Second Edition: Olanipekun empowers 200 youths, widows, aged women in Ekiti

Emmanuel AmudaOctober 9, 2021

3 minutes read

The Second Edition of Chief Wole Olanipekun Foundation’s empowerment scheme for widows and youths will take place on the 10th of October, 2021

A renowned lawyer and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN), has granted free of N50,000 and N30,000 each to young people, widows and aged women in Ikere Ekiti to support their existing business.

Olanipekun who is the Asiwaju of Ikere Kingdom was given 200 beneficiaries under the second edition of his foundation “Wole Olanipekun Foundation(WOF)”.

Recall that the first edition of the foundation was launched on April 24, 2021, and between N50,000 and N30,000 each was given to 200 beneficiaries to establish small scale businesses.

Olanipekun, who spoke through his representative during the event held at Iyaniwura House, Moshood road in Ikere Ekiti on Saturday, October 9.

He said a total of 100 young people and 100 aged over 75years and over benefited from the publication of its empowerment program in the 2021 edition.

“I want to plead with the beneficiaries to take advantage of this unique opportunity available to each of them through this scheme to not only devote his or her time to real educational pursuit but also beam a searchlight into the future,” he said.

Olanipekun added that the second edition beneficiaries of the foundation are empowerment of 100 youths and 100 widows and aged that would benefit between N50,000 and N30,000 each to establish small scale businesses, to reduce poverty in Ekiti.

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“Under the Wole Olanipekun Foundation Youth Empowerment Programme, while 100 youths will have a grant of N50,000 each in 2021, another set of 100 youths will be entitled to the same amount in 2022 and 2020 were given 100 youths a grant of N50,000 each, translating to 300 youths, while each of them will be entitled to non-interest yielding loans.

“For the widows and the aged people from 75 years of age, 100 of them will be empowered with N30,000 each under my foundation as part of the poverty alleviation programme.”

The legal Luminary also appreciates the Foundation’s management under the indomitable leadership of Prince Feyi Ogoji and the foundation’s secretary, Tope Orolu.

He said “the foundation’s management received a total of 800 applications and nominations being screened by the board for the youth and widows categories; 650 applications for the Youth and 150 nominations for the widows.

“The screening committee took the number of applications down to 240; after the further screening, the number was pruned down to 100, comprising 75 female and 25 male, with 6 of them being persons with disabilities.

He further said that 140 widows were nominations from 14 churches and 2 mosques; of which 100 nominations were accepted; 47 widows and 53 aged persons.

“There is no gainsaying the fact the 200 beneficiaries of the second edition of the WOF Award Ceremony need to judiciously utilize the grants given to them today, in the face of harsh economic realities affecting not just Ikere as a town, but the entire country”.

He said “ … the beneficiaries of today must appreciate the fact that Ikere does not constitute an island on its own… it then behoves on the Grantees…of Wole Olanipekun Foundation not to take whatever is given to them today as a sort of manna from heaven; rather, as a timely aid meant to lift them up individually, so that in the nearest future, they would not only have improved themselves but also be in a position to assist others.

“For the first time in the history of a Foundation of this nature, the management board has put in place lofty programs at improving each of you mentally, educationally, economically, morally and spiritually.

“ Training programs have been set up to enhance your entrepreneurship skills and improve your value systems, as well as change your orientation to life…”

See the photos of the event credited by Newsflash Nigeria: