..As Gov Wike Empowers FOWOSO with N200 million

As Foundation For Wives of Ondo State Officials ( FOWOSO ) started it’s 4th FOWOSO SUMMIT, Ondo State Deputy Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa lauded the founder of FOWOSO, who is the wife of Ondo State Governor, Chief (Mrs) Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu for “her purposeful leadership and vision in unlocking the great potentials of our women and girl-child within and outside Ondo State” .

Aiyedatiwa who stood in for the State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, CON, made this remarks at the opening ceremony of the two-day event held at International Culture and Events Center (The Dome), Alagbaka, Akure on Wednesday.

With Rivers State Governor, His Excellency Nyeson Wike, CON who was represented at the event by Rivers State Head of Service, Mr. Rufus Godwin as Special Guest of Honour, Wife of Ondo State Deputy Governor, H/E Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, Ondo State APC Chairman, Engr Ade Adetimehin, the event paraded galaxy of top Government officials led by Secretary to Ondo State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu and women representatives within and outside Ondo State.

Aiyedatiwa noted the remarkable and continued commitment of Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu girl-child education and development, especially through the setting up of her life changing platforms like FOWOSO, BEMORE, SOLAYO, BRECAN, Tennis Summer Bootcamp among others with amazing results.

“I must say that the women folk had never had it so good in the Sunshine State”, declared Aiyedatiwa.

“For us, it is a thing of joy and pride that through the instrumentality of FOWOSO and other gender-based programmes, Ondo State women are beginning to take their rightful place under the sun” .

“The progressive revolution your Excellency has brought to the girl-child through the yearly BEMORE programme is also unprecedented in the history of Nigeria”.

“Thank you, your Excellency, for being an outstanding nation-builder and for all you do for this generation” , he said.

Special Guest of Honour, the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Nyeson Wike who was represented by Rivers State Head of Service, Mr Rufus Godwin lauded Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu on the theme of the summit which is, “Bridging the Gender Gap in Political Arena : A case of Nigeria women”, as he called for the breaking of the structural barriers that reinforce discrimination against women and girls through legislation” .

His words, “one relevant way to bridge the gender gap is for Nigerian women to mobilize their votes for all viable women candidates in the 2023 general elections” .

While charging the women folk, Governor Wike said, “I wish to encourage this forum to mobilize the women folk across Nigeria to request the National Assembly to revisit the four gender equality Bills they recently rejected during the recent ammendment process of our constitution” .

While thanking Her Excellency for the pleasure to grace the laudable event, Governor Wike made a donation of Two Hundred million Naira (N200 million) to the foundation.

In her own address, the founder of FOWOSO, wife of Ondo State Governor, Chief Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu acknowledged the invaluable contribution of her husband, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, CON, to the development of her pet projects, FOWOSO inclusive.

While reeling out the laudable achievements of FOWOSO in it’s four years of existence, the first Lady said, “iam proud to announce that we have steadily progressed and there is no looking back” .

“We have put our hands on the plough with amazing results” .

“Our performances are both concrete and measurable: they are no less evident in the number of women whose lives have been transformed through this noble initiative”, she further said.

Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson,
Press Secretary to Governor, Office of Deputy Governor.

Photo Credit : Abayomi Adefolalu.