Senator Lola Ashiru’s Women Inclusion Strategy in Kwara South

By Olaitan Adeyanju

Joan Ruth Bader Ginsburg, an American lawyer and former United States Supreme Court Justice in her famous message said: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” It’s undisputable fact that women play significant role in the family, community development and nation building. No wonder, the elders say behind every successful man their is always a virtue woman.

Little wonder, when the Senator representing Kwara South, Arch. Oyelola Ashiru has been paying special attention to women development and inclusion beginning from his day one in the red chamber.

In 2019, when new Political Office Holders were trying to settle down to activities of governance, Senator Oyelola Ashiru as part of his strategy to ensure women benefit from his quality representation provided organised Agroforestry Training for 130 women and youth in Oyun local government area. The training is designed to expose participants to opportunities in Agroforestry and support them with start up fund.

Few days later, Senator Ashiru provided capital/business support for 830 widows and petty traders drawn from seven local government areas. The business support of N20,000 each for the vulnerable women recommended by their communities aimed at energizing existing businesses and give others start up capital. The beneficiaries spread across 83 wards in Kwara South with 10 from every ward.

While people were still giving him accolades for his special interest in women, especially with their inclusion in empowerment program, the Senator was busy building a two bedroom flat from one homeless widow in Offa.

investigations revealed that Senator Ashiru decided to build new apartment for Alhaja Aiysatul Raji, a widow of many years after some youths hint him about her pathetic story.

Alhaja Aiysatul Raji’s husband passed away in the inferno that made her homeless. In our clime, a widow without a child can easily be called many unprintable names, hers is not an exception.

For many years as a widow, she wakes up from the dilapidated building- the remains of the building that was raged with fire, she rest her head on the other side that is with roof. She re-arranged her firewood and beckons on prospective customers for her to fend for living, many a times there might be no one to call, the ones that call might buy on credit.

According to Alhaja, her firewood business capital was gotten through the President Mohammadu Buhari stipends for the widow in Offa Local Government, since then she has been in the business and of course the business is the main source of her living.

The Kindhearted Senator furnished the two bedroom flat with modern amenities and items to give the widow new living experience.

The house was commissioned by Chief Imam of Offa on December 1, 2019 amidst cheers from representative of Olofa of Offa and neighbors.

Senator Ashiru again, empowered some widows in Offa Local Government. The senator in his words while presenting cash to the widows said: “These women are vulnerable and are at the base of the society, they need to be empowered with resources to alleviate them from destitution and also from solitary through petty trading”.

Additionally, Women across the seven local government areas in Kwara South also have fair share of other opportunities such as federal appointments, empowerments, trainings and COVID-19 Economic Recovery package facilitated by Senator Oyelola Ashiru.

The Senator believes women folks deserve more and they would continue to get the best through his equitable and responsive representation in Kwara South.