Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

Queens in Yorubaland converged at the Palace of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi to discuss issues affecting women development in Nigeria.

The meeting which was facilitated by Queen Ronke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi and Queen Janet Afolabi under the Queen Moremi Ajasoro Initiative and Olori Janet Afolabi Foundation, bring queens across the state together.

The inaugural seminar tagged, “The impact of Oloris in National Development”, was held in commemoration of the Black Women’s History Month.

Addressing the gathering, Queen Ronke Ogunwusi, stressed that to achieve national development, women economic welfare must be strengthened.

She emphasised the need for Queens in the gathering to make the wellbeing of women in their respective localities a priority to enhance gender equality.

She said, “This initiative will help tackle poverty and help as a wealth creation programme for women who want to start up small businesses and women who want to scale up there businesses.

Buttressing the importance of achieving national development, Queen Janet Afolabi of Apomu kingdom in the state, added that the Queens should leave by example through organisation of sensitization programmes to natives of there localities, stressing that nothing is to small.

Queen Afolabi while charging the Queens present at the event, recalled how she was able to personally teach people in her kingdom English language on every Friday.

She said, “nothing is to small, I teach people in my kingdom English on Fridays for free, feed them with snacks. I started with 10 students and today I have over 150 students.

“I empowered some set of women in my community with 20,000, and asked them payback in 5,000 monthly for 4 months in other to give opportunity to another sets and they did, this means you don’t need huge amount to start impacting on people,” she added.

In her goodwill message, wife of Osun State Governor, Erelu Ngozi Adeleke, reinstated her commitment to supporting and empowering women, adding that the Queens should not hesitate in calling upon her whenever they need anything to aid in achieving the listed goals.