ADIRE EKITI A LAUDABLE INITIATIVE FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, SAYS VP SHETTIMA
…Showers encomium on Oyebanji, wife for life changing policies
The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, has described the Adire Ekiti initiative of the First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, as a laudable economic initiative for the empowerment of youths in the state.
Senator Shettima made the remarks on Thursday when he paid a visit to the Adire Ekiti Hub located along Iworoko Road in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, as part of his one-day official visit to the Land of Honour.
The Vice President, who was accompanied to the Adire Ekiti Hub by Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake; Deputy Governor Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye and other eminent personalities, was received by Dr. Oyebanji and the donor of the facility, Senator Babafemi Ojudu.
Senator Shettima has described the initiative of training unemployed people in tye and dye known locally as Adire as one of the best means aimed at empowering hundreds of Ekiti youth from the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
Vice President Shettima commended the First Lady for coming up with an initiative to give economic empowerment to hundreds of Ekiti youths and giving them an opportunity to be job creators.
He described Dr. Oyebanji as “a worthy princess, intelligent and brilliant woman committed to the development of Ekiti State who is complementing her husband in making life easier for the masses”
The nation’s number two citizen said Ekiti has never had it so good with Governor Biodun Oyebanji in the saddle being complemented by a wife who is passionate for better welfare for the citizens of the state.
Some of the facilities at the Adire Ekiti Hub visited by the august visitor included the pavilion occupied by some of the trainees, the workshop where many of them are working and the gallery where beautiful Adire fabrics were on display.
Apparently impressed with what he saw on ground, Vice President Shettima donated N5 million to Adire Hub on behalf of President Bola Tinubu to the admiration of the trainees and other guests present.
Vice President Shettima urged the entire people of the state to unite and support Governor Oyebanji for sustainable development of the state and change the Ekiti narrative for better.
Earlier in her remarks, Dr. Oyebanji gave an overview of how Adire Ekiti initiative and the Hub started telling the Vice President that the facility housing the centre was donated by a former National Assembly member, Senator Ojudu.
Dr. Oyebanji explained that 200 youths from Ekiti Central Senatorial District had undergone training under the first phase from which 30 were selected from the Masters Class to train another batch of 200 trainees from Ekiti South Senatorial District presently undergoing training
The First Lady added that the fabrics from Adire Ekiti Hub are very much in demand locally and from people in Diaspora, groups, trade unions, among others.
According to her, the Adire Ekiti Hub was her humble initiative to give youths and women economic empowerment and self fulfillment noting that the first batch of trainees were given start-up packs and financial support after concluding their training.
She therefore solicited the support of the Federal Government on the project primarily targeted at making the jobless become self reliant and employers of labour.
The trainees who were excited to receive the Vice President hailed Governor Oyebanji and his wife for giving them an opportunity to be trained in a craft that would assist them to be owners of their personal businesses.
The First Lady presented Adire fabrics of various colours to the Vice President after he inspected the gallery admiring the products made by trainees at the Hub.