Aregbesola also condemned in strong terms the mutilation of female genital organ which he described as barbaric and demeaning saying it was high time we eradicated all practices that reduce the dignity of woman.
Governors of Osun, Lagos and Oyo States, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Akunwumi Ambode and Abiola Ajimobi respectively on Wednesday in Ibadan made a strong case for the empowerment of the womenfolk in Nigeria saying this is desirable to protect them to effectively face the future challenges.
 

 
Specifically, the three Governors emphasized the need to develop the capacity of Nigerian women while demanding from every tier of government in the country workable empowerment programmes that would lift their status.
Speaking one after the other at the 5th National Women’s Summit of the Oyo State Officials Wives Association (OYSOWA) held in Ibadan, the Governors acknowledged the roles of women as mothers and wives who have also been contributing their own quota in the development of the country.
Commenting on the theme of the Summit which is “The Ultimate Woman at a time like this”, Governor Aregbesola remarked that the future of any society is determined by the quality of the women in the society submitting than an ultimate woman should prepare their children for the future where manual labour will be greatly reduced with the advent of solar and other scientific innovations.
Governor Aregbesola also condemned in strong terms the mutilation of female genital organ which he described as barbaric and demeaning saying it was high time we eradicated all practices that reduce the dignity of woman.
Speaking in the same vein, Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State also lauded the contributions of women to the emergence of the Nigerian nation noting that they are still playing vital roles in the development of the country.
The host Governor Ajimobi, in his contribution, hailed the theme of the summit which he said was not only appropriate but timely in this present period when the country is passing through many challenges.
Ajimobi described women as the pillar of man’s success in all ramifications just as he remarked that the role of women in the family cannot be underestimated while giving his own personal account and attributing his achievements as those achieved through the support of his wife, Florence.
Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari who was represented at the event by the wife of the Zamfara State Governor, Hajia Asmau Yari, applauded the initiative of the Oyo State Officials Wives Association while also commending Nigerian women who have been working as mothers, wives and leaders of the communities.

As part of efforts to rescue the nation from the shackles of the current economic imbroglio, the south-west governors on Wednesday admonished women to form a formidable bulwark capable of liberating the nation from the present economic predicaments.
 

 
The trio called on governments at various levels to place women’s interests at centre of development as they contribute significantly to national economic growth and development.
The governors gave the charge while addressing women during the 5th National Women’s Summit of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OYSOWA), held at Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Multi-purpose hall, Ibadan, Oyo state.
In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who commended women for being resolute and resilient in the face of the current economic situation, said much needed to be done to opt the country out of the current socioeconomic, political and religious challenges.
Aregbesola said for Nigeria to survive, women must be empowered to work and participate actively in the economic activities of the country so as to enhance all round transformation, growth and development being aspired by all.
According to him, it has been well established by studies upon studies that the level of development in a society is directly proportional to the level of empowerment of women and the role they play in the economy.
He said the future of every society is determined by the quality of the women in such society, hence calls for total reawakening of women’s virtues to enhance economic advancement of the nation.
Aregbesola said every serious government must take women empowerment as an integral aspect of governance, adding that no tangible policy could be successfully implemented if women are schemed out.
He said women empowerment must begin with compulsory education of the girl child, saying “educating a female child is more or less an act of building a nation”.
Governor Aregbesola called on the three tiers of government to always raise the status of women and help them to realise their greatest potentials.
The Governor submitted that, if women are properly empowered, their potentials can make meaningful contributions to nation’s building.
“Women must be empowered because there is no society that shackles more than half of its population that can develop or progress. We must resist anything that reduces the chances of women in our society.
“We must empower women to be able to face any challenge particularly women at lower economic ebb. We must organise women to be economically viable, independent and resourceful.
“This must begin with compulsory education of the girl child. I have searched the religions traditional, Islam and Christianity, I did not see anything that stands in the way of women education and empowerment”, he added.
Analysing some of the women’s oriented programmes being implemented by his administration, Aregbesola said Osun has succeeded in taking women empowerment to be an integral aspect of governance.
“Our O’meals programme in which we feed school children in Primary 1-4 every school day is basically a women empowerment programme. As a government, we share the belief that, if properly empowered, our women, particularly from the rural areas, can make meaningful contributions to the development of our dear state.
“We are determined as a government to elevate the status of our women, both in the rural and in the urban areas. Beyond the economy, we are also mindful of their potential to contribute meaningfully in politics as we are making serious effort to encourage women to take up more prominent roles in political affairs.
“It is our belief that women position in government will serve to encourage more women to develop a higher level of confidence in their political capacities and efficacy.
Aregbesola implored women to rededicate themselves and champion their feminine roles especially in building a virile, productive and sustainable society.
“While commending our women for mobilising other women for self-actualization, we must equally remind them on the need to remain focused and determined in supporting men to provide society that we all aspired.
“The ultimate women must be a champion for eradication of Female Genital Mutilation as the acts is cruel, wicked and inhuman”, he stressed.
The Governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, said the roles of women must not be ignored by every serious government as they determine the democratic success of the society.
He called on government at all levels to place women interest at centre of socio-economic and political decisions.
According to him, the interests of women must come at the economic forefront. They must be well represented and considered in every aspect of governance if truly we want to build a nation that will a model.
He added, “The ultimate women are essential at this period of significant economic shift that shapes our collective lives.
“The significance of women in life is as important as pivotal role plays by tripod that holds objects because women are the pillars behind every success recorded by men. They are the masterpiece of nature, sustainable pillars and architects of good things in the society.
On his part, the Governor of Lagos, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, lamented on the recession that has hit the nation’s economy, saying in spite the economic realities, the southern governor would not rest on their oars to rescue the country.
He said all hands must be deck to revive the country from being consumed by the menace.
Ambode said the country has gotten to a stage where everybody’s ideas especially the women must be taken serious to redeem the nation for the betterment of all.
Lagos state Governor said, “the current economic situation has posed a serious challenge on us as individuals and governments, thus calls for collective supports to move the country forward.
“Both men and women must be resilient, forthright and undaunting at finding solution to the current situation.
“We must not shy away from our responsibilities but rather form a formidable force to make our nation great again.
Earlier, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Aishatu Buhari, canvassed support for women, saying women are ready to make the country great again.
Hajia Aishatu who was represented by the wife of Zamfara state governor, Hajia Hasman Yari, charged governments on the need to invest greatly in women as they (women) are potentially endowed to accomplish government’s dreams.
The convener and wife of Oyo state Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, said the 5th edition of the Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association’s National Summit was aimed towards creating the ultimate women in the face of the harsh economic realities.
She said the forum had over the years been a viable mechanism in finding remedies to socioeconomic, political and religious challenges confronting women in the country.

The First Lady said the current rating of Osun State as first in the practice of FGM in the country was disturbing and required urgent decisive actions to curb the menace
Osun is considered the state with the highest prevalence of female genital cutting in Nigeria.
Osun First Lady, through her pet project, Sheri Care Foundation (SCARF) stepped up the sensitization campaign by designing different pragmatic strategies and realisable approaches to stop the practice.
 
 

 
 
One of the approaches was the assemblage of stakeholders in the state; including the circumcisers at a sensitization campaign tagged “Stop FGM”, held at Aurora Event Centre in Osogbo, the state capital on Tuesday.
During the event, traditional rulers and community leaders openly declared their resolve to desist from cutting the genital of their female children and promised to join the campaign to stop FGM.
The First Lady told the gathering that the current rating of Osun State as first in the practice of FGM in the country was disturbing and required urgent decisive actions to curb the menace.
Speaking on the occasion, the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola lamented that cutting of the clitoris of female children under the pretext of cultural belief was callous and cruel.
The governor said none of Islam, traditional religions nor Christianity supported the practice.
He described female genital mutilation as obsolete and urged people of Osun State to shun the practice.
The governor commended SCARF for the war against FGM and pleaded with the traditional rulers in the state to double their efforts in prohibiting the practice in the domains.
Aregbesola also commended the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for collaborating with SCARF to end FGM.
The governor urged UNFPA to assist the state to be able to find alternative jobs for circumcisers who have agreed to dump the circumcision work.
The head of UNFPA Lagos Liaison Office, Dr Omolaso Omosehin, while speaking on the occasion, said the efforts to stop FGM in Osun State were beginning to yield positive results and advised the First Lady and other development actors in the state not to relent in the anti-FGM campaign.

Moves to eradicate genital mutilation (FGM) in Osun received a boost on Tuesday as 16 communities across four local governments declared their intentions to stop altogether female circumcision in their domains.
This was as the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed that the state must do everything possible to come out of its unfavourable highest ranking on the ladder of Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria.
 

 
Aregbesola revealed this at the Female Genital Mutilation Abandonment Declaration Ceremony organised by the Shericare Foundation (SCARF), an initiative of the wife of the Governor, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola.
The communities that declared against FMG include Eko Ende, Eko Ajala, Iba, Asa, Iwo Oke, Ajagunlase, Alapata, Owode, Araromi in Ifelodun, Olaoluwa, Ede North and Orolu Logal Governments of the state.
The governor described Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a cultural practice of removing part of the female genital either as a customary rite of initiation into womanhood or as a check against promiscuity as harmful.
He stated that the harmful practice according to UNICEF is prevalent in developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia.
He said, “According to a February 2016 report by United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), there are records for 27 countries in Africa, including Somalia (96 per cent), Guinea (97 per cent), Djibouti (93 per cent), Egypt (91 per cent) and Sierra Leone (90 per cent) still practising FGM. From this same report, we learnt that as of 2013, 27.2 million women had undergone FGM in Egypt, 23.8 million in Ethiopia, and 20 million in Nigeria. In Indonesia, the prevalence rate for children under 11 years is 49 per cent, translating to 13.4 million.
“In Nigeria, six states top the list of where the practice is prevalent. These are Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Ebonyi, Imo and Lagos. FGM is deeply rooted in culture but flies in the face of common sense, decency, basic health and human right.
“The crux of this advocacy is to expunge it from our belief system. I am glad that we have the cooperation of our traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders and aficionados of arts and culture.
“The core changes must include that: one, it is no longer necessary as a cultural requirement, two, that it is indeed harmful and cruel physically and psychologically. The victims, we must note, are our daughters, sisters, aunties, cousins, nieces, wives and mothers.
“I do not see any other category closer and dearer to us than these and therefore do not deserve to be subjected to this hurtful practice any longer.”
In her welcome address, the wife of Osun Governor and President Sheri Care Foundation, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to achieving zero tolerance on Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision in the state.
She said the Foundation has engaged in many activities towards boosting the awareness campaigns to end the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation and Circumcision in every nook and cranny of the state.
Alhaja Aregbesola disclosed that the Foundation has also committed itself to intensive advocacy to eradicate the traditional practice of FGM in the state through regular interface with a number of communities, public sensitisation,  jingles sponsorship on radio, television stations as well as printing and circulation of the state law which makes it illegal for anyone to circumcise any female child or any woman in the state.
According to her, “The journey to today’s event started early 2015 when a team of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) officials visited our state as the meeting afforded us the opportunity to appreciate the necessity of collective efforts to wage an intensive and comprehensive awareness campaign on the dangers that continued practice of female circumcision bear for our female children, our women and our people in general.
“It is true that the practice of female circumcision was rooted in traditional and religious beliefs, but scientific findings have revealed that such beliefs are injurious to life”, she added.
Aregbesola attributed the public declaration of abandonment of FGM by twelve communities in the state as a manifestation of the efforts being made by the Foundation to abolish the  menace.
She therefore appealed to the residents in the state to always abstain from the acts, saying female circumcision does not bear any positive fruit but rather a basket of dangers and sometimes death to the women.
Earlier, the Guest Speaker and the Head of Lagos Liaison Office, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Omolaso Omosehin, commended Governor Aregbesola for his continued support towards eradication of Female Genital Mutilation in the state.
He said the contribution of the state government has impacted positively towards putting an end to Female Genital Mutilation.
Describing the occasion as a timely, Omosehin said the forum was a reflection of symbolic commitment demonstrated by the state government of Osun to end Female Genital Mutilation and other forms of harmful traditional practices that impact negatively on women and girls and as well deprive them of reaching their maximum potential and contributing to the development of the state.
He said, “We recognise the ongoing efforts that the state government and other development actors are undertaking to accelerate the abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation and Circumcision as these efforts are beginning to yield positive results.
“One of such is the abandonment of this harmful traditional practice in over twelve communities across four local governments that account for highest prevalence of FGM in the state. The reason for which this public declaration of abandonment ceremony was convened.
“We commend the efforts of leaders in championing the end of FGM campaign across the high burdened states in South-west Nigeria as we are aware that over 250 female babies born in these communities from April 2015 till date in Osun were not circumcised”.

Governor of the state of Osun , Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has expressed regrets over the death of a National Youths Corps Scheme (NYSC) member from Osun state, Miss Ifedolapo Oladepo who died at the orientation camp in Kano State.

Aregbesola who spoke through the Director of the Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, in Osogbo, Mr Semiu Okanlawon at the weekend said the death of Ifedolapo was shocking and very unfortunate.

The governor lamented that the 26 year old First Class graduate of Transport Management of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology died at her prime after completing a degree programme with a bright future ahead of her.

“It is most unfortunate this has happened. We are touched by the circumstances of her death. And we grieve this huge loss that this sad event represents to her parents, siblings, other family members, the people of Osun and Nigeria as a whole. We can only pray that God the Almighty grants her immediate family the fortitude to bear this

incalculable loss and rest her soul perfectly,” Aregbesola said.

The Deputy Governor of Osun State, Grace TitiLaoye Tomori, has called on the 135 persons from the state who had undergone entrepreneurship development training through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-Entrepreneurship Development Centre, Southwest being implemented by the Africa Leadership Forum, to put their training to good use.
 

 
 
Tomori gave the charge recently during the graduation ceremony held at the Teacher’s Cooperative House in Oshogbo, Osun state, recently.
 
The four weeks programme exposed the participants to modules such as mindset reengineering to help them rethink business, money, and livelihood; enterprise development and idea generation, business and financial management, marketing and interpersonal relationship; and, with an opportunity to write their own individual business plans.
 
In his address, the General Manager/CEO of the Osun Microcredit Agency, Julius Olajide, said the training was one of the integral plans of the government of the state to develop the human resources of the state, adding that “it is meant to teach the people how to fish and not to give them fish.”
The Programme Director of the CBN-EDC Southwest, Dr Olumide Ajayi, commended the state for being enterprising and for being the first state in southwest Nigeria to sponsor individuals and create avenue for the training of this magnitude since its commencement in March 2015.
Ajayi further stated that of the 135 persons that had undergone the training, 125 (93 per cent) had submitted their business plans; hence, the State Micro-Credit Agency would start interacting with them henceforth.
The General Manager and CEO of the Osun Microcredit Agency, Dayo Babaranti encouraged the trainees to persevere in their ventures and that people can only take risks against waste but not uncertainty.
The representative of the CBN, Oluyemisi Adebayo, in her remark, said the bank is leveraging on research that has showed that economies thrive on the MSMEs hence the CBN’s MSMSE’s development fund, YIEDP, Agric Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund, Financial Inclusion Programme; and the apex bank is looking to producing Osun rice in lieu of the current ubiquitous importation of rice.
Dignitaries at the event included the representative from the Development Finance Office, CBN, Oluyemisi Adebayo; the Programme Director of the Africa Leadership Forum Centre, Dr Olumide Ajayi, the Special Adviser to the state governor on Technical and Vocational Education, Ag. Head of Board for Technical Education, Mr Owolabi; Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Julius Olajide; General Manager/CEO of the Osun Microcredit Agency,  Dayo Babaranti; and Head of Youth Empowerment in the State, Mr. Young.

The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, has trained over 4,000 final year students on various agricultural programmes with a view to accelerating youth’s agricultural entrepreneurship skill.
The agricultural programme, which was meant to make the students self-reliant, was flagged off between the management of the institution and Agrikk Matas Institute, in Osogbo.
 

 
The Rector of the institution, Patrick Husseini, said the skills acquisition programme revolved around fishery, piggery, grasscutter and mushroom training for both HND and ND graduates.
Husseini said further that the authorities only started with the four skills, adding that other aspects of the agricultural training would be explored in order to make the graduates of the institution self-reliant after their studies.
The Rector opined that the institution would not relent in its efforts to offer the students the best for future endeavours.
He also noted that in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to revamp the economy, the authorities of the institution were ready to produce graduates who would add value to the economy as well as make all staff to be self-sufficient through agricultural programmes.
The Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skills Development, Mr Biodun Oluwasegun-Babalola, expressed optimism on the programme and commended the rector for his vision, promising outstanding trainees further assistance.
The Director, Agrikk Matas Institute, Mrs Afolabi Olubumi, said adequate training would be given to the participants in line with the institution’s request, just as he urged students to take their chosen field seriously in order to give them the hope of tomorrow for the nation.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has said his administration has succeeded in uplifting the standard of education in the state with over one hundred percent improvement recorded in the last six years.
He said his government has achieved modest improvements in the performance of students in the WASSC examinations since assumption of office.
 

 
Governor Aregbesola made the statement while declaring open the 3-day Education Quality Assurance Training Workshop organized by the Osun Education Quality Assurance and Morality Enforcement Agency, at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) conference hall, Abere, Osogbo.
Governor Aregbesola who titled his speech, “Back to the Future of Education”, said his government has tremendously revived and brought in roadmap in education system in the state as manifested in efforts made to resuscitate the sector.
Aregbesola said the performance of students in the West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, WASSCE under his watch had improved tremendously with 46.30% improvement compared to statistics met in 2010.
He said the performance of the students in the terminal examinations had witnessed a significant improvement and skyrocketed from 21.68% met by his administration in 2010 to 46.30% this year.
Explaining the rationale behind strides being made in the education system, Aregbesola said the state took the Zukuk bond to change the face of education in the state.
According to him, the step taken was to ensure that the state is liberated from backward educational situation which his government inherited.
Governor Aregbesola recalled the state of education on his assumption of office in 2010 which he described as deplorable and dilapidated with appalling and decadent infrastructures.
He said, “Our government made a concrete resolution to revive the decadence in the education sector having being informed on the need to prioritise education.
“It is on this template that our government resolved on the need to building uncommon legacies at all levels of education system by nurturing future leaders.
“We have also adopted overhauled policies aimed at repositioning the education sector and bring in innovations to aid teaching and learning and as well rescue the future of our children.
“Our government is succeeding in the construction of 20 state-of-the-arts High schools, 50 Middle schools and 100 Elementary schools across the state.
Earlier, the Chairman, Osun Education Quality Assurance and Morality Enforcement Agency, Dr. Isiaka Owoade, commended Governor Aregbesola for leading the state towards educational sustainability.
He said education in Osun has received a tremendous amount of attention since the inception of the Aregbesola administration.
According to him, the Governor has demonstrated an unparalleled love and passion for education as manifested in the construction of new schools, refurbishment of dilapidated schools, creation of three education districts, increase in running grants to schools, school feeding programme (O’meal), provision of technological device, school chairs and desks among other interventions.
“Since education is the foundation upon which the fortunes of a society rests, thus, having invested so much in education, Mr. Governor went ahead to create Osun Education Quality Assurance and Morality Enforcement Agency, a step in the right direction to ensure that the state gets value from her numerous interventions.
“Our agency was established to ensure that the processes of teaching and learning are conducted in a fashion to deliver the highest standard quality in content and that the students produced are of sound character.
“Our agency has been ensuring that discipline in our schools is curtailed and that our students are properly guided and focused.
“We have worked out strategies for this and our home-grown education marshals fully trained in morality enforcement will soon be deployed.
“Parts of our commitment to education revolution in the state was to drastically improve the performance of our students in the various terminal examinations.”
He therefore assured the state of better quality service delivery, saying poor productivity will be frowned at as appropriate measures had been put in place to champion zero tolerance for lateness and absenteeism.

A traditional ruler in Osun State, the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Oba Dokun Thompson, at the weekend used the Holy Bible to pacify the Land, warning that poverty would persist unless the Land was appeased.
 
Speaking at the first Cocoa Festival in Africa, the monarch explained that there may have been a curse on the land, following the manner a renowned Yoruba king, Oba Emmanuel Olajide Layode, Soun of Ogbomoso, was killed mercilessly in 1969 during the Agbekoya revolt.
 

 
The revolt had occurred following the hike in taxation on cocoa.
Oba Thompson expressed worries that Eti-Oni which pioneered cocoa
production in Nigeria was wallowing in abject poverty like many other communities in the country despite having a land of richness.
The monarch noted that the wealth from Cocoa did not manifest in the cocoa producing communities and the people because of the curse. Oba Thompson prayed for an appeasement of the land so that late Oba Layode’s soul may finally rest in peace and for a renaissance of the wealth created in the western region from cocoa in the 60s.
During the cocoa festival, which was tagged ‘Gureje Day’, Oba Thompson raised the Bible that was presented to him by the Christian community in Eti-Oni and showered blessings on the community and the nation.
“This Cocoa Festival was meant to mark the 120 years of cocoa production in Nigeria as pioneered by Eti-Oni. But you would be wondering that this wealthy community was languishing in abject poverty over the years.
“There would be wealth on the land and poverty would vanish when we appease the Land. That was why I sought the intervention of the King of kings who created the Heavens and the Earth,” Oba Thompson said.
The Osile Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, who was Royal Guest of Honour on the occasion joined his host, Oba Thompson in appeasing the Land and pouring blessings upon Land through the Scriptures.
Speaking on the occasion, Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, reiterated the need to go back to farming as the panacea to the current economic situation caused by dwindling oil revenue.
The governor lauded Oba Thompson for his pragmatic approach in redirecting the attention of the people to profitable cocoa production that would bring maximum gain to the farmers and change the fortune of the people.
Aregbesola, who was represented by the Coordinating Director in the Osun State Ministry of Agriculture, Food Processing and Youth Engagement, Dr. Isaac Aluko promised full support for any initiative geared towards agribusiness.
The governor formally presented the Premium Artisan Eti-Oni Chocolate Brand to the public and also launched the Eti-Oni Model Smart Town which is to be developed in line with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.