Concerned with the falling standards of education, the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, in her bid to motivate students to pay more attention to their academics, applied the reward system strategy as a catalyst, hoping to motivate students to perform in their SS3 examinations. This she did by notifying all students well ahead of the examination period and whilst the exams were going on, that the most outstanding student in each of the 20 local government areas of Ogun State, would be accompanying her abroad for a Leadership Training Program as a reward for good performance. Announcements were made on television, radio jingles were aired and newspaper write ups were published, As soon as the the exam results were officially released, the Office of the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, approached the West African Examination Council Office to ascertain right from source, the names of the most outstanding students in government owned secondary schools from each of the 20 local government areas of the State. On November 26th, 2012, with all necessary logistics in place, after a prayer session and send forth ceremony that had the students, teachers, parents, religious heads and spouses of government functionaries in attendance, the 20 best students were sent off for a two week Leadership and Training Program to the United Kingdom.On arrival to the United Kingdom, The student’s first port of call was the Nigerian Embassy in England. Here they were warmly welcomed by the UK Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Dr. Dalhatu Sarki at the Nigeria House. The Ambassador arranged for all high ranking officials and Ministers at the Nigerian House, to receive the students in the conference room, where each Minister introduced themselves to the students, and explained their job description to them as well as the purpose and essence of the Embassy. The students later had the opportunity to partake in an interactive session with a Member of Parliament, Amber Rudd, representing Hastings/Rye Constituency. This interaction could be described as one of the defining moments for the students as they had the rare privilege of tapping from the fountain of Rudd’s parliamentary experiences. It was indeed a huge honor and rare privileged for the students. From the Embassy, which is in the heart of London, the students journeyed on to the Leadership Camp destination in Hastings by train, to commence the intensive 12 day leadership program. The program was intellectually challenging as it consisted of daily lessons from 9am to 3pm at Buckswood School, Hastings in the United Kingdom on most days, followed by sporting activities and other social interactions at the end of each day. As we all know that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy, fun activities were also incorporated into their trip. During the course of their stay, the students were privileged to visit the House of Lords and House of Commons in Central London, they had the opportunity to experience live stage theatre as they watched a play at London Victoria Station Theatre titled “Wicked”. The students were taken on a tour of London on the hop on, hop off tour bus to view sights such as the Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben amongst other tourist attractions and also went on a river boat cruise to appreciate the view along the river Thames in Central London.They were not allowed to miss out on the Odeon and popcorn experience either, as they were taken to the movies to watch the latest James Bond film, titled “Sky Fall”. Back in Hastings they visited the Castle and Smugglers’ Cave and they we allowed a shopping day to spend the pocket money Mrs. Amosun provided them with. All funding for the students’ flight tickets, accommodation, feeding, transportation and training programme was secured through sponsorship from various well meaning philanthropists through the Uplift Development Foundation. On arrival, the state Former Governor His Excellency Senator Ibikunle Amosun FCA, was on hand to welcome them back home along with all the members of the executive council in Ogun State. The students were given the opportunity to recount their experience to all present and take pictures with the EXCO members. Impressed with them, the state Former Governor, His Excellency Senator Ibikunle Amosun FCA, offered all the students full sponsorship to any Ogun State University where they had been offered admission. Mrs. Amosun is optimistic that the intent and purpose of this program, which is to improve educational standards among students in schools, shall be achieved, and she anxiously awaits the impact of the program to manifest through significant improvement in the 2013, SS3 examination results. This she says will give her the moral justification to boldly approach all well meaning citizens and corporate bodies across Nigeria to come to her aid one more time by sponsoring the program in 2013.
Author: miji
The Physically Challenged
On the 6th of November 2012, Mrs. Amosun sent an open invitation out to needy physically challenged people from across State for an empowerment program. The Joint National Association of Persons with Disability, a registered association was contacted, and a general invitation was extended to other needy citizens with special needs within the State. Over 1000 people living with special needs who were in attendance benefited from the program and no one went home empty handed. The empowerment program really set out to abide by the UPLIFT Acronym – (Understand Peoples Limiting & Inhibiting Factors Today) on that particular day. The program commenced with an on the spot survey to establish each invitee’s special need and find out what particular empowerment scheme would be most beneficial to each person. The main empowerment tools were small scale business packages, such as recharge card kiosks, which consisted of tables, parasols, chairs and recharge cards for sale, or soft drink stands which consisted of tables, chairs, parasols, coolers and soft drink products, for some it was dry food sale stands which consists of parasol, chair, and fast turnover products like Mimee Noodle, Spaghetti, Indomie Noodles, Sugar, Salt, Maggie and so on. For those that had skills of trade, appropriate tools were given, tailors got sewing machines, barbers got clippers and hairdressers got dryers and other commercial tools. Where the needs were not fully comprehended, the JONAD Which consists of the deaf, dumb, lepers and crippled were given the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00) to establish what form of empowerment would best suit these members and detailed reports and feedback were to be documented and submitted back to the UPLIFT Development Foundation on how the funds had been disbursed. Members that completely lacked mobility were provided with artificial limbs, wheelchairs, walkers or crutches as required to enable them to move around more easily. In support of this program, the Telegram Charity Foundation, a subsidiary of the Indomie group of companies, provided and fitted over 100 artificial limbs completely free of charge and were also on ground to measure and fit all limbs on the day and also offered gait training to all the beneficiaries at the event. They also donated several boxes of Indomie towards the empowerment business start up kiosks that were given out on the day. The representative of Chief Executive Officer of Tolaram Charity Foundation, Mrs. Neha Mehra who was present at the event, promised that her foundation would continue to partner with Uplift Development Foundation in this regard. The Former State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun FCA who had earlier supported the program by donating a brand new Toyota Hiace bus to Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAD) to ease their movement, decided to put in a surprise appearance at the event to identify with the them and assure them of his administration’s commitment to the welfare of the people, particularly the people with special needs, noting that in spite of their special needs these people are blessed with one talent or the other,and could still contribute positively to the development of the state and the country at large when given assistance and provided with opportunities. The former governor said more projects and policies of interest would be initiated for people with special needs to benefit them, pointing out that a special passage route had been carved out of the newly constructed Ita-Eko/Sokori road in Abeokuta for them and more facilities would be designed throughout the state to ensure their safety.In her remark, the wife of the former state governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun said the empowerment program for the people with special needs was in continuation of the pursuit of the UPLIFT Development Foundation to compliment the efforts of the state government by striving to make all citizens self sufficient through dignified labour. Mrs. Amosun said that her office through the Uplift Development Foundation in collaboration with the Tolaram Charity Foundation would sustain the distributions of artificial limbs to the people with special needs to enhance their standard of living. An award of recognition was presented to Tolaram Charity Foundation for their selfless service to humanity through donation and fixing of artificial limbs. Mrs Amosun expressed immense gratitude to all partnering organisations for their support and kind gestures, expressing her readiness to partner with any company willing to assist her in uplifting living conditions of the less privileged within the state, whilst a special thanks was given to Mr Peter Emerokwam of Pekamol Ventures Nigeria Ltd.
Free Cancer Screening of Rural Women
October is a month set aside world wide to create awareness and campaign against the spread of the deadly disease called cancer. On 4th of October, 2012, Mrs Amosun in collaboration with the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), flagged-off a free screening Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness campaign throughout the length and breadth of Ogun State. The ceremony, which had the President, Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Ogun State Chapter, and Dr. (Mrs.) Winifred Adenuga in attendance, took place at the Olorunda Health Centre in Abeokuta North Local Government Area, and was replicated in each of the other 19 LGA of the State. The objective of this exercise was to educate women across the state on how to prevent cancer and offer support to those women found to already be suffering from the disease. According to Mrs. Amosun, “cancer has become a deadly disease, spreading fast and robbing us of our loved ones, we cannot afford to be complacent, hundreds of thousands of people die from various types of cancer in the world yearly, and this gives great cause for concern. Cancer is incurable after a certain stage and it can affect any part of the body. Cancer has no regard for age, color, race, beliefs or customs, it is, however, preventable when detected early, by screening and quick intervention, and that is why we have embarked on this exercise. This exercise will take us to all the 20 local government areas of the state, to screen all women that otherwise would not have gone for screening due to ignorance or lack of funds. During the course of this program we intend to enlighten those who are not aware of the need to check ones self regularly and remind those that take cancer issues for granted, that early detection is the only prevention.” She said the essence of this exercise was to make women in Ogun State “cancer prevention advocates” by talking to other women across the state, urging them to speak up, take action and take control of their health. She counseled them on the importance of carrying out regular cancer screening checks, stressing that cancer is only preventable when detected early. All screening was carried out free of charge and was made available to all women in the state for the whole month of October 2012. This was done with the full technical support of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Ogun State chapter, of which Mrs. Amosun is the matron. It is worthy of note that MWAN offered their services voluntarily and free of charge for the entire duration of this exercise.
Awards and Investitures
The Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun had been colorfully decorated as the Grand Patron of the National Council of Women’s Societies of Nigeria (NCWS). As the Council’s Grand Patron, she is seen as a leading light that will exemplary show other women the right path to follow. She had also been decorated as the Grand Matron of Ogun State Cooperative Federation Limited (OSCOFED). As a passionate apostle of empowerment and upliftment programmes, she has been bringing into forebear her determination to really empower women. As the Grand Patron of Nigeria Girls Guides Association Ogun State Chapter, Mrs. Amosun has a onerous task of sustaining the ideals and values of the Guide as a voluntary organisation. Being a Counselor herself, the award of the Grand Matron of Ogun State Chapter of Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) did not come to many as a surprise. If anything, the award has thrown more challenge at the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State to take the Association and the profession to the next level. Also, as the Grand Matron of Home Economics Teachers of Nigeria (HETAN) Ogun State Chapter; the Grand Patron of Immigration Officers Wives Association (IMMOWA) Ogun State Chapter and Grand Patron Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Ogun State Chapter and Forum for Local Government Nurses and Midwives, Ogun State Chapter, Mrs. Amosun has a duty to bring into bear her expertise to move these associations forward. At every single occasion, Mrs. Amosun took her campaign of offering a helping hand to the less privileged and charting a new cause for taking Ogun State to the next level. During her investiture as the Grand Patron of the Immigration Officers Wives Association at the Valley View Auditorium, lsale-lgbein, Abeokuta, Wife of the Governor of Ogun State reiterated her commitment towards uplifting the less privileged in the society. She said empowerment programmes should be aimed at giving hope to the less privileged and empowering them to be self independent and self-sufficient. Mrs . Amosun charged the Association to intensity their effort at encouraging young ones to contribute their quota towards the development of our economy and build a better Nigeria.The Comptroller General Nigeria Immigration Service, Mrs. Rose Uzoma, represented by the Zonal Coordinator of the Service, Zone A (Lagos), Mr. Anthony Oklobia assured of her readiness to assist the Association in the realization of its objectives. Also speaking at the occasion, the state chairperson, IMMOWA, Mrs. Chinyerem Anike-Nweze said the main goal of the IMMOWA was to create a genuine sisterhood that could complement their husbands’ effort in stemming the increase of illegal migration by providing support for the less privileged people in the community. She decried the dehumanizing and hardship that young Nigerians living as illegal migrants experience in their quest for greener pastures abroad, disclosing their intentions of providing vocational and educational opportunities for the youth and women to enable them earn a living. Appreciating the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. AnikeNweze noted that the Association had named their lndomie Kitchen empowerment programme after her in recognition of her support and laudable empowerment projects for youth and women in state and the scholarship scheme to be named after the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service. Mrs. Amosun also used her investiture ceremony at the Valley View Auditorium, lsale-lgbein, Abeokuta to urge the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Ogun State Chapter to make health-care delivery more effective by providing high quality service that is humane, efficient and affordable to improve human life. She added that the ceremony was another call to service for female medical practitioners to contribute their quota towards the Mission to Rebuild Ogun State. She appealed to members of the Association to focus on intervention programmes like community-based health care and health awareness that could help reduced the need for some of the hospital bills, saying the state government would continue to map out strategies aimed at taking the health sector to the next level. “As your motto indicates Matris animo currant (healing with the spirit of mother), you should strive to accomplish your Association’s mission of improving the health status of the entire society, especially as it concerns women and children, while encouraging the progress and relevance of female doctors,” she said. The Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, who was honored as the Association’s First Grand Patron at the occasion, noted that the health sector was an important area the present administration in the State is giving utmost priority and therefore challenged the Association to join hands with government to guarantee quality health care delivery. In her acceptance speech as the first President of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Ogun State Chapter, Dr. (Mrs.) Winifred Adenuga said the formation of MWAN in Ibadan in 1976 was to address the high rate of maternal and infant mortality in the country and the discriminatory attitude towards members. female doctors as well as the low esteem of women. She pledged the readiness and determination of the present executive to wholly commit themselves to the principles and ideals of MWAN which include the promotion of women’s health and improving the professional development and growth of all members. During her investiture ceremony at Progress Hall, South-west Resource Centre, Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta as the Ogun State Patron of the Nigerian Girl Guides Association, the Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Amosun advocated more role for the Nigerian Girl Guides Association, describing the association as a change agent that should be supported by all and sundry. According to her, “As a voluntary organisation open to all girls, young women and adults regardless of their religious, ethnic, linguistic and political affiliations, the Nigerian Girl Guides Association has become a very important environment to promote positive values in our girls,by encouraging them to be their best and providing them opportunities to make a difference in their human endeavors.” “It has also become an avenue, with a global
Courtesy Calls
The Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun has played host to courtesy visits from different organisations and private individuals. She extended her hand of fellowship to corporate bodies, religious and voluntary organisations as well as private individuals to join in the Mission to Rebuild Ogun State. These meetings provided opportunity for Mrs. Amosun to meet with people and organisations from diverse backgrounds within and outside Nigeria to partner with Ogun State government in its quest to ensure growth and development in every area of human endeavors. Some of these meetings include courtesy calls by spouses of the commissioners in Ogun State at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta; spouses of members of Ogun State House of Assembly; spouses of the 20 Local Government Transition Committee Chairmen in Ogun State held at Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta; meeting with representatives of market women at Valley View Auditorium, Abeokuta; courtesy call by Executive Members of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary School at South-west Resource, Abeokuta; courtesy visit by Executive Members of the National Council of Women’s Societies of Nigeria at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta; courtesy visit by the Olories at Valley View Auditorium; and courtesy call by Executive Members of Ogun State Cooperative Federation Limited (OSCOFED) at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta. Other courtesy calls were that of Immigration Officers Wives Association (IMMOWA), at Southwest Resource Centre, Abeokuta; Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta; Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta; Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta; Coordinators of Women Advancement Forum (WAFO) at South-west Resource Centre, Abeokuta and among others. Speaking with spouses of the members of Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs.Amosun urged spouses of state top government functionaries to be more united and support their husbands in the Mission to Rebuild Ogun State, describing mothers as the pillars of the society. According to her, “We should see our presence in Ogun State as a call to service. We should put on our thinking caps and be more united as one body to support our spouses and one another along side the present administration.” Mrs. Amosun charged the spouses of the members of the Assembly and other government functionaries to focus on enriching family life,” while we support our spouses,” adding that “there is a need to assist ourselves in capacity building and fellow spouses.” Also speaking while meeting with the Executive Members of the Academic Staff of Secondary School in Ogun State, Mrs. Amosu n described education as a veritable tool for national development, saying every child must be educated to enable them realize their potentials and contribute meaningfully to the progress of the society.The Former First lady tasked all the stakeholders to address challenges facing the nation’s educational system in order to ensure meaningful development in our society, explaining that the state government placed a high premium on quality education at all levels. According to her, “Providing quality education is a major priority of the present administration in the State According to her, “We should see our presence in Ogun State as a call to service. We should put on our thinking caps and be more united as one body to support our spouses and one another along side the present administration.” Mrs. Amosun charged the spouses of the members of the Assembly and other government functionaries to focus on enriching family life, “while we support our spouses,” adding that “there is a need to assist ourselves in capacity building and fellow spouses.” Also speaking while meeting with the Executive Members of the Academic Staff of Secondary School in Ogun State, Mrs. Amosu n described education as a veritable tool for national development, saying every child must be educated to enable and it is committed to the realization of free education for all children particularly at the primary and secondary levels and this will ensure a brighter future for our children as we prepare them for adulthood” Mrs. Amosun described education as a right of every child, noting that any attempt to deprive them of it would bring about setbacks to development of our society. She said children must be nurtured in an enabling environment that would help them realize their potentials for a better tomorrow. She urged members of the association to join hands with government in its Mission to Rebuild Ogun State and to draw out modalities during their deliberations that would assist in boosting the educational sector.
Christmas
In celebrating 2011 Christmas Festival at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State charrged children to imbibe the spirit of caring and sharing with others and live according to the tenets of Jesus Christ,as prescribed in the Holy Bible. She said Christmas was a season of rejoicing in the Almighty God who gave his only son,our Lord Jesus Christ,to mankind, therefore every individual to reciprocate the gesture by being good to one another especially the under-privileged in the society. According to her,”God is very happy when we help and show love to ourselves and would be unhappy with anyone who makes other people sad by involving in any bad behavior that could be hurtful” Mrs Amosun urged children to have good dreams and pursue them to reality, adding that it was only through hard work that they could be great in the future. She admonished them to shun juvenile delinquencies. Wishing them a merry Christmas and happy new year in advance, she advised them to always be of good conduct and be obedient to their parents and elderly ones. “This,” she said, “is the will of God for you all.” She told them to be “focused and pursue your goals with the determination to succeed and make a good difference in the society. What you do today will have great impact in the future, so be good boys and girls.
JUNE 12 Democracy Walk
In commemorating the June 12,1993 presidential election, the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State joined her husband and other eminent people of Ogun State to embark on June 12 Democracy Walk. The walk,which took off from the June 12 Cultural Centre,Kuto in Abeokuta saw the former governor’s wife trekking along with her husband through Ibara-Totoro road, Ago-Ika road to the family house of Chief Moshood Kolawole Olawale Abiola in Gbagura. After a brief stop at the MKO house,the train resumed it’s walk and all road led to MKO International Stadium, Kuto in Abeokuta where a carnival-like event was used to salute the courage and sacrifices made by the late politician and business mogul.
Eid-el-Kabir
Mrs. Olufunso Amosun in her usual manner of identifying with the less privileged in the society celebrated the Eid-el-Kabir with the needy on 6th of November, 2011. She was also at Stella Obasanjo Children’s Home, Ibara; Juvenile Remand Home, Asero; Leper’s Colony in lberekodo; and later a party was organised for the children at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Abeokuta on 7th of November, 2011. Indeed, she celebrated her first ever lleya Children’s Party in Ogun State with a lot of funfair.
Celebrating Baby of the Year
Mrs.Olufunso Amosun began the year 2012 with celebration of the first baby of the year at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital(OOUTH) in Sagamu. The baby boy was delivered at exactly 12:08am on January 1st, 2012. Presenting the gift to the lucky baby, Mrs.Amosun thanked the Almighty God for his mercies and safe delivery of the baby and prayed that her would grow and fulfill his purpose in life. According to her,the first baby of the year got the gift as a way of supporting and rejoicing with the parent for the new arrival. She facilitated with other parents who were also celebrating new born babies at this time of the year. She implored them to be law-abiding and join hands with the government in it’s mission to Rebuild Ogun State. The Acting Chairman,Medical Advisory Committee,OOUTH, Dr. Haroun Ajibode noted that it was the usual practice of the hospital to celebrate new born babies of the year in hospital as part of the hospital’s cooperate social responsibility. He expressed appreciation to the Former First Lady of Ogun State for deeming it fit to visit the babies and wished her a prosperous New Year. Mrs. Amosun also went to ALL the senatorial district hospitals on New Year Day of 2012 to felicitate with the ALL babies born on that day in the hospitals she visited. The babies and their parents were given gifts and tokens. Shortly after this, the Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State settled down for the business of the year.
Business Women Entrepreneurs
The Wife of the Former Governor of Ogun State at another forum changed leadership in the country to place high premium on entrepreneurs,saying this could engender faster economic growth and development. She explained that most developed countries always encourage small and medium scale business enterprise which had led to the increasing rate of their Gross Domestic Products. Speaking at the official launching ceremony of the Nigeria’s chapter of Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) in Lagos, Mrs.Amosun said “our youths and women should be encouraged to acquire one vocational skill or the other irrespective of their educational qualifications” According to her,”most of our children and women may not necessarily continuously hunt for white collar jobs if they can acquire a vocational skill in order to earn a living,If you can earn a skill,you can earn a living and put food on your table.” She advised women to always support themselves through various empowerment programmes that would improve their standard of living.” Also, speaking at the occasion, the President of the Nigerian the Federation of Business Women Entrepreneurs, lyalode (Mrs.) Alaba Lawson said the federation was set up to promote and facilitate trade on a common platform for various groups and individual women entrepreneurs across the West African sub-region. She called on the federal and state governments to create the enabling environment for increasing participation of women in entrepreneurship.