By Gbenga Agunbiade, Lagos
The ancient town of Ikorodu was enveloped in a wave of celebration on Saturday, September 27, 2025, as the Abdulkareem Shittu Foundation rolled out the second edition of its much-anticipated Empowerment Scheme Program.
The event, led by Honourable Abdulkareem Olugbenga Shittu, drew a massive crowd from every ward, transforming the gathering into a vibrant festival of hope, relief, and gratitude.
The atmosphere was electric from the start, with residents praising Hon. Shittu’s established track record of community support, which includes financial aid, seasonal Sallah provisions, and crucial working tools for artisans like tailoring and grinding machines. However, this year’s edition surpassed all expectations, leaving an indelible mark on the community.
In what was widely hailed as a life-changing gesture, thirty small business owners were each empowered with a cash grant of ₦250,000 to expand their trades.
Beneficiaries, including Mrs. Abidemi Ajumobi, Mrs. Afusat Adelasi, and Mrs. Adebeshin Fatimoh, were visibly overcome with emotion, sharing moving testimonies of how the funds arrived just in time to rescue their businesses from collapse.
One grateful woman described the empowerment as the long-awaited turning point her family had prayed for, hailing the honorable as a rare leader who translates the talk of empowerment into action.
The generosity extended further, as every one of the one thousand participants present at the program received both a cash gift of ₦5,000 and supplementary foodstuffs to take home.
Families left the venue with smiles, expressing gratitude that their representative chose to provide personal relief during a time of significant economic hardship, rather than relying on delayed government funds. To bolster local political structures, Hon. Shittu also presented thirty chairs to the APC wards within the constituency.
Speaking on behalf of the foundation, Director General Mr. Muhammed Hassan assured the cheering crowd that the scheme marked only the beginning of greater initiatives.
He explained that Hon. Shittu is fundamentally passionate about lifting people out of poverty and creating avenues for sustained growth, pledging the foundation’s determination to reach even more lives in the future.
For the community, the second edition of the scheme was definitive proof that Hon. Abdulkareem Shittu is a compassionate leader who deeply understands the struggles of his constituents and utilizes his personal resources to uplift them.
