righteousness, followers will do the right
thing and the land will experience refreshing times and experience seasons of
overflow.
And not only that, when you work within the giftings and
abilities that God has given you, and sharpen those skills and abilities, you
already have an advantage over others. When you lean into God-given skills and
talents, the Holy Spirit will equip you with all you need to do good and
excellent work!
Pursuit of excellence is one of the business principles we
should all live by as we do our work individually, as a group and for the
society. We are image bearers and image makers for Jesus, will we fail? I don’t
plan to fail, and I don’t think you should plan to fail because he who plans to
fail, will fail to plan. This is a call to excellence and by implication a
challenge that will lead you to succeed.
Our God is excellent. What does that mean? Follow God’s
example of excellence: Be disciplined. Be diligent. Be determined. Be devoted.
Be God's disciples. Walk in His image. God is original, be original. Go the
extra mile like God who designed and created the world in an orderly, efficient,
and effective manner in 7 God-days. I always say 7-God days because we could
NOT have created calendar for God.
I want you to remember 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen
generation (race), a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people of his
possession; that ye should shew forth the praises of God, that you may proclaim
the excellencies of God who called you out of darkness into God’s marvellous
light.
Another Bible verse explicitly says that we should run the
race of life as if we are aiming to get earthy award and eternal reward. Train
to be the best and take steps to do the best... for God.
Whatever you are doing, reach those who know better to teach
you things. One of the books I published with an achiever of great measure who
worked for years with UNICEF and UNFPA is Employees from Heaven. A
friend who is older and a minister called me today. I wanted someone to pray
with me because this is my MOTHER's tenth year of leaving this world and God
led her to call me. You can always tell God your heart and He will send someone
to meet your need. She prayed for and with me and we shared her concern as
well. The Bible says iron sharpens iron; for this to happen one iron must be
connected to another iron. From the prayer she shared with me, I was lifted.
From the wisdom I shared, she learned to better handle conflict with in-laws.
Learn from God and from others to grow in wisdom.
1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us that even in basic things we
should do all to give God glory. In career and calling, do all you do to give
God glory. In your executive roles here and other places, in your home and on
your job, in your finances and child nurturing, in relating to others and
service to humanity, do everything to give God glory! It is very important to
serve righteously; the way of the Bible, God’s way.
In our Graceful Women Ministry meeting, a member shared how
she finds it difficult to apologise or ask for forgiveness. It is good to say
it, but the question is what steps has she taken to do better.
Please write down now 3 things you do well and 2 things you
don't do well and would like to improve. For the 5, write things you can do to
move forward. Choose one member to be your accountability person. Every 3 days,
you and that member should check on one another to find out the steps you have taken
to improve on the 5. Share your report with me after 3 weeks.
Colossians 3:23 says do everything with your heart, passion,
as unto God. If you have a wicked boss ruthless husband or friend who is NOT
really a friend, as you work unto God, God will give you victory.
Esther had victory in marriage and succeeded in emancipating
(freeing) her people because she did her service to God in spite of the
ruthlessness of her husband, the king. Always remember that you are the light.
That light must shine in your heart, home and homeland so that people can
glorify God. Matthew teaches us that as Christians we need to be set apart from
others. And if you say I am NOT a Christian, you also need to be set apart
because you are a child of God. Where the rest of the world is covered in
darkness, we are to be light. We are to live as shining examples for
others.
I used to be an appreciation seeker, but God corrected me.
Now when anyone thanks me for anything I am quick to say, Na God or Thank God
because according to Philippians 2:13 God works in and through me to will
(think, make decision, behave right...) and to do of God’s good pleasure. It is
because God is working in me, giving me the desire, the power and the strength
that I am able to do what pleases God. God always appreciates us by blessing us
and that should be sufficient.
To do more or be more, to excel and succeed, you must listen
to God and follow what God tells us as worthy disciples. The more you listen -
assimilate, understand and act on messages, the more your heart will strategise
on how to translate information and knowledge to excellence.
We use the Montessori Method in Excel Leadership Academy (ELA)
which is the education arm of Cares Global Network. If you heard Montessori,
have no idea what Montessori is, do not ask or did nothing about the
information, that is baseless hearing. If you heard and your heart throws up a
thinking process about what it is, what it means in relation to ELA, what
benefit it is to you, that is listening that should lead you to research,
review and use it to your advantage. Good communication skills are incomplete
without effective listening which is undervalued. By being an active and attentive
listener, you can understand more and improve knowledge and have better
relationships. To God’s glory I am the Academy Director at ELA where we heal
hearts, inspire minds, transform lives, and mentor followers and leaders. The
three key things we teach are based on the acronym, but the mission of ELA is
founded on the Yoruba meaning of the word. If you have no idea what ela means,
you read or heard the last statement, but listening is faulty or incomplete
until you know the meaning of ela.
When you read the Bible, it is important to understand what
God means, and what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Often this calls you to
take action - live a Christlike life, release unhealthy emotions, relate better
with people and exude joy. What you listen to determines your approach to life.
To understand your purpose in life you need to truly listen to and understand
God’s calling, promises and prophesies concerning you. This is why I have put
together a book titled Promises, Prophesies and Prayers for Widows. Anyone can
read it, it is online. To understand, you have to hear rightly - listen.
If you have heard me preach or share, you must have heard
the word ASK, said in a way that pushes you to consider asking. Many are afraid
to ask. Two key lessons I teach those who attend ELA are - LISTEN, ASK.
Embedded in these words are the tenets of leadership and followership to arrive
at EXCELLENCE.
Every union includes leaders and followers and how the
dynamics of such union is managed stems from how questions are asked and how
well parties listen to understand ahead of responding. A leader who cannot
listen beyond words said directly, has no business in leadership and a follower
who cannot ask directly, has no business in followership. A leader must
sincerely LISTEN. L = Listen: I = Integrity. S - Support. T = Train. E =
Empathy. N = Nurture. I recollect asking my husband, “Have you trained him?” He
complained again and again about a minister who preached instead of teaching;
the minister needed to be trained. He was fervent as Christian, but the mistake
continued until the leader was trained.
A follower must willingly ASK: Ask. Seek. Knock (Matthew
7:7). Asking is not only about give me this but also, what can I do better?
What may I do for you? How may I be of help? When last did you offer help to
your friend, parent, pastors, elders, members, those who have been a blessing
to you, or strangers God lead you to bless? When last did you offer help to the
rich, who have needs in non-financial other areas?
No matter the challenges we face, God has the manual and
others have maps for passing through that challenge. Ask for help. Asking for
help has never been a sin neither is it shameful. Always ask God who to ask for
help because some will intentionally shame you when you ask. Ask how can I
better love you? Yes, ask your child, spouse or significant other. How can I do
my job or role better? How can I help you become a better Christian? How can I
support what you do? How can I be a blessing to the leaders and members of Walk
With Widows and other organisations Dr. Omolola Omoteso oversees? ASK.
Asking does not mean you will dance to the whims and
caprices of those you ask but you will be better informed about their expectations,
and you can modestly respond to the limits you are able to offer.
When you ask, some will give the kind of help or response
you desire, others may berate you and others may give less than expected. In
all instances, your thought process determines how the outcome will affect you.
In life, we must be able to ask God and others questions, towards the
actualisation of our plan, purpose, prophecies, promises and the fulfilment of our
destiny.
Berebere kii si bere = The asker never miss ask. The Bible
is your friend! ASK the Bible instead of google. Ask God through His Word, His
beloved, His prophets, His pastors, and His professionals.
Excellence leads to success. Excellence is the quality of
being outstanding in all that we do.
Dear brethren, it is not the job you do but the purpose you
serve with excellence that leads you to succeed God's way. If I am given a job
as a toilet cleaner, everyone who comes in would be blessed by how excellently
I have done my job. Many of you are sad because you don’t have the big job. But
how well have you done the little God has given to you. In all I do, I seek to
do them better and well.
One of my mentees visited to assist with washing, drying and
packaging clothes for the less privileged. When I served her a glass of juice,
she was so dumbfounded; she looked away. If you are in my office or home, making
sure you are comfortable means you could receive a glass of water, juice or
snack. Later, God led me to step out to help her peg the clothes. When I did, I
saw the clothes on the line. They looked like they were just tossed there! I
corrected her that excellence does not mean going the extra mile publicly or
for the rich or comfortable, it means serving quality in all you do.
Guess what my favourite verse in the Bible is?
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in
the grave, whither thou goest. There is no work once we die, we will only be
praising God. In the grave, there is no work; our body will be lying there doing
nothing or decaying, but our soul would have returned to The Creator.
A young girl was taken abroad as a domestic servant to an
ambassador because she was passionate about helping the woman, a church member.
She was fascinated that they were rich, but she was not fixated on wealth, she
just wanted to help. She went the extra mile and learned to do her job as
servant better as she grew. Today she is a resident in the USA and has her own
home with mortgage fully paid. I cared for her when she was unwell, and later
when I became homeless, I stayed with her.
In her serving excellently, she got a benefit. In serving
her well when she was unwell, I got a benefit. So, there are benefits to
service. When you serve well, you get the results and one of the results is
success.
Everything we see today will go, including the people. The
only three things we have are Trinity, Time and Teams. What we truly have are
moments that may soon become memories and we can create these moments with the
help of the TRINITY, using our time and working in mutually beneficial teams. While
some of us only have memories of departed beloved, many are still creating
memories with loved ones.
What memory do you want to leave people with - the way you
shoddily apply yourself to assignments or the quality or excellence you continue
to serve? As we have seen with many African leaders, sustaining excellence is a
challenge. We continue to ask many who have stories especially of survival or
success, to post comments or publish books through CGN Books – Cares Global
Network Books.
We saw in the Bible how Daniel, a successful leader in
national government faced the choice of whether to take a short unethical cut
or risk his own life in the midst of cabals, chief of which was his own boss
Darius - a pagan. We learn from Daniel because someone published the story. I
help people publish.
The Book of Daniel shows us how we should conduct and
comport ourselves excellently to be successful. Daniel had an excellent spirit.
He was impeccable. He distinguished himself, which led to the king’s decision
to promote him. Be rest assured that when enemies find nothing on you,
especially at work, they will question your faith and do everything to make you
fall!
Did professors, pastors and believers in government during
the last tenure in Nigeria lose the spirit of excellence or cabals stifled them?
A man or woman in authority, who is led by God is always a threat to the shady
dealings of people who are unethical. With an excellent spirit in me, those
around me glean and learn. It is not a surprise that my school son became a
worthy PR Consultant. It is not a surprise that my son is a Communication Expert,
and my daughter is into Administrative Communication.
In Daniel was found an excellent spirit, which counted for
much more. Daniel was ethical, upright and responsible, so those who audited
him found nothing to nail him. Be excellent to succeed.
I want all of us to start a 19-day challenge using one of
the passages below, per day. After meditating, post few words God revealed to
you on the group page. You can choose Whatsapp, Facebook or text through your
leader. Anyone who completes the 19 days will get a gift at the next meeting.
You have to sign in that you will do it. Then do it and share with us daily.
I charge everyone to make out time during the next 3 weeks
to mediate on the verses, see what you can improve in your life and take steps
to be excellent so you can succeed. Whether you want to be part of the contest
or not, I charge you to read, meditate, act, and pray about the following Bible
verses:
- Daniel 6:1-4
- Proverbs 20:6
- Proverbs 22:9
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
- Colossians 3:23
- Ecclesiastes 9:10
- Titus 2:7-8
- Titus 3:14
- Matthew 5:14-16
- Daniel 1:20
- Mark 7:36-37
- Matthew 7:7
- James 1:22
- Isaiah 55 2
- Proverbs 1:33
- James 1:22
- Malachi 2:2
- John 3:16
- Acts 1:8
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