Birthday: Hajia Habibat Onumoko Empowers Over 200 Women with Cash, Sewing Machine, Oven Toaster, Clothes etc. As She Marks 50th Birthday
Hajia Habibat Onumoko, Treasurer, Okene Local Government Area and founder of the socio-political group of progressive women, FAWWASS on Thursday, distributed empowerment items to over 200 women to mark her 50th birthday in Okene.
The items distributed were sewing machine, oven toaster, food stuffs, wrappers and cash gifts to widows and petty traders to help them in their busineses and daily livings to become self reliant.
According to her, the cash support was meant to improve the quality of lives of petty traders and widows in the area. She appealed to the beneficiaries of the sewing machine and the oven toaster to make judicious use of them and not to sell them.
Speaking further, Hajia Habibat said, it’s always a thing of joy for His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, seeing women helping women to succeed. It is on that note, out of the little resources at her disposal, through FAWWASS has been able to reach out to widows, orphans, school children in Kogi central as well as providing skills acquisition trainings and distribution of empowerment kits to youths, petty traders and other women.
The beneficiaries in their separate remarks thanked Hajia Habibat for the gesture which, they said, would go a long way in alleviating their sufferings and putting smiles on their faces.
Reacting, former Speaker, Kogi state House of Assembly, Hon. Abdullahi Bello called on well-to-do individuals in Kogi central to emulate such genuine gesture and focus more on the less privileged persons in the area.
Also at the event was a House of Assembly member, Hon. Muktar Bajeh. According to him, there’s no person in Kogi state that is not aware of the activities of the group. He applauded Hajia Habibat for making women economically viable against all odds. According to him, Hajia Habibat stand tall in her style of leadership and grassroot oriented programs which are impactful in the area.
Acting Chairman of Okene Local Government Area, Hon. Bilikisu Aliyu Enyuse described Hajia Habibat as a modest, caring and trust worthy person. She encouraged her to keep the good work, while calling on the parents in the area to train their female children as they train the male, noting that women could do almost everything men does now.
Speaking with Nigeria Television and Radio Kogi correspondents, Hajia Habibat said the objective of the program is to empower women through skills acquisition and re-integrating women and girl school drop outs into formal and non formal school system thereby making women economically independent.
She also stated that the empowerment is in batches and the present beneficiaries have been giving adequate trainings before the day of the empowerment. She urged those who have been trained to train other people too noting that, it was the surest way of eradicating poverty completely.
The high point of the occasion was the full fledged scholarship giving to the son of one of the members of FAWWASS and first cash gift to get him registered in any secondary school of their choice.
Other dignitaries at the event were King Edward Jatto (CEO Jatto FM), traditional and religious leaders, Director of Local Governments, Council Leaders of the 21 LGAs, Treasurers of the 21LGAs, State Government appointees, Political Party Stalwarts, top artists and comedians among others.
Credit: FAWWASS