By Kehinde Adegbite

8th December 2023

What I’m about to write concerning Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the First Lady of Ondo State, may not be new to the people of the State but notwithstanding the number of those who may have written or publicised her good works, adding my voice to the list is just in order. No volume of accolades and endorsements can be too much for good deeds.

Since her husband, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN became the Governor of the State, FOWOSO and BEMORE are two of the major projects of Her Excellency that she holds dear to her heart, devotes her time and gives her best.

While FOWOSO stands for Foundation for Wives of Ondo State’ Officials, BEMORE is fully known as BEMORE Empowered Girls Foundation, a girlchild-focused initiative.

Evidence of transformation that her projects bring to the lives of young girls and women of the State is conspicuously noticeable in the areas of building self-esteem of girl-child, mentorship, purposeful living, and empowerment.

The transformation that lives of girls and women has experienced is undoubtedly not missing its multiplier effects on the lives of boys and men as well.

While the existence of office of the First Lady is not prescribed in our Constitution, women assisting their husbands to fulfil purposes of government should be commended.

Of course, we all know that not all pet projects of First Ladies add much value to the governance of their husbands. Many pet projects of First Ladies we see are avenues to drain States’ resources for personal enrichment but the case of Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu of Ondo State is simply different. Long before her husband ventured into politics, she founded BRECAN (Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria), a platform she employs to create awareness about breast cancer till date. Her Excellency is a breast cancer survivor herself.

Without mincing words, her projects are impactful and life-changing. They are legacy projects which deserve to outlive Arakunrin’s tenure.

I was at the 5th Summit of FOWOSO in Akure on 6th December 2023 and I can tell you that Her Excellency is recording great and life transforming feats in Ondo State. Although this year’s event marks my third attendance at FOWOSO’s Summits, all on the invite of Her Excellency, this is just the first time I’m writing to publicly applaud the good works of the Governor’s wife.

Through BEMORE, she has positively influenced the lives of young girls. These girls, their parents and other persons close to them may not forget Her Excellency in a lifetime.

While at the Summit listening to Miss Tolu Ehimosan (22 yrs old), Miss Taiwo Oniyere, Miss Michael Ogochukwu Esther (21 yrs old), Miss Ogunsemore Abimbola Mary (22 yrs old), Miss Funmilola Akeremale (15 yrs old), and Miss Suleman Aminat (19 yrs old), I found their stories and testimonies phenomenal and worthy of proper documentation.

Many other girls also spoke at the event but these are the names I could capture.

Through trainings on solar energy, web site development, ICT, cake making and other skills as well as breast cancer awareness campaign, the girls’ lives have been transformed. They are empowered and as young girls, they are already making money for themselves and their families.

Should anyone think they are making money at the expense of their education, then that person is wrong. Among them are university undergraduates studying medicine, computer science, law and others, while some are still in secondary school or seeking admission to higher institution.

The empowerment is strategic. Her Excellency is tactically using it to fight all forms of abuse against girls and women. When girls and women are empowered, they are less susceptible to gender-based abuse and discrimination.

Watching the BEMORE girls (as they are fondly called) at the Summit, I made a comment to a man sitting beside me and I’m repeating it here – “if this is all that Her Excellency has done, she has done a lot.” And indeed, she has!

Of course, good governance in Ondo State is not limited to what she’s doing. Her husband is also recording giant strides in different areas but that’s not the focus of this post.

Anyone who was not at the Summit to witness the courage, self-confidence and sense of self-worth that Her Excellency has instilled into the girls through her numerous programmes and activities may be excused to doubt the accounts I render in this post, although it’s expected of diligent readers to do their independent findings before concluding. Make Google your aid.

As BEMORE is empowering girls, FOWOSO is economically, socially and politically moving women forward. For instance, I doubt if there is any State in Nigeria that can beat the population of women holding political offices in Ondo State. While sitting at the Summit, I could count at least 10 women either as Chairpersons of Local Government Councils or Local Council Development Areas. That’s just among those who attended the Summit.

After all said and done, one indelible achievement of Her Excellency I find is what I call – Perpetuation of Purpose (borrowing the coinage of Reverend Funke Adejumo, the Keynote Speaker at the event). Her Excellency has no doubt perpetuated her values of compassion, empathy, philanthropy, determination, resilience, purposeful living, goal setting, self-reliance, and self-confidence in many of those girls and women too. For me, this marks the peak of personal fulfilment and enduring legacy.

As I close this piece, I congratulate Her Excellency, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Ada Owere 1 for the successes recorded so far, my best wishes to her for what she is still doing and pray for her continuing good health, peace of mind and energy to do more.

*Kehinde Adegbite is a Law Teacher and an Ibadan-based Legal Practitioner.*