Adebayo Adenrele
Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji on Monday, through her pet project, the Widows, Aged, and Orphans Hope (WAOH) Support Foundation, empowered over 400 widows and orphans in the state with working equipment and financial support.
Dr Oyebanji, through the pet project awarded scholarship to 50 pupils from primary school to University level, presented education support cheques of N100,000 each to 50 undergraduates students as well as provide over 300 widows and orphans with working tools they would need to fend for themselves.
The equipment range from freezers, grinding machines, sewing machines, hair dryers, processing machines, and financial support among others.
The event which was attended by the State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Adeoye Aribasoye, Members of the House of Assembly, members of the state executive council, royal fathers, religious leaders, youth, market, students, various women groups, among others, was part of the First Lady’s initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of the vulnerable women and children by providing them with necessary tools, skills, and financial support to enhance their livelihoods.
Addressing the crowd at the well-attended ceremony held at the Adetiloye Hall, Trade fair complex, Ado Ekiti, Dr Oyebanji said the initiative was to complement the efforts and vision of her husband, the Governor to reduce poverty among women and children and empower them to live more independent and fulfilling lives.
The First Lady revealed that she conceived the idea for the empowerment program as a way to ensure that the widows and orphans in the state not only survive but also thrive, particularly in raising and educating their children.
While noting that many of the beneficiaries had struggled to provide basic needs for their families, the First Lady said by equipping them with necessary skills, they would be able to generate income, giving them a renewed sense of purpose and dignity.
She explained the this year’s gesture would give education support of N100,000 to over 50 students drawn from federal and state-owned tertiary institutions across the state to reduce the burden of paying school fees, scholarship to 50 pupils from primary to tertiary institutions, empower 300 widows with materials like deep freezer, hair dryer, sewing machine, among others based on their individual requests.
“Today we are not just celebrating the passage of time, but also the tangible impact we have made together, especially for the women, children, and vulnerable groups in our dear state.
“As we mark this special anniversary, 50 public primary school pupils will be awarded scholarships to university level on the platform of WAOH by one of our major benefactors, 50 orphans in higher institutions will likewise be awarded with education support fund of one hundred thousand Naira each, and widows will be provided with various working tools they would need to fend for themselves based on their individual requests, ranging from grinding machines to sewing machines, freezers, hair dryers and financial support. This is just the beginning of the WAOH vision to ensure that no widow, aged , orphan, or vulnerable person is left behind in our quest for a more prosperous and inclusive Ekiti State”. The First Lady stated.
In his remark, Governor Oyebanji, who commended her wife for her generosity of spirit and commitment to uplifting the less privileged, expressed happiness that the WAOH project conceived by his wife to give back to the society is making a tangible impact on the lives of the vulnerable individuals.
The Governor urged wealthy Nigerians to cultivate the habbit of helping one another, emphasizing the importance of community support and solidarity. He noted further that while government initiatives are essential, citizens also have a role to play in helping and lifting each other out of poverty.
Moved by the success of the empowerment programme, Governor Oyebanji announced that courtesy of his Mothers’ foundation, he would sponsor education of 40 children across the state from primary school through tertiary level as well as two students each from federal and state-owned tertiary institutions across the state.
“I am just grateful to God for what he’s doing through Her Excellency, Wife of the Governor. Thank you so much. life is useless if you don’t give back, if God blesses you and you decide to keep to yourself I don’t know the account you will give to God when you face him.
“As she recounts what she has done and what she is doing and what people led by God are doing through her, I was challenged that I can do more than I have done. I just plead with all, lets love ourselves, a selfish life is a useless life and we must learn to give back.
“On behalf of my Mother’s foundation, we will support by picking a child per local government and local council development area which is 38 and we will also add two people living with disabilities making 40 from primary school to tertiary level and from our institutions, we will pick two each and support them from first year to graduation”. The Governor assured.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Adeoye Aribasoye, commended the Wife of the Governor for her passion and dedication to impacting the lives of women in Ekiti state.