Owu Kingdom empowers indigent women with vocational skills

By Adejoke Adeleye, Ogun

As part of efforts to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal governments of Nigeria, a women group in Owu kingdom, Abeokuta, Ogun State known as OBINRIN OWU has organised vocation training for about 120 women on various vocations in Abeokuta.

The women were trained in soap making, bead making, auto gele making as well as turban stoning to empower them with skills that will enable them to be self-reliant.

The training which has been on for over five years is an annual event which aims at bringing all Owu wives and daughters together to make women at the grassroots self reliant.

Speaking at the two-day training at the Olowu Palace in Abeokuta, the wife of the former President, Chief Mrs Bola Obasanjo, hinted that the empowerment is to make the women discover themselves, their potential in the society and to make them honour and respect their spouse.

She said if the women are focused and would make judicious use of the opportunity, they could generate much income for their families by reproducing what they have been trained on for local and international markets.

Obasanjo advised the women to see the training as an opportunity for them to realize their potential and support their husbands in family upkeep.

The initiator and National President of Obinrin Owu, Chief (Dr) Mrs Jolaoluwa Opaleye, in her opening remarks, maintained that the essence of the training is to make them self-sufficient, lift them up and keep them busy rather than engaging in unproductive ventures.

“The essence of this training is to make the Owu women self-reliant, self-sufficient to lift the women up. To make them realise there is a potential in them and they need to discover their essence in life.

“The Owu Women empowerment scheme has been in existence for five years, the idea came as a subsidiary of Royal Union of Owu people. We have Owu Men, Owu youth, we said why not the women ?, So, we came up with Owu women. Our men agreed that we form a group to bring our women together to support the men.

“It’s a way of teaching our women self-management, to teach them how to put one or two things together to make money, so they will be able to assist their spouses in some aspects of life.

“Owu people are scattered everywhere around the world, empowerment is a way of bringing the children of Owu together from all around the world.

Speaking at the event, the Olowu of Owu, Oba Adelola Matemilola who was represented by the Akogun of Owu kingdom Chief Isola Akinsopo, lauded the organizers of the programme, assuring them of his support at all times.

In his goodwill message at the event, the Towulade of Akinale, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye applauded the leadership of Obinrin Owu for the skill acquisition initiative, urging them to build on the good foundation, be more focused and to work harder so as to be productive in their future endeavours.

In his speech at the event, the National President of the Royal Union of Owu People, Alhaji Fatai Akinmade charged Obinrin Owu to take full advantage of the programme as it will provide more income for them in the near future.

Earlier in his opening speech, the Life Patron of the organisation and former military administrator of Ondo State General, Ekundayo Opaleye, lauded the initiative.

He noted that the training will be rewarding for the women, urging them to make use of the opportunity to be self reliant.