.. No Political Interest Attached- Founder

Wife of the Governor of Ondo State, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has lauded the humanitarian gesture of Mr Bright Adekunle Adelegan, who empowered widows with cash gifts, foodstuffs and money-making equipment, in Ile-Oluji area of the state.

The empowerment, which was carried out through his non-governmental organisation, Aiku Ever Bright International Foundation, captured over 500 beneficiaries, held at the Odundun Townhall, Ile-Oluji, on Thursday.

No less than 20 widows were empowered with N100,000 cash each, while other entrepreneurial equipment like deep freezers, refrigerators, grinding machines, sewing machines, and catering items according to the peculiarity of their needs.

The Ondo State First Lady, who was a Special Guest of honour at the event, professed her passion for widows, noting that the gesture was in line with her vision of founding Ondo Widow’s Care initiative.

Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Gender Research and Documentation, Mrs Temitope Daniyan, Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu asserted that her concern for the welfare and wellbeing of Widows made her facilitate the online registration of widows to gather their data across Ondo State for easy access to empowerment.

She affirmed that, as a mother, she understood the plight of widows, ranging from neglect and intimidation by in-laws, financial burdens to cater to children, hence, the motive behind the Widow’s care initiative which started in 2019 to cushion the effects of Coronavirus.

The Ondo First Lady expressed delight in the selfless service of the host and commended him for the huge financial commitment while describing him as one of the rare people needed to reduce poverty in Nigerian societies.

She, however, enjoined the beneficiaries not to take the gesture for granted but utilise it to improve on their livelihood.

“So many of you will be going home with different empowerment packages that are capable of transforming your lives. I implore you not to be lazy, make a good use of this privilege, and run with it to get positive results.
“If you put all these items to use, sure, your daily meals will be certain”, she added.

She, therefore, assured of government’s continuous commitment to the welfare of widows and the less privileged ones in Ondo State.

The host, who is an Ile-Oluji son based in Canada, explained that he birthed the vision in 2021 to start celebrating his birthday with widows and the less privileged ones under the umbrella of Aiku Ever Bright International Foundation.

He appreciated his mother for being instrumental to the establishment of the Foundation.

According to him, he wasn’t aspiring any political office, but was just enocouraged by her mother to establish the foundation purposely to empower the girl-child, widows, orphans, and every category of the needy in order to alleviate poverty in destitute communities.

Mr Adekunle Adelegan used the medium to solicit prayers for the First family in Ondo State, a request that was embraced by the widows, and they prayed fervently.

All invited widows smiled home with bags of rice, beans, garri, beverages, and other edible items.


Story Credit: Mary Agidi