Please give us your full name, date of birth, schools attendedwithqualifications and work experience.
M.O. Agbaje: Mrs. Margaret Olabisi Agbaje.I was born in Lagos in November 1933.
I attended St Paul breadfruit school in Lagos from January 1939 to December 1944.
I went on to attend Holy child college Ikoyi from 1945 to 1950, obtained a Senior
Cambridge certificate in December 1950; also attended Holy Child Teacher TrainingCollege Ifuho from 1951-1952, and obtained a Pivotal Certificate. I attendedHereford college of Education in England from September 1960 to July 1962. TEACHING CAREER: I was a Teacher at Holy child college in Lagos fromDecember
1952 to December 1959. Also taught in St Joseph Teacher Training College Lagosfrom January 1960 to December 1970,and St Catherine’s Model School SurulereLagos from January 1971 to July 1982.
J.Bulama: Which Parish communities have you belonged to? Please give us the names with dates.
M.O. Agbaje: Holy Cross Cathedral Lagos, from January 1955 till date. Occasionally I attend Catholic Church of the Divine Mercy Lekki and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church Victoria Island Lagos.
J. Bulama: What positions did you hold in the CWO, and at what levels did youserve? Please kindly answer with dates.
M.O. Agbaje: I was the Vice president of Lagos Ecclesiastical Provincial CWO(LEPCWO), President of Lagos Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women Organisation(LACCWO), also the Provost of National Council of Catholic Women Organisation(NCCWO)1988-1992.
J. Bulama: Please state briefly what contributions you made towards the growth of CWO in the capacities in which you served. Also do you consider your servicedelivery as having made impact on the organization?
M. O. AGBAJE : During the visit, in 1982, of the Holy Father, Pope St. John-Paul II, at Abuja, he asked for the Voice of the Nigerian Catholic Woman- One Voice.
J. BULAMA: A voice?
M. O. AGBAJE: Yes. There are many societies in the Church. We needanamalgamation of all to form a single voice. Lagos had none, but the East was well organized and ready for the Pope’s visit. The Eastern Province had CWOstronglyestablished. In Lagos, it was difficult to establish CWO because there was another women group (but only for women married in the Church). The Pope wanted both the saintly and not too saintly to represent all the women. After the Pope’s visit, his request for a single Voice that brings all the women together persisted. The President of the Lagos Province (we had just three Provinces then), stepped up action to ensure that the Pope’s request was addressed. By the grace of God and the help of the Church, I was one of those women who worked hard to make sure that the Single Voice was established. Since it was not a private organization, the Church’s approval was needed. We were able to lay thefoundation. We brought in all the women: married, unmarried and separated. Incarrying out our duties, we travelled widely throughout Nigeria: Jos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, etc. Although the Pope wanted all the women together, but if youare not a communicant, you cannot take an office in the CWO. You however remain a member of the CWO. Holy Cross Cathedral, my parish, became a strong centre for CWO. I was part of the foundation work in the project of bringing all the women together. Before 1982, records show earlier existence of CWO in Lagos Province (Dr. Mrs. E. A. Awoliyi wasthe First President) in the 1960s, but it did not constitute a strong Single Voice. When I became LACCWO President, CWO was facing challenges of a seemingly parallel group (Christian Mothers) which posed some sort of rivalry. The ChristianMothers wanted to be the Voice of the Nigerian Catholic Woman. However, theCatholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria took a stand and made CWO the Voice. At that time, the Lagos Province was made up of Lagos Archdiocese and eight (8) Dioceses. As LACCWO President, I had to travel as far as to Benin, Warri, Issele-Uku, etc for meetings. M. U. Ariawhorai: You will recall we went to Akure for a meeting and returned sameday. M. O. Agbaje: Yes, I do. Very vividly. M. U. Ariawhorai: I also remember late Mrs. Okuribido’s car that was stolen on one of such trips.
J. Bulama: Car stolen? That is a tall one. Car stolen!
M. O. Agbaje: In Lagos Archdiocese and in other parts of Nigeria, the CWO is now widely accepted and embraced.
J. Bulama: The white paper by the Bishops Conference has facilitated the current situation. The Priests do accept and work with the Organisation. However, some women still look the other way.
M. U. Ariawhorai: You can now see one of those who worked to get CWO established. As mama is giving us the narrative, it appears simple and seamless. I can assure you that it was not an easy task.
J. Bulama: No, I do not consider it a simple act. Even now, there are still traces of apathy towards the CWO, among some women.
M. O. Agbaje: My contribution was towards uniting all the women: those married in the Church and those not married in the Church. Some of us who were married in the Church also joined the CWO to give it the needed credibility as an authentic Catholic Organisation. I had to attend several meetings and gatherings to provide explanations and clarifications.
J. Bulama: We do appreciate your contribution. I never knew it was this deep. I was hearing “Mama Agbaje”, “Mama Agbaje”. Your involvement was deep. It must have been tough. What things have you learnt about Life and human conditions, from your
years of service in the CWO?
M. O. Agbaja: I have learned to be peaceful, to listen and be slow to talk or answer back. First have time to think. Establish love and live together as one Nigeria, despiteour ethnic and religious differences.
J.Bulama: What were the difficult Challenges you faced during your years of Servicein the CWO? How did you overcome the challenges?
M.O. Agbaje: Non.
J.Bulama: Please give the names of three (3) important personalities during your active days in the CWO, who made significant contributions to the growth of theorganization.
M. O. Agabaje: I am taking one woman each from the three old ecclesiastical provinces; ie: Lagos, Onitsha and Kaduna. (1) Late Mrs Victoria Aduke Munis, PM from Lagos Ecclesiastical Province. She was a parishioner of Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos. She was a foundation member of CWO and became LACCWO President. She advocated for the participation of women in Church activities. (2)Chief Mrs. V. V. I. Okoye, PM from Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province. She was a foundation member of CWO who worked tirelessly to get CWO firmly established in the Eastern States. She was a very effective National President. She equally served as a board member of WUCWO. (3)Late Dame Kathryn Hoomkwap, from Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province. She played a great role in unifying the women in the North together. It was during her tenure as National President that the CWO simple blouse and head wrap were introduced. She equally served as a board member of WUCWO.
J.Bulama: Your Son went into Politics, what effect did that step have in your life?
M. O. Agbaje: My experience in that area? Let me simply summarize thus: I saw the level of insincerity that some Nigerians can display.
J.Bulama: What advice do you have for Catholic Women and Women in general?
M.O. Agbaje: Catholic women should find time for their homes while rendering services to the Church or carrying out CWO activities. For women in general, they should strike a balance of time for the home and for other activities.
J. Bulama: Mama, on behalf of the Catholic women of CWONLA LEKKI DEANERY, we thank you immensely for granting us this interview. We wish you God’s continued protection and blessings in every aspect of your life.
M.O. Agbaje: Amen