FOWOSO Centre ‘ll provide shelter for victims of SGBV- Ondo First Lady

..Performs Centre’s foundation laying ceremony in Akure

Wife of Ondo State Governor , Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, on Monday conducted the foundation laying ceremony of a multi-million naira Centre of the Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials and Female Political Appointees, FOWOSO, in Akure the state capital.

Performing the foundation laying of the centre situated beside Ondo State psychiatric hospital Oda Road Akure, the Ondo First Lady affirmed that the Project, when completed, would provide shelter for vulnerable women and girls who are victims of Sexual and Gender-Based violence, SGBV, in the state.

She revealed that, although there might be a need for public support, the centre is being instituted with internal resources of FOWOSO as its legacy project aimed at showcasing the capacity of women and the need to provide hope for vulnerable women in the state.

” We want to demonstrate to Ondo State people, Nigeria and the world at large that women are capable.

“What we are witnessing today is the pathway to making this vision a reality.
This is a legacy project, and I want all FOWOSITES to key into it”. Says the First Lady.

Lamenting the rate at which some women are homeless due to domestic violence, the FOWOSO Founder raised the hope of victims of such and other Gender-Based Violence that the centre would provide a shelter for them, stating that such gesture should form one of the purposes of women groups like FOWOSO.

She said: “FOWOSO means business in leaving a legacy, in building a centre that fits our purpose. You can see the components of this building, for instance shelter, every now and then we have our women kicked out by their husbands. When you have such a case you will run to FOWOSO centre and we will shelter you. Like all these girls that their fathers are raping them, or uncles, brothers made them sex slaves, FOWOSO is your shelter.

“I know of two girls in secondary school we are sheltering, one, her uncle made her a sex slave; and what can a women’s group afford to do in this regard is for us to have a place we can accommodate our women and girls when they are in need,so that they are not left outside or under the sky, there must be a place for them and this is what this centre is about to fulfil”, she asserted.

She enjoined members of the Foundation to brace up and contribute their quotas in any little way to the success of the project, as she was optimistic that it’s going to be an edifice which every Ondo woman would be very proud of in the nearest future.

Earlier in her welcome address, the chairman of the Centre’s building committee and former Commissioner for women affairs and social development, Mrs. Titi Adeyemi, lauded the doggedness of the founder of FOWOSO for envisioning such a legacy, describing her as a visionary leader.

According to her, the event was a manifestation of the agenda for which FOWOSO was created in 2017, affirming that upon completion, the centre would be a cynosure of all eyes.

The FOWOSO centre would house an auditorium with office complex, 14 guest rooms and eight rooms for shelter, lawn tennis and volleyball courts, due to the passion of the Founder for sports. It will also house Conference room with gallery for exhibition, event Hall of 1000 capacity and an e-library.

In attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony included the Commissioners for Women Affairs, Dr. Adebunmi Osadahun, for Commerce, Mrs. Lola Fagbemi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender, Mrs. Olamide Falana, SSA on Gender Mrs. Temitope Daniyan, SSA on Women Affairs, Mrs Kehinde Adeniran, SSA on Administration, Mrs. Lizzy Akpan, Commissioners in the local government service commission and the OSOPADEC, Mrs. Ronke Ojo and Mrs. Mosun Odukale amongst others.