WIFE of the Ondo state governor Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has warned that the Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials (FOWOSO), set up by her in December 2017, is not meant to gather women for festivals or jamboree but for serious business of elevating the status of women.
Akeredolu said this during the 3rd summit of the foundation held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
“FOWOSO was never meant to be another gathering of women for jamboree, stomach infrastructure and so on as is often the case.
“FOWOSO was birthed to elevate the status of women in Ondo State and even beyond. For so many decades and even centuries, women have continued to be relegated to the background and treated like second class citizens,” she said.
According to her, some women had defied the odds and changed their societies despite the turbulent history.
“Today, the world is recognising the enormous role of women in the society. Women’s involvement has been identified as the panacea to achieving food security, ending malnutrition and ensuring social security.”
The theme for this year’s event was ‘Turning around the economic status of women in a covid-19 era.’
According to her,” The novel COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the world economy, affected businesses and livelihoods all over the world. Unfortunately, women are always the worst hit when these things happen.
“Most women are involved in petty trading and small business holdings. These are the jobs that were worst hit during the peak of the pandemic and thereafter.”
She praised her husband, Governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu, for his effort, leadership style and administration’s financial and moral support to FOWOSO since 2017 when it was launched.
“He runs a women-friendly government whose programmes and policies are gender-sensitive,” she said.
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Many women graced the occasion, including the former Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Titi Adeyemi.
A reporter with the ICIR
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