Osun State First Lady, Kafayat Oyetola has commended Olori Janet, CNN award winning journalist and Queen of Apomu kingdom for supporting Apomu market women with interest-free loans through Apomu Women Cooperative launched on October 2nd at the Palace hall in Apomu.
In her speech the first lady said " l appreciate Olori Afolabi for her efforts at ensuring the take off of this project. I have no doubt that it would help to lift many women and homes out of poverty and enhance the standard of living in their homes. I call on other communities in the state which may not have this type of economic development mechanism to emulate Apomu women by floating their own cooperative bodies.
Olori Janet said she initiated the project because "after COVID 19 lock-down many women were unable to resume their trading businesses. Many of them had spent their capital. A lot of them tried to borrow money from families, friends and neighbors but it was very difficult .To help these women start again I came up with Apomu Women Cooperative as my flagship empowerment project to give interest free loans to market women to be paid back over five months".The women were randomly selected, shortlisted and interviewed by experts from LEAD Transformation Initiative. The first batch of the beneficiaries were announced at the event.
In her
response Osun first lady, who was the
Guest of Honour said she
was "delighted to have
attended the unveiling of Apomu Women cooperative.The importance of
women cooperative at this period cannot be over emphasized .
She accompanied
to the event with a large entourage.Some of them were Deputy Governor's wife
,Commission for Women Affairs,Wife of Secretary to State Government,Wife of
Commissioner for Finance,,Wife of APC State chairman,Wife of Special
Adviser on Local Government, Wife of
Special Adviser on Health and Wife of Special Adviser on Education.
Others who
attended the event were honourable Ayo Omidiran, former house of
representatives member, Majority leader, Osun state house of Assembly, the local
government chairmen of Irewole, Isokan and Irewole North East LCDA, Mr and Mrs
Femi and Kemi Titilayo, Founder and
Directors of LEAD Transformation Initiative.
The event
had over 500 women in attendance. The
Iyaloja of Apomu land, who is the market women leader said "this is the
first time a project like this is
launched in Apomu".
Apomu is the
headquarter of Isokan government of Osun state. It was one of the earliest towns that made up the
old Oyo Empire. It was founded in 16th Century.
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