Group fetes coastal communities, offers them health tips

FEMALE indigenes of Apoi and Ijaw in Ese-Odo Local Council of Ondo State were honoured with awards of excellence by Girls to Women Research and Development Centre (G2W) and were also sensitized on precautions against breast cancer.

The event was organized to mark the 2015 International Women’s day in Igbekebo, the local council headquarters, where all and sundry were charged to educe the latent potentials in them to impact positively like their male counterparts on their family and immediate
environment.

The event tagged: “Equality for Women Is Progress for All, Make It Happen,” was attended by the people from the coastal area and well-wishers across the state to celebrate womanhood.

According to the Executive Director of the NGO, Olamide Falana, “the International Women’s Day is a day set aside every year to celebrate women because they have really come a long way in all human endeavours in life.”

She pointed out that the women all over the world have come from the background, having low chances, opportunities and taking glorious
swings to make noticeable impacts across the 10 wards of the local councils despite all odds to prove the great virtues in them.

The programme was meant to encourage the womenfolk and expose them to the greater heights they deserve in the society, “with the excitement that if they, too, also do well in their various fields, somebody will appreciate them for what they are doing. We believe that our women henceforth should begin to go higher and aspire better than they have been doing in the past,” Falana said.

Regarding health, she enlightened them on how to detect breast cancer, which is a deadly disease peculiar to women, while educating them on the necessary steps to be taken to curtail the spread of this threat to womanhood.

Among the 11 women conferred with the award of excellence were Chief Mrs Florence Oyekanmi, the Iyaloja of Igbekebo, Bolanle Fawehinmi, the Tutor-General in charge of the river-rine areas, Tinu Olowofela, the
former General Manager of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Akure, Evelyn Segha and Barrister Woni Elizabeth.

The Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of Ondo State Micro-Credit Agency (OSMA), Mrs Banke Sutton, commended the women for the great stride and indelible landmarks they have recorded in their various disciplines and human endeavours.

Sutton further sensitized them on the N2 billion loan scheme to economically empower the people of the state and informed them of several efforts being set in motion to avail women across the state of greater benefits than what was recorded in the past.

Reacting to the kind gesture from the society, Bolanle Fawehinmi among other awardees, appreciated the NGO for acknowledging their efforts, pledging to do more for their societies and nation at large, as their best is yet to come.

Sutton and Falana demanded for more action from the women in politics, economically, socially and other human facets, tasking them more on proactive roles in ensuring the forthcoming elections are peaceful and violence-free as they have greater responsibilities of desisting their wards from any civil disturbances.

They urged the women to turn out massively and vote for the right candidate, who is more woman friendly and would support legislations
and policies that will avail them greater opportunities like their male counterparts.

“Lets go forth to make it happen, have more women that are supporting each other, standing for ourselves, doing things we have not been doing, speaking up for others. We have to prove to the world that we are ready, and the exact time to take position is now,” Falana said.