The Women and Girls’ Organisations of the Ajayi Crowther Diocese of the Anglican Communion will hold their 19th Annual Women’s Conference from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Cathedral of St. Paul, Oke-Igbagbo, Iseyin, Oyo State, with a ₦300 million fundraising campaign for a 60-bed female hostel as the major focus of the gathering.
The three-day conference, themed “Net-Breaking Harvest,” drawn from Luke 5:4–7, is being organised under the episcopal leadership of the Diocesan Bishop/Missioner, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Collins Olufemi Babalola, and the Diocesan President, Professor (Mrs.) Chinedum Peace Babalola.
The proposed hostel is designed to provide safe and affordable accommodation for female tertiary students while also offering temporary shelter and support for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).
The initiative is coming against the backdrop of the rapid expansion of higher institutions along the Oke-Ogun and Iseyin academic corridor, which the diocese said has outpaced the availability of secure and affordable student accommodation.
According to the diocese, the accommodation deficit has left many female undergraduates dependent on off-campus housing in environments that may expose them to sexual exploitation, abuse, criminal vulnerability and poor living conditions, with possible consequences for their academic performance and general well-being.
Explaining the rationale behind the project, Bishop Babalola said the increasing student enrolment had made the expansion of accommodation facilities an urgent necessity.
He stressed that the project was intended to ease the accommodation burden confronting female students while contributing to a safer and more conducive learning environment.
Calling for collective support, the bishop said, “We’re never, ever, ever going to be able to fly as high unless we’re both in support of each other,” urging men, women, clergy members, corporate organisations and community stakeholders to work together in supporting the initiative.
The diocese said the project is anchored on biblical principles, particularly Galatians 6:9, which encourages believers not to become weary in doing good, and Proverbs 31:8–9, which calls on people to speak for the vulnerable and defend those who cannot speak for themselves.
The church leadership maintained that protecting young women during their formative years represents a practical expression of Christian responsibility, compassion and stewardship.
Prof. (Mrs.) Babalola said Iseyin was deliberately selected for the legacy hostel because of the pressing accommodation and safety challenges confronting female students in the area.
She said education remained a major priority of the diocese, stressing that meaningful investment in human capital, particularly the education and welfare of girls, was essential to sustainable development.
“Our vision is to support an education system that is safe, inclusive, functional, accountable, and capable of preparing our children to compete effectively in the modern world,” she said.
She further described foundational education as the bedrock of the entire education system and a critical instrument for social transformation and national development.
According to her, the diocese’s Educational Improvement Initiative is designed to strengthen grassroots schools by addressing critical infrastructural and learning needs, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The diocese, which serves more than 500 rural communities across Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola and Iwajowa Local Government Areas, said the hostel project forms part of a broader commitment to education, youth development and community welfare.
To guarantee transparency and accountability, the leadership said monitoring and compliance mechanisms had been put in place for the project.
“These funds must be utilized with the highest level of transparency, prudence, and accountability, strictly in accordance with the approved guidelines,” Prof. Babalola said.
The project oversight committee said the execution team would ensure that all components of the development met prescribed minimum standards, adding that adherence to quality and accountability requirements would also strengthen the diocese’s prospects of securing performance-based support from international partners and donor agencies.
The Diocesan President assured donors and partners that contributions would be managed under strict governance structures and directed towards improving the safety, welfare and academic prospects of beneficiaries.
She also expressed appreciation to stakeholders who had continued to support the diocese’s interventions in education and community development, noting that timely investment in the sector would help restore hope and confidence among parents, teachers, learners and other stakeholders.
The hostel project is expected to be executed in phases to enable students to begin benefiting from improved accommodation and security as development progresses.
The completed 60-bed facility is planned to comprise two-person rooms, study areas, shared bathrooms, laundry facilities, 24-hour security, a porter’s lodge and backup utilities. It is also expected to generate sustainable revenue to support the diocese’s wider outreach programmes.
The foundation stone of the proposed facility was laid on August 1, 2026.
Prof. Babalola said the hostel would provide more than accommodation, as it would offer female students security, Christian mentoring, protection from violence and an environment conducive to academic concentration and character development.
“Many young women are forced into vulnerable living situations, but this 60-bed facility will offer them security, Christian mentoring, shelter from violence, and a foundation for character development,” she said.
Bishop Babalola similarly described the initiative as an investment in the future of the community, saying, “We are launching out into the deep to build a legacy of safety and spiritual growth that will transform our communities for generations.”
Conference Secretary, Dr. (Mrs.) Adesola O. Oluwatuyi, urged individuals and organisations to support the project, stressing that every contribution would bring the diocese closer to providing a safe environment for female students.
“Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us build a safe haven for our daughters and expand God’s work in Oyo State,” she said.
Beyond the hostel, funds raised during the conference will also support a Women’s Skill Acquisition Academy, agricultural projects, adult literacy programmes and a welfare scheme for clergy wives.
The official opening ceremony and presentation of the Presidential Address will take place on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., with prominent personalities expected to attend.
Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Dapo Afolabi (OFR), described investment in the safety and education of young women as one of the most important investments a community could make in its future.
Father of the Day, Dr. Abiodun Ojo, called on stakeholders to see the protection of young people as a collective moral responsibility, while Mother of the Day, Mama Eunice Okeremi, urged participants to support victims and vulnerable women to the fullest extent possible.
She said, “When women unite in faith and purpose, no barrier is too great to overcome.”
The conference programme will combine spiritual activities, Bible study, business empowerment, discussions on gender-based violence, prayer sessions and other interventions aimed at strengthening women and girls.
Diocesan Chaplain, Canon K. O. Fakayode, who will lead the Bible Quiz, said grounding women in Scripture would equip them to confront life’s challenges with wisdom and faith.
Keynote speaker, Prof. (Mrs.) Ayotola Aremu, is expected to speak on the conference theme, “Net-Breaking Harvest,” while seminar speaker, Mrs. K. O. Adeleke, will address gender-based violence and the need to break the culture of silence surrounding abuse.
Other sessions will focus on women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, prayer, Bible study and holistic development, with speakers including Mrs. Simbi Ayeni, Rev. Adesina Ajedokun, Pastor Bayo Owoseni, Mrs. Olopade of Balm of Gilead and Mrs. F. O. Olalere.
The diocese is calling on members of the public, corporate organisations, philanthropists, faith-based organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to participate in the conference and support the ₦300 million hostel project.
The leadership said the scale of the project requires institutional partnerships, corporate social responsibility commitments and sustained philanthropic support beyond individual donations.
Members of the public who wish to support the project may make donations to Ajayi Crowther Diocese MU through Ecobank Nigeria, Account Number 5291003052.
