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‘How promoting prosperity among women, youth can lead to development’

By Adelowo Adebumiti
12 December 2019   |   3:30 am
To create a prosperous, safe, and peaceful Nigeria where women, children and the youths have better access to health services, education, and employment opportunities, promotion of prosperity have been stressed to meet the Millennium Development Goals...

To create a prosperous, safe, and peaceful Nigeria where women, children and the youths have better access to health services, education, and employment opportunities, promotion of prosperity have been stressed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).Professor of Law, University of Lagos, Prof. Oludayo Amokaye, stated this at the second edition of the Annual Empowerment Fest and Fountain of Life for the Needy Foundation Humanitarian (FOLF) Service Awards in Lagos.

Delivering a keynote on, “Achieving Life of Possibilities for Women, Children and Youth in Nigeria”, Amokaye said when prosperity is promoted, the economy will flourish, and societies are more peaceful.“By contrast, where women, children and youth are treated as inferiors, a vicious circle of limited education, poor employment opportunities, ill health, forced marriages, violence and exploitation are established and perpetuated more often,” he said.

The Don noted that focusing more support on girls offers an opportunity to replace that vicious cycle with one that puts women at the heart of their families and communities.“As a result, women are able to bring in money to their families, get involved with local enterprise, and make sure their children are educated. These are vital agents of change,” he said.

Amokaye added that these goals will only be achieved by putting a renewed focus on gender equality and women empowerment. He stressed that the approach to empowering women should be based on the tripod of rights, skills and opportunities.He said: “To achieve women and youth empowerment, we need entire change, driven by our own government and personal activities and initiatives alongside multi-sector collaboration at global and national levels. It is in this direction that the effort of this foundation is highly commendable.”

President of FOLF,  Joyce Oduah, said nobody can change the world without carrying children, women and youth along.She said the Foundation is not only planning for a life, but for the generations unborn while supporting individuals, families, and institutions.Oduah said the Foundation has continued its tradition of providing food, shelter, start-up capital for businesses, training and education to the underprivileged. She said the target of the 2019 annual empowerment fest remains children, women and youths.

To this end, the Foundation held school debate and spelling bee competitions for students, and rewarded winners with prizes.The group also held Women Skill Acquisition training on shoe and bag making and chemical production.They also offered six young people opportunity in IT training programme with outstanding participants expected to receive new laptops to kickstart their ventures.

The Foundation also recognized the principal of C.M.S. Grammar School, Rec’d. Olubusola Sunday Sofekun; Chairman of Ammani Group of companies, Clinton George; a lawyer, Seth Nwokolo, and 11 others for outstanding contributions and commitment to humanitarian activities in the society.

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