The Honorable Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Inclusion Oyo State; Hon( Mrs) Toyin Balogun in her welcome address at an event at Daylan Events Centre Gbaremu Ibadan, the commemorative event was approved by His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde to celebrate the resilience and creativity of the female demographic of the state despite the challenging economic climate
While delivering her Welcome Address on the theme: “Invest in Women; Accelerate Progress,Mrs Balogun reassured Oyo state women of more government support and empowerment through both the Office of the Wife of the Governor and the Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Inclusion
She enjoined them to continue to deliver on their role as home-makers and nurturing their children to become great in life and to continue to support the Government of Governor Seyi Makinde because this is a government that recognizes that women have a critical role to play in governance and nation building
While stressing the importance of women, the Commissioner said, “A woman’s role is multi-faceted, we are not only God’s special purpose vehicle made for procreation, we are role models, peace -makers during conflict who are involved in decision making processes and many more.
Hence, we stand tall to say, ‘no woman, no life.’ Women as catalysts for change should say no to women subjugation.”
The Honorable Commissioner after delivering her speech reiterated to all Oyo state women that courtesy the magnanimity of His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde, 2025 was billed to become the “Year of upliftment of Oyo Women” because His Excellency has approved an unprecedented amount in the year 2025 fiscal budget earmarked for the welfare of women in the state and other vulnerable demographics like children, the elderly and physically challenged vulnerable members of our society
She charged all women in Oyo state to strategically position themselves to take advantage of this golden opportunity afforded by the GSM led government by reviewing their present economic state, writing business plans, understudying vocational skills and getting ready to go through Vocational and Skills acquisition programs in order to build and enhance their productive capacity
She assured the women that the govt of Governor Makinde is ready to support them through numerous capacity building programs(Skills Acquisition & Vocational Training programs) , Agripreneurship programs and is also ready to avail them some opportunities to access funding for their viable business ideas in order to ensure that in 2025, the women in Oyo State are empowered to become the economic power houses God created them to be taking into cognizance the fact that empowering a single woman is Akin to empowering an entire community.
At the commemorative event, the women of Oyo state in attendance received several gifts including two women who won 2( two) shops from the ongoing Gbagi Market expansion project, numerous Garri Processing Machines valued at about N12million for each set of about 6 different equipments, blenders,12.5kg gas cylinders,sets of cooking pots ,melon blenders, bedsheets and other items useful to women and thousands of different products from the product range of the Nigerian breweries plc, a major supporter of the program
Through a collaboration with the Nigerian breweries, about 50 indigent women were not only empowered, they will be linked to established big distributors of Nigerian Breweries who will mentor them and help grow their businesses
Representatives of the Nigerian Breweries plc present at the event include the South West Corporate Communications Manager ; Mr Danjuma and four other members of the Executive of Nigerian Breweries plc
The plan to ensure sustainability of this intervention with the Nigerian Brewries brand is not only to support and empower our women but also the Ministry of Women Affairs will be scaling up the capacity of the women empowered today by a minimum of 200 percent of what they received from Nigerian Breweries if they are still found doing and growing the business when we follow up their progress in the next three months
Present at this strategic program were the following notable powerhouses from the female demographic of Oyo state viz:
Her Excellency Eng Tamunominini Makinde the First Lady of Oyo state, the Distinguished Senator Monsurat Sunmonu the First and only female Speaker of the Oyo state House of Assembly and Senator,Mrs Olamidun Ogundoyin; Wife of the Speaker OYSHA and Chairman Conference of Speakers nationwide, Alhaja Sanni Commissioner for Special Duties and former Commissioner for Women Affairs,rep of Honorable Abass Adigun Agboworin,Hon Wale Saminu; Vice Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs,Hon Bisi Micheal; Member House Committee on Women Affairs and member representing Ogbomosho North constituency,Hon Sikiru Sanda; ALGON chairman and ExecutiveChairman Egbeda LG, HonChief Tunde Tijani; a Chieftain of the PDP,Hon Seun Onifade; Executive Chairman of Ibadan North LG the local government of the Honorable Commissioner,Yeyeluwa Bose Adedibu South West Woman Leader of the PDP,Chief Mrs Bola Doherty (MON),Alhaja Wulemotu Ibitoye ; PDP State Woman Leader, Ms Yemisi Iranloye; the MD CEO of Psaltry International; the 2nd company in the world producing Sorbitol from cassava,Chief Mrs Abike Jagaban a philanthropist of note,Chief Mrs Sogbesan ( Iya Mukeso) and reps of the wife of the GOC of the Nigerian Army, women leaders, female coordinators of the Governor’s campaign, representatives of women based non governmental organizations etc
In their separate goodwill messages, former speaker the Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu applauded the Government of Governor Seyi Makinde for supporting the female demographic. She briefed through her life and political trajectory, encouraging the women that if she could achieve what she has achieved despite daunting challenges, all women can make meaningful impact
She also notably opined that given the sense of equity , justice and fairness that characterized every action taken by the Governor, she believed that His Excellency and all other male leaders will support the emergence of a female Deputy Governor in 2027 given the fact that Oyo state is the only one of the six south west states that is yet to produce a female Deputy Governor
Wife of the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs Olamidun Ogundoyin, Chief judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima, represented by Justice Olusola Adetujoye,Registrar Oyo State High Court, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Bose Adedibu, Ms Yemisi Iranloye CEO of Psaltry International, Director of Gender & Mainstreaming University of Ibadan; Prof Mrs Ukpoloko all appreciated the unwavering support women in the state are enjoying under Governor Makinde’s administration.
They acknowledged various challenges women are facing, calling on governments at all levels to invest in women and girls in order to unlock their full potential and create a brighter future for the womenfolk.
Highlights of the event include the Empowerment segment where our women went away with gifts , equipments and shops valued at over N100 million ,360 degree camera, exhibition stands where our women showcased the products and service range, cutting of the anniversary cake with Her Excellency the First Lady etc
