By Biodun Ogundipe in London.

Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the immediate past governor of Ogun State has given a major boost to Owu Empowerment Foundation’s activities with donations of 50 laptops, 20 pieces each of grinding machines, deep freezers, generators, hair dryers and sewing machines to equip beneficiaries  in various vocational trades and small scale businesses within Owu-Abeokuta kingdom.

The Olowu of Owu-Abeokuta, Oba (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola, The Olu -Eleyele and Parakoyi of Owu, Oba Moshood Ola Yusuf, Chairman of Board of Trustees of the foundation, Chief (Dr) Banji Oyegbami, Chairman of the foundation’s management team, Chief Ogooluwa Bankole, Iyalode of Owu, Chief Adenike Lawal in their separate speeches, during the presentation Ceremony on Thursday at the Olowu’s palace in Oke-Ago Owu, Abeokuta,  showered encomiunm on the immediate past senator who represented Ogun Central Senatorial District twice between 2003 -2007 and 2019-2023 for identifying with his kinsmen with such a massive support to the foundation

Oba Matemilola urged beneficiaries to ensure proper utilization of items to improve on their respective vocational trades and small scale businesses , so as to further encourage members of the foundation who have demonstrated  fairness in the selection process, to do more in attracting other donors to support the empowerment initiative

The monarch cautioned the beneficiaries against selling the empowerment tools, saying the monitoring team will be on ground to ensure proper utilization of items for the purpose of such vocational trades and small scale businesses

He gave his royal blessings to the beneficiaries urging other prominent sons and daughters of Owu-Kingdom to emulate the gesture by supporting the foundation to empower more people to enhance economic and commercial activities in communities within the kingdom

Senator Amosun represented by his media aide, Alhaji Bola Adeyemi promised to continue to identify with the foundation by donating more items  to enhance its empowerment programmes for the economic benefit of Owu-communities

Chairman of the foundation, Chief Oyegbami who rolled out various previous empowerment activities initiated so far,  described the support of Sen.Amosun as the biggest donation ever received, commending him for the massive support

Co-ordinator General of the foundation Chief Ogooluwa Bankole expressed confidence that OEF  would continue to survive as a registered organization established to empower more sons and daughters of Owu-Kingdom to improve their standards of living

High point of the event included presentation of special award to Sen. Amosun in appreciation of his immeasurable contributions to the foundation and presentation of certificates of ownership of empowerment tools to beneficiaries after oath taking ceremony, to ensure proper utilization of items for their specific purposes

Two of the beneficiaries, Egbeleye Ridwan Adeola who got a laptop computer from Alakoso community and Oladele Debra Aduke who was presented with deep freezer on behalf of a hospital in Apomu community, promised on behalf of beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the empowerment items