For the Forum for Wives of Ondo State Officials, led by Mrs Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has held the FOWOSO summit. The summit, which also commemorated the first-year anniversary of FOWOSO, was geared towards improving family health through women empowerment projects and health awareness activities.

The summit, which was centered around the theme “Unlocking Hidden Potential in Women: A Task for All,” was chaired by Dr John Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor.

In his address, Fayemi appealed for a shift in thinking to allow more women into leadership position since they have demonstrated competence as active change agents.

The keynote speaker, Dr Munirat Ogunlayi, a senior health specialist at the World Bank who addressed the theme of the summit identified factors responsible for hidden potential in women to include poverty, socio-cultural norms, abuse and religion. She also addressed the implications of societal restrictions on women while identifying sound education, leadership development, mentoring, equal opportunities, enabling environment and governmental support as measures that could be implemented to unlock the hidden potential of women.

In her address, Mrs Akeredolu, who appreciated Ondo women and traditional rulers for the support rendered to the FOWOSO initiative throughout the year, affirmed her commitment to driving gender equality in order to advance humanity as a whole.

“How do we expect to develop if women, who make up more than half of the entire population are restricted to kitchen duties and child rearing only and are then expected to, like serfs, totally depend on their husband for every need,” she said.

She praised her husband for his support so far.

“The pursuit of gender equality is definitely daunting; many rocks of stereotypes are particularly exacting, but when more men join us, we are further strengthened to prevail quickly. But whatever the case, we shall prevail,” she said.

With the summit featuring various segments, including breast examination and other empowerment talks, one major highlight was the conversation with supportive husbands where men who support their wives to attain their maximum potential stepped onto the podium to share their experience.

Leading the trio on stage was the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Dr Olajide Suraj Ogunlayi, an Agriculture and Rural Development Consultant at the World Bank and Oba Yussuf Adebori Adeleye, the Olubaka of Oka Kingdom.

Other dignitaries who attended the event included the wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Ekiti State University, Prof. Ibiyinka Ogunlade and Senior Special Assistant to Ondo State Governoor on Women Affairs, Mrs Titi Adeyemi, among others.


Reaching out with the softer
side of government

The FOWOSO team led by Mrs Akeredolu concluded an empowerment tour to the 18 local government areas with a visit to Ikare, the famed capital of Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

There, women and young people were empowered with skills and work tools. The day began with a visit to the Olukare Palace, where the traditional ruler, Oba Kadiri Momoh Saliu. Oba Saliu commended the Rotimi Akeredolu-led administration on road construction and rehabilitation of the NYSC Orientation Camp Ikare.

On the field where people were already seated, eyes turned to the centre where various empowerment materials such as sewing machines, hairdressing and grinding machines as well as laptops computers were arranged.

Some of the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme who spoke with Southwest Report expressed delight and prospect of the gesture on their businesses.

It was an emotional moment for Mrs Bello Falilat, a person living with disability who was among the women who received grinding machines.

Speaking while seated in her wheel chair, she said: “This government has shown special interest in people living with disabilities.

“I am touched by the gesture because feeding has been a problem for me. But I am grateful that now, my children will operate the grinding machine and we would have food to eat,” she said.”

Mrs Bunmi Orimolade, a hairdresser could be easily judged as one of the most delighted beneficiaries of the empowerment programme.

In a chat with Southwest Report, she said her hairdryer recently got burnt and the electrician demanded to fix it for N12, 000 which she couldn’t afford.

“Many of my customers have stopped coming since I have no dryer. Now that I got a new one from FOWOSO, it will help my business a lot,” Orimilade said.


The digital footprint

‘Digital Mama’ is one of the nicknames often used to describe Mrs Akeredolu in the Ondo State government circle.

Last year, she hosted 100 girls to a one-month ICT programme where she distributed 100 tablets to girls picked from 23 secondary schools in Akure, the state capital.

It was not also surprising that the digital footprint also came to bear in the FOWOSO empowerment progarmme in Ikare-Akoko as 10 youths were presented with Acer laptop computers to facilitate ICT skills development. Majority of the recipients are students of neighbouring institutions of higher learning in Akoko North East Local Government Area.

Shittu Mutiat, an ND 2 student of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, studying Science Laboratory Technology, said the laptop would be of immense benefit to her research work.

“I don’t need to go to the café to type my project anymore. With my laptop, I’ll just do everything myself,” she said.”

Chioma Okorie, a final year student of Mass Communication, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, who gave the vote of thanks on behalf of other laptop beneficiaries, expressed optimism that the device would help her diversify her skills in computer programming.


Building capacity at the grassroots

With over 20 years’ experience running the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, an NGO which etched her name in public consciousness before she came into government, Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu has been abl…

Fowoso, a pet project of Betty Aketi is what they are using to steal our money.
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