..aged women, widows, Corp members get laptop, phone, freezers, amongst others

The two-day 5th Summit of the Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials and Female Political Appointees, FOWOSO, successfully ended on Thursday, with a fun-filled elaborate event, at the Gani Fawehinmi Arcade, Igbatoro Road, Akure, the State capital.


This edition was special in approach from the usual activities of previous editions by incorporating separate activities to celebrate and empower aged women, widows, university students, and corp members.

The aged women from 70years old were engaged in a dancing competition to exercise their body, and the overall best dancer, an 87 year old woman, got a 50kg bag of rice with cash gifts.

A corp member won a brand new laptop through raffle draw, a widow got a brand new android phone while another widow won a 25-kg bag of rice.

For the general raffle draw activity, the first star prize winner smiled home with a deep freezer, the second prize winner got haier thermocool refrigerator, while so many other women across the local government areas, won gas cookers, grinding machines, sewing machines, hair dryers, Led TV, Cartons of vegetable oil, amongst others.

Earlier in her welcome address, the First Lady of Ondo State and Founder of FOWOSO, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, had described the 5th Summit as a very special edition dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of Bemore Empowered Foundation’s Girls who had been excelling in their chosen fields of endeavours, affirming that she felt fulfilled.

According to her, FOWOSO has become a household name, while appreciating some individuals and agencies that have been supporting all her initiatives, like OSOPADEC.

The Ondo Governor’s wife asserted that her initiatives’ impacts are evidence-based, hence, the reason they attracted the support of individuals who believed in the transformation of girls through the Bemore foundation and her women empowerment strides.

She, however, appealed for generous donations towards the completion of the FOWOSO project, describing it as a landmark legacy that generations unborn would be proud of in the future.

She used the medium to appreciate the State Governor, Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON for making it possible for more women to be appointed as LCDAs’ caretaker committee chairmen and vice chairmen, saying: ” We can’t but appreciate my Arakunrin, he did it for you, I’m only an enabler, because if he has said No, it can’t work and because he is a he4she”.

In his goodwill message, the Hon. Minister of State for Youth development, Mr. Olawande Ayo Wisdom, commended the Ondo First Lady for her passion to always champion the cause of womanhood since she assumed office.

Represented by Mr. Owoleye Omolayo, the Minister affirmed that youths in Ondo State were glad and lucky to have a youth-friendly Governor, as evident in the appointment and election of many younths in his administration.

Also speaking, the national coordinator of Tinubu national think-tank, Ambassador Adewale Adeogun, lauded the First Lady’s passion, doggedness and commitment towards the empowerment of women, noting that Ondo women were lucky to have her.

Meanwhile, Hon. Wunmi Olatunji- Ohwovoriole, who disclosed that she was a pioneer participant of the first FOWOSO Summit, walked down the memory lane and gave kudos to the founder for her commitment to sustain the vision to this stage, while describing her as a focused visionary leader who was able to push through all challenges.

According to her, Mrs Anyanwu-Akeredolu had been able to replicate herself in Ondo women by establishing a solid foundation through FOWOSO and other women-favoured innovative concepts.

Dignitaries in attendance included Commissioners for Women Affairs, Dr. Mrs. Bunmi Osadahun, for Youth and Sports, Mr Dele Ologunloluwa, for commerce and industry, Mrs. Lola Fagbemi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender, Mrs Olamide Falana, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Akure, Bar. Olumuyiwa, amongst others.

The event featured the usual groups march- past, medical check-up and free treatment, breast and cervical cancers awareness, distribution of goodie bags to about seven thousand women who came from all the local government areas, professional women groups, and religious groups.


Story Credit: Mary Agidi
Special Assistant to the Governor on Media (Office of the First Lady)
07/12/2023

📸 Credit: Saidu Abdulrahman & Gbenga Fasakin