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 s democracy takes hold in Nigeria and laws are being enacted through the legislative branches at the national and state levels, and as social media (and the Internet) makes our world a very small place particularly with information dissemination, the time has come for an advocacy group to help shape and monitor a healthy debate regarding a healthy family unit in Nigeria and beyond.
The journey to the inaugural meeting which was held on Friday, October 24th 2014, started about eight years ago. I was elected to the board of Nebraska Family Council, now Nebraska Family Alliance (after merger with Family First) and I wondered if such an organization was ripe for Nigeria’s growing democratic governance, I wondered out loud to many close to me, not sure if I wrote about it on Nigeriaworld? In obedience to God’s instruction, I wrote out the plan for what such an organization would look like in Nigeria (knowing fully well that I wasn’t planning on moving to Nigeria) and that I was not the person to carry out the assignment.
In 2006, I got a call on a faithful day from a gentleman who identified himself as a pastor and that he was wrapping up his PhD in Arizona and returning home – home being Nigeria, he said God told him to call me (he reads my article on Nigeriaworld). I remember telling Dr. Israel Olaore that I’m not sure why God would have him call me, but the only thing that came to my mind was the vision I wrote about a family institute for Nigeria. I sent the write-up to him, and he promised to get back to me once re-settled in Nigeria.
The call from Nigeria never came, and I soon forgot about the vision and moved on with other stuff. Then in mid 2013, I got a call from a Dr. Augustina Olaore, who introduced herself and reminded me of my conversation with her husband in 2006 about starting a family institute in Nigeria. She told me how they got swallowed up in their assignments as teachers and administrators of a premier university in Nigeria, but that they were in the US on sabbatical for a year, and would love to meet with me. We arranged a meeting for Atlanta at a couple’s retreat, the meeting was very pleasant, and it endeared both the Olaores to Ola and I.
Our physical meeting, which in my opinion help me look into the eyes of the Olaores and gauge their love for God (I’ve met many in the name of the Lord and I’ve been disappointed) jump-start the whole process. We immediately started recruiting board of trustee members, and in December 2013 we retained an attorney in Nigeria to help register the said organization in Nigeria – by mid 2014, the corporate affairs folks in Nigeria allocated a name to us (I understand that is the procedure) – Family Revival and Support Initiative, and God started to bring people with similar vision our way – in ways only God Himself could orchestrate. We agreed not to go for only big names but good solid servants of God with impeccable reputation for decades. I also officially handed over the vision to the Olaores, with the promise to support as best as I can.
The Vision of FRSI is many fold, first to ensure the building and enrichments of healthy homes in Nigeria based on Judeo-Christian principles found in the Bible. Second, the FRSI will help provide educational outreach based on scientific empirical analysis, it will encourage the coordination of a speaker’s bureau for family organizations (parenting, marriage, singles etc.) so that the truth of God’s word is being propagated across our land. Third, the FRSI would seek to be an advocacy organization at the federal and state levels for legislations that promotes healthy family across Nigeria. Lastly, FRSI would help coordinate prayer covering for every single legislature, executive and judiciary officials(federal and state in Nigeria).
At the Inaugural Board of Trustee meeting, at the Babcock University in Ogun State Nigeria – the Board approved Dr. Israel Olaore as the Executive Director of Family Revival Support Initiative and Dr. Augusta Olaore as the Asst. Exec. Director. Board members – present at the meeting were Prof. Kayode Makinde (President of FRSI Board and current VC Babcock University), Hon. Justice Emmanuel Ogebe (retired Nigeria’s Supreme Court Justice), Dr. Gary Maxey (founder, West Africa Theological Seminary), Pastor Christy Ogbeifun and Prof. Bankole Sodipo (Dean, Law Faculty – Babcock University). Absent Board of Trustee members are – Prof. Olanrewaju Omobuwajo (Dean, Pharmacy Faculty – Niger Delta University) who was attending a Pharmacy Council of Nigeria board meeting in Abuja and William Femi Awodele. Other attendees of the inaugural meeting include Pastor David and Mrs. Olatunji (FRSI – National Prayer Coordinators), Mr. Niyi Arije (our attorney) and Dr. Vic. Victor (a guest of Femi Awodele and co-founder of Two-together a US based family ministry).
In the next one year, the Olaores (Drs. Israel and Augusta) have been tasked with coordinating a formal launch of the organization, with fundraising to get the organization of the ground, to putting together a management board and an executive team which will include couple key staffers – a Policy Director (an attorney that would work with legislators), an Outreach and Education Director (someone who will coordinate research on marriage and family institute in Nigeria, and help disseminate correct and viable information to the population). They will work with the Olatunjis to coordinate various prayer initiatives for Nigeria and also ensure that every legislator, executive (elected and appointed) and the Judiciary appointee are covered in prayer by at least one church.
If after reading you feel a tug in your spirit that this is an area God might be calling you to serve or to give, please contact Dr. Israel Oalore – ibolaore@gmail.com (or call 234-8039758656) or visit our website www.FRSI.ORG.
Remain Blessed.
 William Femi Awodele is the Executive Director of Christian Couples Fellowship International, Inc. and a Vice-Chair of Embrace the Heartland in Prayer (http://ift.tt/1uZR2mR)
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