Wife of Oyo Deputy Gov, Ajibola Lawal hosts COWAN, reiterates commitment for women empowerment

The Wife of Oyo Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Ajibola Lawal has reiterated her unwavering support for women, saying that, if you empower a woman, you are empowering a family and a nation from local government to state level.

She made the disclosure on Saturday while playing host to the representatives of Country Women’s Association of Nigeria (COWAN), Oyo state Chapter, who paid her a congratulatory visit at her Bashorun home for the March 18th governorship electoral victory.

She insisted that although wives shouldn’t frequently depend on their husbands, they should be capable of handling some household responsibilities.

According to her, the association is well-known throughout the world for assisting women, and that its core mission is to uplift women in society and to guide children without making them jobless by offering spiritual and material support.

Lawal, who thanked them for their visit, said she joined CoWAN after having an interaction with some members about their role in the society.

While noting that COWAN has been in existence for more than 40 years and has been doing fantastic work, emphasized that the association is spread all over the state with Cordinators and executives from various local governments, with the goal of empowering women.

She added that the motive is to personally empower rural women with micro credit loans, allowing them to engage in food production and other economic activities.

Earlier in her remarks, the association’s Cordinator in Oyo state, Mojisola C. Makinde-Salman, who is from Oyo East local government said they have come to rejoice and felicitate with the wife of Oyo Deputy Governor on the recent electoral victory.

She stressed that COWAN is basically to support women in any Agric-business and make their own contribution in any capacity they can.

“Like if you are into poultry or farming, we try to assist in our own little way.

“We are the representatives of COWAN in Oyo state, we tell people about the association, and how to help them expand their business. Our motive is to lift women because a single person can not make things happen.

“We have been able to uplift many people. A case study is a woman who started her business with a token and after joining COWAN, she has been able to make a head way and now presently in abroad”, she said.

However, Oluwatoyin Adesola, who is the association secretary in the state, explained that the desire of the association is to empower everyone through savings so as not to allow women to depend on their husbands.

She noted that once in a while, they usually get international grant to assist their members and to empower women so that they can stand on their own alone.

She added that the program has been able to also reduce crime rate in the society with the way they try to cater for women and also support them.

But Olufunke Olunloyo, who explained why she decided to join the organization, emphasized that if a woman is empowered, she will have economic control and peace of mind, which will make everyone happy.

The high point of the event was the distribution of packs of various food items by the wife of Oyo Deputy Governor before felicitating with her husband, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal on the occasion of his birthday anniversary.

Bayo Lawal was in company of the PDP senatorial candidate, Hon. Akinwole Akinwale Wolekanle, PA to the Deputy Governor, Hon. Adewale Mutalib, and host of others.