Nigerian Brethren Headquarters Hosts Girl’s Brigade Training

Photo by Girl’s Brigade international website
The crest of the Girl’s Brigade, an international Christian organization started in Ireland in 1893. The organization has the aim “To help girls to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ and through self-control, reverence, and a sense of responsibility to find true enrichment of life,” according to the international website for the group. The crest shown here is on the badge worn by Girl’s Brigade members all over the world. The Girl’s Brigade celebrates its 120th anniversary in 2013, and counts among its royal patrons over the years the Queen Mother and Princess Alice of the UK.

The Girl’s Brigade held a one-week training at the headquarters of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN–the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) aimed to equip young leaders with responsibilities of nurturing the upcoming girls. The Girl’s Brigade is an international organization that could be likened to the Girl Scouts in the United States.

The training was meant for the ranks of “Warrant Officer” and “Lieutenant Officer” and was given to young women from 62 Girl’s Brigade districts.

Coordinator Ruth Danladi said the training contained “commanding, how to establish new company, how to tell what Girl’s Brigade is.” The trained sat for written and practical examinations for their certificates at the end.

The essence, Danladi said, is to move girls to grow in fear of God, promote the group in churches, and give the ability of or opportunity for teenage girls and young women to make decisions for themselves and shape their own lives in return. Danladi added that they expect the trained to yield more new companies and officers who would come for the next similar course.

One of the participants, Jimre Bitrus, added that they were coached to command and drill, which concluded with exams.

The Girl’s Brigade is one of the seven church groups in EYN that exist in almost all of the local churches across the country.

— Zakariya Musa reports on activities of the Nigerian Brethren for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria.

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