Delta Couples Forum Tackles Divorce, Unveils Mysteries Of A United Home

By Miracle Enuji

Following the spate of divorce across the world, Married Couples have been charged to make God their anchor in order to have a united home formidable against the attacks of the devil.

This was the focal message at the 2021 edition of Couples Forum organized by O5 Initiative on Saturday May 15, 2021 at the Delta State Event Center Asaba.

The programme which is a yearly event powered by the wife of the Governor, Dame Edith Okowa, seeks to strengthen marriages, provide answers to marital questions and deliver troubled homes from the brink of collapse.

Speaking at this year’s edition with theme, “The Home and The Mystery of Unity”, Dame Okowa and founder O5 Initiative, enjoined couples to make Jesus Christ the referee of their marriages and ensure that their focus should always be on God.

Dame Edith Okowa at 2021 Couples Forum

While thanking God for the consistency of the programme since 2016, she commended her husband, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for his encouragement and support towards the success of the Project.

Pastor Nnamdi Eze and Bishop Ephraim Ikeakor who took turns in speaking on the theme, maintained that the sole aim of marriage is companionship and that the idea of divorce is satanic.

While noting that no marriage is immune from divorce, the clergy men condemned divorce in all forms and said it has no place in a christian marriage as instituted by God.

According to Pastor Eze, the breeders of disunity in marriages includes; insensitive to the need of your partner, bad character and attitude, unforgiveness and unwillingness to apologize, domestic violence, wrong association and infidelity.

Pastor Nnamdi Eze at 2021 Couples Forum

He listed companionship, partnership, healthy sexual relationship, prayers, one name (Gen 5: 1-2) amongst others as the enablers of unity in marriage.

He noted that most marriages are not yet coupled and cautioned intending couples to see marriage as the reality and not the wedding occasion, and imbibe the WE aspect rather than the Individual aspect once married.

Bishop Ikeakor emphasized that marriage between a man and a woman, is a microcosm of the nation and that good homes, make good nation.

Bishop Ephraim Ikeakor at 2021 Couples Forum

He charged married couples to let their marital lives be the best advice for their children going into marriage, saying that the reflection of any marriage is always evident on the lives of the children.

Drawing biblical references from Genesis 2: 24-25 and Matthew 19:8, the Anglican Bishop said that the mystery of unity in any marriage is when the components of the Husband, Wife and Children work together.

The Couples Forum which had in attendance the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, members of the state executive council and their spouses, local government chairmen and their spouses, several government officials and their spouses and members of the public, coincides with the International Day of the Family marked every 15th day of May.