16th October, 2020
The Ogun State government have promised to empower rural women in the state.
This was made known during the international Rural women’s Day celebration by the Nigerian Association of women journalists (NAWOJ) in conjunction with the Gender Development Initiative (Gendi) at Abule Idi Ori in Abeokuta North.
Representing the state governor Prince Dapo Abiodun, Commissioner for Rural Development Oludotun Taiwo, said the governor will do everything in his power for rural women to be empowered with equipment to boost their Agricultural products, and the training given to them to boost their daily income.
“This is a very laudable event we are doing it in conjunction with the organizer (NAWOJ) on how to empower our Rural women and how to train them on how to make soap and preserve their farm product”
Also, he said, “This initiative is not going to stop here we are moving to other local government and is not about training but to empower them by giving them the equipment needed on the farm.
“We are taking our time to access the road to the rural areas and their farm to see what our people need.”
While addressing the rural women, the chairman of NAWOJ, Comrade Modupeola Shobukola, said it is our responsibility to appreciate women like us, most especially the rural women who made agriculture their priority.
She said, “when women like these are celebrated it gives them the motive to work harder and stay strong looking back at their efforts made during lockdown.”
Speaking on behalf of the community, the Baale of Idi Ori community, Mr Daud Adegboyega appreciated the state governor and the organizer of the programme for remembering rural people most especially the women.
He said, “we are appealing to our governor to work on our roads in other to ease the stress of taking our goods to the city in exchange for goods or Money.”
The initiative was attended by the representative of villages under Idi Ori community, Abeokuta namely: Abule Olori, Abule Elefon, Alapo, Akiade, Osiele, Ika Ajibefun, Eruku, Anifa, Dega, Akaa amongst others. They were the beneficiaries of the training on farm product preservative and soap making.