Kafayat Oyetola doing wonders in Osun

Abimbola Abatta, Osogbo

Many lives have been touched by the philanthropic hands of the First Lady of Osun State, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, who has exhibited exceptional qualities since her husband, Adegboyega Oyetola started steering the wheel of affairs in the state.

Mrs Kafayat Oyetola is passionate about initiatives that promote children and women development. As a result of this, she continues to offer humanitarian services by providing economic interventions for women as well as scholarships for some indigent children.

The first lady has also reached out to people with mental challenges through rehabilitation.

As part of her desire to empower women and children to support the efforts of the state government, the wife of the governor launched a foundation called Ilerioluwa Development Initiative.

Through the Ilerioluwa Development Initiative, she launched an agriculture development programme and loan program in conjunction with Access Bank to assist women farmers in Osun to produce vegetables.

The programme borders on three key areas including training, distribution of improved seeds, and provision of loans to women across different local government areas.

The scheme was put in place to encourage women to embrace farming as a vocation while underscoring the place of farming in human existence.

No fewer than 1, 000 women farmers drawn from 30 local government areas have benefitted from this initiative.

It has prompted women across the state to invest in agriculture to boost not only their income but also food production.

Through diverse programmes targeted at empowering women, children, and the vulnerable citizens in the State, Mrs Oyetola has proved herself as a caring and dedicated woman.

She has been a voice for the advocacy against Gender-Based Violence. To assist Gender-based violence survivors in Osun State, she recently  presented some cash donations to GBV survivors in the state.

Furthermore, Kafayat has always been at the forefront of sensitisation campaigns against open defecation to guarantee the overall health of Osun citizens and residents.

The first lady constantly exhibits motherhood traits in her mother caring for women and less privileged and other areas.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, she called for viable social policies for the elderly while charging the government at all levels to see the elderly in society as important sub-groups.

To ensure adequate provision for the vulnerable and aged in several communities, she embarked on a door-to-door distribution of relief materials during the heat of the pandemic.

This move demonstrated her passion for welfare schemes that will protect and help the needy in the society.

Not only that, she donated wheelchairs, crutches, and food items to pupils at Osun State Secondary School for Persons with Special Needs to mark the 29th anniversary of the state’s creation.

The wife of the governor also financed a water project for residents of Police Barrack situated at Okefia Area of Osogbo, Osun State.

It was learnt that the residents had battled with lack of access to water for years until Mrs Oyetola swiftly responded to their plight by financing a pipe-borne water project for the residents.

This action on her part greatly eased the pains of the residents while putting a smile on their face.

Also worthy of note is Kafayat’s kindness in assisting the vulnerable in the society which proves that she is not just a talker but also a doer.

She rescued and rehabilitated a mentally ill pregnant teenager whom she met on October 2nd, 2021 while launching a financial empowerment scheme for Apomu Market women.

Labake Najeem, the challenged teenager, who was heavily pregnant at the time, tried to intercept the First Lady’s procession to ask for alms.

Out of her love for humanity and desire to make the society a better place for all, she swiftly responded to the situation, making sure that Labake had access to proper medical care.

In addition, the governor’s wife also rescued a Nigerian man, Benjamin Sesan Ojo who was stranded in Trinidad.

The wife of the governor of Osun state, Mrs  Kafayat Oyetola,  through her initiative, Ileri Oluwa Development Initiative, has taken over the matter of a Nigerian man, a homeless man Nigeria man in Trinidad and Tobago and his six-year-old daughter, who requires help to come back home.

It was gathered that the man, an indigene of Ilesa, had been homeless and sick for three years without a job or means of coming back home.

Mrs Oyetola reportedly heard about the man through a viral video, and she took up the case.

These incidents and many more are proof that the first lady is committed to providing humanitarian service to those in need.

Due to her passion for improving the status of women, especially nursing mothers, newly born children, adolescents, and the elderly in the state, Kafayat was installed as the Matron of the State Emergency Maternal and Child Health Intervention Centre (SEMCHIC).

In the area of gender issues, the First Lady has partnered with several agencies to dissect and tackle gender-related problems.

To show her intolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, she is a stakeholder in the fight against FGM as she never relents in condemning the act through constant sensitisation campaigns.

In order to combat Gender-Based Violence in the State, the first lady was, last year, appointed as the chairman of the Gender-Based Management Committee of the State because of her relentless effort in fighting against FGM and GBV.

This is part of the state government’s efforts to create enabling environment for women. The committee also serves as an avenue to eliminate vices against women.

In the aspect of justice for victims, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola has established a strong relationship with the judiciary, Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police Force, Osun State Division and other security agencies.

Her Excellency is collaborating with these security operatives to ensure that sexually and physically abused women receive justice by bringing perpetrators to book.

She is a staunch believer in the fact that women and children constitute a major part of the world population and deserve to be treated well because their wellbeing is paramount to the growth of every nation.

Mrs Oyetola has continued to champion different causes to enhance the lives of women and children in the state while ensuring that they have active access to resources to reinforce homes in the society.