Osun First Lady Commends Olori Janet Afolabi For Supporting Market Women With Interest Free Loans

Osun State First Lady, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, has commended Olori Janet Afolabi, the Queen of Apomu kingdom in Osun State for supporting Apomu market women with interest free loans.

Mrs Oyetola hailed the renowned and CNN award-winning journalist during the launch of Apomu Women Cooperative on October 2 at the Palace hall in Apomu.

In her speech the first lady said “l appreciate Olori Afolabi for her efforts at ensuring the take-off of this project. I have no doubt that it would help to lift many women and homes out of poverty and enhance the standard of living in their homes. I call on other communities in the state which may not have this type of economic development mechanism to emulate Apomu women by floating their own cooperative bodies.

In her response, Osun first lady, who was the Guest of Honour at the event, said she was “delighted to have attended the unveiling of Apomu Women cooperative, noting that the importance of women cooperative at this period cannot be over emphasized.

Olori Janet said she initiated the project because “after Covid-19 lockdown many women were unable to resume their trading businesses. Many of them had spent their capital. A lot of them tried to borrow money from families, friends and neighbours but it was very difficult. To help these women start again I came up with Apomu Women Cooperative as my flagship empowerment project to give interest free loans to market women to be paid back over five months”.

The Iyaloja of Apomuland, who is the market women leader said “this is the first time a project like this is launched in Apomu.

The women beneficiaries were randomly selected, shortlisted and interviewed by experts from LEAD Transformation Initiative.

The first batch of the beneficiaries were announced at the event.

Meanwhile, the First lady was accompanied to the event with a large entourage including Osun State Deputy Governor’s wife, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Wife of Secretary to State Government, Wife of Commissioner for Finance, Wife of APC Osun State chairman, Wife of Special Adviser on Local Government, Wife of Special Adviser on Health and Wife of Special Adviser on Education.

Others were Honourable Ayo Omidiran, a former House of Representatives member, Majority Leader, Osun State House of Assembly, the local government chairmen of Irewole, Isokan and Irewole North East LCDA, and Kemi Titilayo, Founder and Directors of LEAD Transformation Initiative.

The event had over 500 women in attendance.

Apomu, founded in the 16th Century, is the headquarters of Isokan Local Government of Osun State. It was one of the earliest towns that made up the old Oyo Empire.