The conversations in the room were not different from the ones in the hallway. Women from different background gathered, but to speak with one voice. The socio-political atmosphere in the country had made it compulsory. So the 2014 Women's conference organised by an interdenominational fellowship, Daughters of Destiny drew women from all walks of life to the main auditorium of the Orchids Hotel in Lekki on a recent Friday. It was a potpourri of economic, political, financial and spiritual discourse that centred on the theme, "The Woman As A Change Agent."

The former Vice President of the World Bank, Africa Region, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili and the wife of the Ekiti State governor and a leading women rights' activist, Mrs. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi headlined the first day of the conference with their rousing talks.

Perhaps for the first time, the audience saw Dr. Ezekwesili with a different pair of eyes. On her knees, she offered powerful prayers. She charged the women to exert themselves vigorously and find their purpose in life. She insisted that the inability to do that self-examination and make a self-discovery will hinder a woman from being that agent of change.

For her part, Mrs. Fayemi who was the lead speaker during an afternoon session told women to leverage on their connections to make the desired changes in their lives.

She observed that many wives frown at their husbands' frequent meetings with the old boys' associations, whereas those meetings often yield rewarding fruits when the network is exploited to realise social and economic benefits. She thus charged women to emulate their male counterparts in this regard.

Fayemi condemned the widespread notion that "women are their own worst enemies" and blamed it on the patriarchal nature of the African society. The Ekiti State First Lady who is the Founder of a non-governmental organisation, Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF) took a pragmatic approach to the discourse by highlighting practical ways in which women can become catalysts.

One way is that women need to set examples in manners. Another according to her is that women should take their personal health seriously and be willing to defend other women when their rights are violated.

Using the Ejigbo market women torture to illustrate, Mrs. Fayemi remarked that similar cases of abuse of women's rights abound. She recounted how she waded into the case of a 70-year old woman who was accused of witchcraft and was forced to take some concoctions against her will.

Fayemi who was listed as one of the 20 most influential African women on the continent in 2009 also pointed out that women should not seek help on the social media. This trend, she said, has become so rampant in recent times and young girls are often at risk of seeking help from the wrong places.

Similarly, the President, Daughters of Destiny Interdenominational Fellowship, Mrs. Busola Jegede highlighted the different dimensions in which a woman can act as a change agent starting with a simple yet daunting task of ensuring order in the midst of chaos. She berated the Nigerian Immigration Recruitment exercise in which many died and blamed it on the lack of culture of order in Nigerian society.

"If we have a culture of order, a culture of queue in Nigeria, those 16 people would not have died. When you enter a place that is chaotic, you ask for the line. If there is no door, we create one", she enjoined.

Mrs. Jegede added that women need to do more than pray. Her view was that secular activities can becloud the reasoning of the younger generation, making parenting a challenge. She said that many children often question bible standards against the background of contemporary understanding. Mrs. Jegede stressed the importance of watching children closely by giving a personal account of how she uncovered the activities of her son's associate on Twitter and prompted counseled the offender. She urged women to be committed to raising godly children.

She charged women to master the art of balancing their career aspirations with their marriage. While commending women who have abandoned their lucrative jobs to care for their family, she said the joy of such sacrifice lies in the excellent results that the children accomplish in school. Citing the biblical example of Ruth and Naomi, Mrs. Jegede advised women to maintain a cordial relationship with their mothers-in-law.

She underscored the role of men in setting women aright and urged women to be submissive to their husbands. "Women can be ambitious in their course of pursuing their purpose but God put men in their lives to check and balance that. As change agents, you must support other women in achieving their purpose in life. Be daring to make a new move. Improve yourself, apply yourself through study and research", she said.

She strongly admonished women to discover their talents and explore them and do it differently.

"If you will make gospel music, do it in the way that it will appeal to your audience. Rap the Psalms", she declared. A charity platform, Succour For Women's Care Foundation (SWCF) was launched at the conference to bring health care services and financial aid to indigent women, victims of domestic abuse and women who gave up their career to care for their children.

Other speakers at the conference include Mrs. Arthurine Wilkinson, Kenya- based medical doctor and minister of the gospel, Dr. Mrs Lucy Nganga Mbugua as well as a lawyer and founder, Bethesda Child Support Agency, Pastor Nkoyo Rapu.