By Amidu Arije
The senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule, has empowered a thousand constituents of her senatorial district with mega empowerment tools.
The mega empowerment tools, ranging from 20 mini buses, deep freezers, hair dryers, barbing tools, wheelchairs, tailoring machines, among others, were presented to the public on Saturday at the Bureau of the Lagos Television, on Lateef Jakande Road, Ikeja, Lagos, with cheers from the teeming beneficiaries.
The youths who are largely beneficiaries of the mega empowerment tools underwent a training session before the public presentation of the working tools.
Speaking at the event, Senator Adebule said the essence of the empowerment programme is, if not to eradicate poverty, to reduce it to the nearest minimum. She disclosed that many more of such will be done as had been done in the past, with more robust activities to ensure socioeconomic self-reliance of her constituents.
She said, “Today’s event is a big one and an important pillar in my quest for social and economic inclusion for our people. I remain irrevocably committed to the welfare, wellbeing, security and prosperity of our people, and I am passionate and highly motivated to mobilise resources for this purpose. In pursuance and fulfillment of this social contract with the people of Lagos-West, I present to you leaders and stakeholders the One Thousand (1,000) beneficiaries of today’s mega empowerment programme.
“These esteemed beneficiaries have been trained in six (6) different soft skills areas such as ICT, hairdressing, catering and hospitality, barbing, tailoring and cosmetology, which are veritable sources of legitimate livelihood in our communities. These 1,000 beneficiaries were carefully selected from the 28 LGAs/LCDAs of Lagos-West, and today they will each get tools and equipment to enable them start their own small businesses as entrepreneurs and potential employers of labour. The items on display to be given out include small buses for commercial transportation, complete sewing machines, hair dryers and accessories, electric barbing clippers, accessories and generators, laptops, catering equipment and make-up kits. There are categories of beneficiaries that will be going home with cash gifts of Two Hundred Thousand Naira each (N200,000.00).”
The senator also disclosed that, “apart from tirelessly pursuing my primary responsibility of sponsoring and presenting bills, I have also passionately pursued people-centred constituency projects and social intervention programmes in support of our people at the grassroots. Some of the constituency projects I have facilitated through different ministries and agencies of government include two (2) primary healthcare centres in both Igbolobi, a riverine area of Ojo Local Government, which is the first of its kind in our riverine areas, and at Isokan area of Ojokoro community in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government. They are both under construction.
“A first-of-its-kind multipurpose Youth Development Centre is under construction in Badagry Local Government, with facilities such as an ICT centre, sports centre, skills acquisition centre and others. More than a thousand solar streetlights have been installed in forty-two (42) streets spread across the twenty-eight (28) LGAs and LCDAs of Lagos-West, among others.”
The senator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his foresight in repositioning the country through his reform programmes, which she said have started yielding positive results.
“Tinubu means well for Nigerians and he is working round the clock to ensure a good life for Nigerians; this is why we are doing our best to support him in his desire to transform Nigeria,” she said.
The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cornelius Ojelade Ojelabi, thanked the senator for her kind gesture, saying the empowerment tools are a means of uplifting the people out of poverty and enabling them to become contributors to the economic growth of Nigeria.
He seized the occasion to urge all to get registered in the ongoing APC electronic membership registration exercise and also urged those who do not have Permanent Voter Cards to approach the Independent National Electoral Commission offices in their various local governments to obtain them in order to vote in the coming general elections.
The senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Olamilekan Solomon, popularly called Yayi, showered encomiums on Senator Adebule for remembering her people.
He said the senator has performed tremendously for the people she represents at the Senate.
He said, “She has done excellently well. I can testify to this even from the National Assembly; she has given Lagos State quality representation. She is not a sit-down-and-look senator. She has contributed to the development of the Senate. I will score her 90 per cent for performance. I commend her. You can see the items displayed here; she is always after what is the share of Lagos State in terms of development to the Lagos West Senatorial District. She from time to time goes to the ministries to ensure the Badagry Expressway is completed in record time. She has done more in that area to ensure ease of transportation on the Badagry axis of Lagos. I am here to support my sister and colleague, and I am here to give testimony to the good work Adebule has been doing.”
The senator made the symbolic presentation of the various items, starting from the mini buses to the sewing machines, to the beneficiaries.
One of the leaders from Lagos West and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Rabiu Oluwa, appreciated the senator and assured her of continued support.
Public Relations Officer of Conference 57 and Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area, Bayo Olasoju, thanked the senator for the empowerment and urged beneficiaries to judiciously use the materials given to them.
The Oba of Ibesheland, Oba Dr Gausu Alani Rasaki, the Ovori of Ibeshe, commended Senator Adebule, saying she is a pride of the Aworis and the West Senatorial District in general. He prayed for the success of the senator in office and urged the beneficiaries to make use of the items and avoid selling them off, noting that proper usage is the only way to guarantee economic empowerment.
Speaking ealier at the event, Hon. Rasaq Ajala praised Senator Dr. Adebule for her unwavering dedication to human capital development, particularly for youths, women, artisans, traders, and small-scale entrepreneurs.
Hon. Ajala, Director-General of Senator Adebule’s Campaign Council, described the programme as a testament to her vision of a stronger, self-reliant, and economically empowered Lagos-West.
He highlighted that the Annual Mega Empowerment Programme has consistently served as a platform for economic upliftment, skills acquisition, and sustainable development across the district.
“Empowerment remains a critical tool for addressing unemployment, poverty, and social inequality. Through initiatives like this, Mama West has shown that leadership is not only about making laws but about touching lives, creating opportunities, and giving hope to the people,” he said.
Ajala urged beneficiaries to make full use of the opportunities provided, stressing that the empowerment should translate into productivity, self-sufficiency, and positive contributions to their communities and society at large.
One of the beneficiaries from the tailoring session, Kafayat Muritala, and a physically challenged beneficiary from Mushin Local Government, Mr Isaiah Kayode, thanked the senator for counting them among the beneficiaries of the mega empowerment.
Samson Olayinka, a bus beneficiary, thanked the senator and assured that the mini bus would be used for its intended purpose.
