By kehinde olaosebikan

The First Lady of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, is  complementing the 3- Point Agenda of Restoration, Transformation and Repositioning  of  her husband, Governor  Abiola Ajimobi.

Florence Ajimobi

Starting with the Ajumose Food Basket, a program that gives food items to a number of people across the 33 local government areas of the state on  monthly basis; Access to Basic Medical Care (ABC Foundation),  recently adjudged as the Most Outstanding NGO in the South West by the House of Representatives; ICT Corner for Women in Public Service and Educate a Rural Child Project that provides educational materials for the indigent students amongst others, Mrs Ajimobi is concretely connecting with the Oyo  people in all facets of life and in all the nooks and crannies, making living, easier and more meaningful.

In addition to all the aforementioned programs, this paragon of beauty and brain  triggered off the unusual with the introduction of intellectualism into the office of the First Lady. When she came up with the idea of bringing the wives of public office holders in Oyo State under the aegis of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OYSOWA), many had thought the group was for the usual women’s stuff, partying and other frivolities.

But Mrs. Ajimobi  toed the line  of intellectualism by introducing a yearly conference of women of note to discuss and further the course of development of not just the women in Oyo or Nigeria but  also in Africa and across the globe.

For three years running, the program has become a huge success. She has, in an unprecedented manner,  mobilized fellow First Ladies all over Nigeria and beyond our shores to chart new courses for progress and development.

This year’s edition, that came to a close on Friday, was attended by over, 1,000 delegates including world acclaimed women leaders like the former Zimbabwean Vice President, Dr. Joice Mujuru, former First Lady of Liberia, Senator  Jewel Howard Tailor, four state governors, 21 First Ladies. The conference has become a toast to all, eliciting affirmative comments and commendations in public places and social media.

For this beautiful woman to have successfully turned a supposedly frivolous  association in Ibadan to an intellectual hub, recognized across the continent, it is established that Mrs. Ajimobi has truly changed the face of  the Ibadan  woman from that of a cloth or pepper seller to that of a beauty and a thinker.

I must quickly add here that Oyo  has been particularly blessed with exceptional First Ladies since the beginning of our nascent democracy. From the motherly and benign Alhaja Sarat Adeola Adesina, wife of the late Great Lam who came in with her well packaged Health is Wealth Program, it has been positives all through. The Health is Wealth Program of Alhaja Adesina exists till date in the Office of the First Lady.

The elegant black beauty, Alhaja   Mutiat Ladoja also initiated Idera De Foundation with headquarters in Ido for the disabled and under privileged while the gorgeous, vivacious well built wife of Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala, Oluwakemi came up with Community Link Advancement Program (CLAP) for the uplift of the less privileged urban and rural women. They all served their purposes well.

However with the intellectualism and passionate execution of her projects, it is certain that Mrs. Ajimobis’s projects have not only come to stay, they have individually become a challenge to the future First Ladies.

• Olaosebikan is Chief Consultant, Midas Communications Limited