Morin Osunmakinde is the initiator of ‘Babes! Redefined’ a social media Christian women group. The co-pastor of The Baptising Church (TBC), in this interview with Women Editor, TEMITOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE, speaks on how the group came into being, the secret of its growth and challenges faced by Nigerian Christian women.
How did Babes! Redefined (BR) begin, and what are the aims?
Babes! Redefined is a fellowship of women from all walks of life. It is a Facebook group of women making a difference in their generation. BABES is the acronym for Beautiful Adorable Blessed Empowered Saved. We are raising a generation of women with a defined purpose.
Babes! Redefined is a body with a mandate from God to address the wholeness of a woman in a world where the word ‘babes’ has been bastardised and a lot of women have no idea what it means to be babes!
We are committed to raising a generation of women who have come to discover purpose and identity in God, and as a result are affecting those around them positively and spreading this new Gospel. We counsel, share, advice, discuss, learn, motivate, laugh, celebrate, rejoice with and above all are transformed through the Word and discussions. We esteem the ministry of the Holy Spirit highly in this regard. This group is open to only women who are 18 and above.
We have held several physical meetings since the group was formed on November 12, 2010 in different places like in Nigeria, South Africa, United States, United Kingdom and Canada. We hope to have more meetings in the coming year.
Babes! Redefined is an assignment I received back in Abuja while chatting with friends. As the year rolled by, the vision and mission became clearer.
Had you always nursed the ambition of starting this group or the inspiration just came one day?
I did not think I would start a group called Babes! Redefined. But one thing I had always known was that I would reach out to women. And this, I had naturally found myself doing, even when I wasn’t married. So as at the time I caught the name and vision of BR right in the midst of a conversation with friends, I did not have the details; I didn’t even know it would start out as a Facebook group. It was in the place of prayer and seeking counsel that things started falling into place. We are not there yet; but sure we are on our way.
What is the membership strength like?
As at the last time I checked, we have over 43,900 women on the Facebook group.
Four years down the line, would you say the group is meeting the set objectives?
Four years already? I’ll say Babes! Redefined is now a phenomenon and I must say it has been God all through. Honestly, it’s been a journey of faith – a step at a time, watching God unfold what he has in mind as we walk with him. It has been a period of growth for me personally. So I would say we are okay. We are on our way. We may not be there yet, but we sure are on the right track.
What is the testimony of BR today?
The testimony of BR is that God confirms his word over and over in our lives. Lives are truly being transformed. And, for me, the greatest miracle is that women from all over the world come together to help each other in prayer, counselling as well as sharing knowledge and opportunities. Some even give, regardless of our doctrinal beliefs, sentiments or denominational preferences, not knowing or having met each other. Some have bonded and valuable friendships have budded. To me, that is the miracle only God could have backed!
As the initiator, what are the challenges you face, especially in ensuring that members keep to the group’s code of conduct?
Definitely, anyone leading anything will face challenges, moreso when it involves women only. Women naturally bring a lot of energy into whatever they are doing. In our early days, having to maintain a level of decorum was a bit of a challenge. But now, we have worked on that. We’ve had to institute a governing council, which consists of 12 members. We also have six administrators and BR police. Together, we rub minds daily on how to move the group forward.
I would say the governing council has been a strong backbone for me and has helped in reducing the challenges.
Judging by the different kinds of Facebook posts by women in four years, what would you say are the greatest problems Christian women face all over the world?
That’s a very interesting question. I would categorise them into two: men and child issues. So many issues about relationship, marriage, divorce, domestic violence, abuses of all sorts, insecurity and lack of worth.
Childlessness – the strong need to have children – is also another major issue. The role our tradition plays in it. But these issues stem from lack of in-depth knowledge of who God is and how he sees us as women. Our inability to see ourselves through the eyes of Christ.
Which post would you say is the most heart-rendering so far?
There are so many of them. Especially the ones that come back to share their testimony of how they used counsel and advice given on BR and how it transformed their lives, homes and families.
Are the challenges of the Nigerian Christian woman different from that of her counterparts abroad?
Well, yes to a certain extent. Our upbringing and cultural values play a big role in shaping our thoughts and character. In Nigeria, some women still believe that a man has the final say and their opinions don’t matter. Some believe it is okay for a man to beat them and they stay in such an environment, having the mindset of “our mothers endured worse”. In some cases, we have had the terrible and unfortunate death of some.
In the case of having children, some women believe you are not a complete woman if you do not have kids, and some even pride in the number of kids. While abroad, having kids or not does not determine who you are as a mother. Some even just have one and they are good, and you don’t have people looking at them one month after marriage, wondering if they have taking in or not.
There is also the issue of getting married. I once read a post of a Babes! who said she was 24 and her mum is already pressuring her to get married. Meanwhile, she still had a few things she wanted to do as a single lady. I also remember a post of a lady who said she wasn’t interested in getting married. She is born again, lover of Jesus and a dedicated worker in her Church. You needed to see the comments. Some even said it was an insult on God that she even had such thoughts.
So definitely, our cultural differences play a major role in the challenges we face and how we handle them.
Are there things you’d still want to achieve through this group that you’re yet to achieve?
I hope we can have more physical meetings and ability to be a bit more proactive, helping women financially.
You are a pastor, wife, mother and you also have your own secular job. How do you balance these different roles?
Somehow, I live each day as it comes. Yes, there are times one area suffers for the other, but I try to balance out. I have a very supportive husband. I also never lacked help in terms of human resources. It’s also easier now that my kids are bit grown – my last son will be six in January. So, they have a measure of independence.
In your opinion, what is the secret of living a happy and successful life as a Christian?
Staying connected to the source; knowing and reminding yourself that God is great and you are nothing; that it is God who does his works in you. Having a partner who complements you; that way, you are not in conflict; rather, you are working hand-in-hand. Also knowing that you have God-given purpose, and with God on your side, all things are possible.