This groundbreaking online seminar, held on Zoom on 20th September 2025, brought together over 100 married couples from Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia. All participants shared a common goal: to strengthen their marriages by improving how they communicate with love, faith, and practical tools.
The event opened with warm greetings from Jide Ojo, who emphasized the importance of nurturing healthy relationships. As the session progressed, expert speakers from the Greater Houston Church—Mr. Kweku Wade and Dr. Ekpedeme Wade—shared their personal experiences and insights on marriage communication.
Kweku Wade, with over 20 years of experience as a solutions architect, and his wife, Dr. Ekpedeme Wade, a licensed family physician and counselor, opened up about their journey. They candidly discussed how small disagreements—like whether to leave porch lights on—can quickly escalate when communication falters. These conflicts often stem from feelings of being unheard or disrespected, rather than the issues themselves.
The Wades emphasized that conflict is natural in marriage. However, the key lies in how couples handle disagreements. They introduced biblical wisdom from James 1, encouraging couples to “consider it pure joy” when facing trials—seeing challenges as opportunities for growth and spiritual maturity. They urged couples to pause, think intentionally, and choose responses grounded in love and faith instead of reacting impulsively.
A central focus of the workshop was the practical “Speaker-Listener Technique.” This method promotes one spouse speaking while the other listens attentively and reflects back what they hear, fostering understanding and reducing miscommunication. The Wades modeled this approach, demonstrating how it can turn tense moments into opportunities for connection.
Throughout the session, participants reflected on their own communication styles, answering questions such as how they respond when they feel misunderstood or unseen. They were reminded that emotions are valid but should not control responses. Instead, leading with thoughts guided by faith and truth can de-escalate conflicts and strengthen bonds.
The workshop also explored neuroscience, explaining how stress triggers the brain’s amygdala, leading to reactive behaviors. The Wades encouraged couples to practice self-control, gentleness, and patience—following biblical principles and scientific understanding—to create emotional safety and mutual regulation.
As the session concluded, attendees expressed profound gratitude for the practical lessons and biblical insights shared. Many shared that the tools learned, especially the speaker-listener approach, would significantly improve their marriage interactions.
Looking ahead, organizers announced a follow-up session next month, encouraging couples to actively practice these principles. They emphasized that spiritual and relational growth is an ongoing journey—requiring patience, intentionality, and reliance on God’s guidance.
In summary, this transformative workshop left participants inspired and equipped. It reinforced that healthy communication is a vital part of building lasting marriages—one conversation at a time—and that through faith and deliberate effort, marriages across West Africa can be renewed, strengthened, and glorify God.
Together, with faith and practical action, marriages in West Africa are being transformed—one conversation at a time.
