By Olalekan Ayeni
About 60 people of Ayepe, Ogun State, benefited from a multi-million naira empowerment project organised by a philanthropist, High Chief Samson Odupitan.
The high chief, who is the Parakoyi of Ayepe and Chief Executive Officer, Radition Investment Limited, donated dryers, washing basins, barbing instruments, generators, sewing machines, motorcycles, welding machines, cameras and printers to artisans.
The two-in-one event also featured the Ayepe Diocese of Holy Trinity Anglican Church Christmas Carol with the theme: ‘Jesus the Living Water.’
While handing the donations to people, High Chief Odupitan said the gesture was to contribute his quota to the development of the community and the nation as a whole by empowering youths and women as government could not only handle the issue of unemployment.
He said: “The idea behind the project is to reposition the energy of the youths. It would reduce restiveness of youths and contribute to nation-building.
“We can support women around the world to achieve equality and enable the youths of today to create a better tomorrow. To achieve these, we need to harness the talents and skills of women and young people everywhere.
“So through our partnerships, we aim to provide the tools and know how through which talented, smart, young professionals would realise their dreams and ambitions. We would give women the full access to education, employment and intellectual freedom”.
Also speaking, The Venerable Titus A. Abolaji of the church, said the idea was conceived after a meeting on what to be doing to improve the living conditions of members of the church and society at large.
He said the empowerment would go a long way in reducing, if not totally eliminating poverty and criminality in the society.
Commending the philanthropist, the Ota Divisional Commander, Vehicle Inspection Officer, Paul Kehinde Osukoya, called on the beneficiaries to make proper use of the items.