Women
KAFAYAT Oyetola, Osun State First Lady, has commended Janet Afolabi, Queen of Apomu kingdom and CNN award-winning journalist, for supporting Apomu market women with interest loans. The loan is to be administered through Apomu Women Cooperative launched on October 2 at the Palace hall in Apomu.
Oyetola, in her speech, said: “l appreciate Olori Afolabi for her efforts at ensuring the take-off of this project. I have no doubt that it would help to lift many women and homes out of poverty and enhance the standard of living in their homes. I call on other communities in the state which may not have this type of economic development mechanism to emulate Apomu women by floating their own cooperative bodies.
The Osun First Lady, who was the guest of honour at the launching ceremony, said she was “delighted to have attended the unveiling of Apomu Women cooperative. The importance of women cooperative at this period cannot be overemphasized.
On her part, Afolabi said she initiated the project because “after COVID 19 lockdown many women were unable to resume their trading businesses. Many of them had spent their capital. A lot of them tried to borrow money from families, friends and neighbours but it was very difficult. To help these women start again I came up with Apomu Women Cooperative as my flagship empowerment project to give interest-free loans to market women to be paid back over five months”.
The First Lady came to the event with a large entourage. Some of them were deputy governor’s wife, commission for Women Affairs, wife of Secretary to State Government, wife of the commissioner for Finance, wife of APC State chairman, wife of special adviser on Local Government, wife of special adviser on Health and wife of special adviser on Education.
Others who attended the event were Ayo Omidiran, former House of Representatives member, Majority leader, Osun state house of Assembly, the local government chairmen of Irewole, Isokan, and Irewole North East LCDA, Femi and Kemi Titilayo, founder and directors of LEAD Transformation Initiative.
The event had over 500 women in attendance. The Iyaloja of Apomuland, who is the market women leader, said “This is the first time a project like this is launched in Apomu.
Apomu is the headquarters of the Isokan government of Osun state. It was one of the earliest towns that made up the old Oyo Empire. It was founded in the 16th Century.
The women were randomly selected, shortlisted, and interviewed by experts from the LEAD Transformation Initiative. The first batch of the beneficiaries was announced at the event.
– Oct. 6, 2020 @ 18:12 GMT |
Tags: Osun State first lady commends Janet Afolabi for supporting market women
