HEY WOMAN, DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE?

By Layo Obidike

Your Name. Your Identity. Your Honour.

My husband is always particular when people call my name in full.
 He’ll say, “Your name is Oluwabunmilayo—don’t give them a short form.”

It always makes me laugh.
 Because even he stumbles on the full name and hides behind “babe.”
 But still—he insists. And I’ve come to see why.

Because we’ve been trained to shrink.
 To abbreviate what heaven has written in full.
 To edit ourselves down to what the world finds acceptable.
 Our names. Our voices. Our callings. Our worth.

But woman—your name is not a nickname.
 It’s a declaration.

THERE IS IDENTITY IN A NAME

Whether Saul or Paul, there was transformation.
 Whether Abram or Abraham, there was legacy.
 Whether Jacob or Israel, there was wrestling and victory.
 Whether Simon or Peter, there was purpose and foundation.

God doesn’t just give names—He establishes identity.
 He speaks destiny into letters.
 He wraps calling into syllables.

A name is never just a name.
 It is a story. It is a seal. It is a spiritual assignment.

So I ask you—woman—
 Who are you, really?
 Not the version others have named.
 Not the role they gave you.
 Not the title you’ve outgrown.
 But the name God whispered before you were formed.

YOU ARE NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT

From the very beginning, God was intentional about womanhood.
 Eve was not created as a backup plan.
 She was not a secondary idea.
 She was the final touch—the finishing glory of creation.

“It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
 —Genesis 2:18

That word “helper” in Hebrew?
 Ezer Kenegdo. It means strength, support, warrior, counterpart.

I cannot say that word without remembering my friend and sister Meheytabel! She is passionate about making women know their worth! Such a blessing, she is!

And yes, should we not be over the moon to know who we are as women?  Ezer Kenegdo is the same word used to describe God when He comes to rescue. The same word is used when divine strength shows up in the middle of a storm.

AYAAA!

You are not weak.
 You are not second.
 You are not background.

You are Ezer—mighty help, strong presence, divine force.
 You were never meant to shrink.
 You were meant to stand.

YOU ARE A WOMAN OF WORTH – PROVERBS 31

“Who can find a virtuous woman? Her worth is far above rubies.”
 —Proverbs 31:10

This is not a poem about perfection.
 This is a portrait of purpose.
 This is not a checklist.
 This is a calling.

She is clothed with strength and dignity.
 She speaks wisdom with grace.
 She considers a field and buys it.
 She builds, she nurtures, she invests.
 Her husband trusts her.
 Her children bless her.
 She rises early, but she rises powerful.

This woman is not passive.
 She is not waiting to be noticed.
 She is busy fulfilling purpose in her home, her work, her world.

And so are you.

Your worth is not found in how quiet you stay.
 Your value is not in how much you endure.
 Your power is in knowing who you are in God—and walking like it.

WOMAN, OWN YOUR IDENTITY

If God calls you blessed, don’t agree with being broken.
 If He calls you fearfully and wonderfully made, don’t answer “not enough.”
 If He calls you daughter, stop settling for the identity of a servant.

The Lord called you from the womb.
 Before your mother held you, He named you.
 Before this world knew you, He spoke over you.

Your name is not just a title.
 It is a divine utterance.
 A declaration of your destiny.

Do not let the world rename what heaven has already spoken.
 Do not let trauma rewrite your identity.
 Do not let culture shrink you down to fit.

STEP INTO YOUR FULL IDENTITY

Stop living small when you’ve been called great.
 Stop silencing your voice when you’ve been filled with wisdom.
 Stop hiding when you were created to stand.
 Stop calling yourself empty when you carry the fullness of God.

There is no room for smallness when you were crafted by greatness.

You are Oluwabunmilayo — God has given me joy.
 You are Esther — born for such a time as this.
 You are Deborah — a judge, a warrior, a mother to a nation.
 You are Ruth — faithful, loyal, and redeemed.
 You are Mary — chosen, favoured, filled with purpose.

You are you — fearfully, wonderfully, and intentionally made.

You were not named by accident.
 You were not formed without purpose.
 You were not created to blend in.
 You were born to carry light and release truth.

WALK, WOMAN! WALK IN YOUR HONOUR

Yes, walk in your name.
 Stand in your identity.
 Let the world feel the weight of who you are.

Let your voice echo with heaven’s authority.
 Let your presence shake rooms—not because you’re loud, but because you are anchored.
 Let your silence be strength, and your words be fire.

May every label that does not belong to you fall off.
 May every lie lose its power.
 May every part of you rise.

You are not “just a woman.”
 You are a sign.
 You are a symbol.
 You are a statement of God’s intent on the earth.

You are honourable.
 Now walk in it.

Layo Obidike builds transformative ecosystems at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and communication. A serial founder, strategic communications architect, and digital innovation advisor, she has a proven track record of launching and scaling impactful solutions across diverse sectors.
As the visionary behind platforms such as LOP, ThriveonEntrepreneur, The God’s Treasury Cooperative, and The Spiritual Woman, Layo blends deep expertise in content systems, business infrastructure, and growth strategy to empower brands and ecosystems across Africa—and beyond.
Through her flagship platform, layoobidike.com, she curates actionable insights on strategy, communication, and digital positioning. She helps founders, policy leaders, and growth teams translate vision into velocity. Her work sits at the intersection of clarity, execution, and impact—making her a sought-after voice in the future of African enterprise and thought leadership.
Connect with Layo on LinkedIn or explore her ventures and writing at layoobidike.com.

Layo Obidike