By Mustapha Aleem
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has kick started the empowerment of widows from communities in Osun state.
He said the widows empowered, would be made to start off a trade that will ensure their upkeep and that of their children.
He made this known while addressing the widows in his palace on Thursday.
Oba Adeyeye also said the empowerment initiative would not pre-empt the usual tips he give to the widows from time to time.
According to him, “The thought of empowering the widows struck me when I ascended the throne. Some widows came to me and presented some gifts, it touched me, in spite of their state, they could still think of honouring me.
“When I informed my chiefs and some elders, they screamed and said to me that the widows were much but I made them understand that God is always in control.”
He emphasised that, apart from the empowerment, he would also on a monthly basis distribute 50-100 bags of rice and cows to the widows as part of his plans to banish hunger.
Moremi, Osara and Yemowo microfinance banks were among the five microfinance banks that partnered the monarch on the programme.
Also, the Managing Director of Olofin Microfinance Bank, Mr. Toyin Olufolahan, has advised the widows not to see the opportunity as national cake, but as a way of getting empowered.
He spoke to newsmen on the sideline of the launching event for the empowerment programme in the palace.
He said, the interest rate on the loan that would bequeath to the widows is nine percent.
He also said the Ooni did not have plans to give money to them but he said they would be empowered by procuring equipment for them through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s interventionist programme.
“There are five cooperative societies, which will form a union under which the widows would be grouped along their line of their occupation or clusters.
“We are doing the programme in collaboration with CBN particularly, under one of its interventionist programme.
“Before anything can be released by the CBN, they always want to know what you want to procure; how you want to procure it and from which manufacturer will you be getting it from?”
Folahanmi however, said that the widows would not be grouped into a cooperative society but emphasised that they would only be encouraged to start up their own society.
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