The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, has launched an extensive empowerment programme aimed at providing 240 indigenes with hands-on entrepreneurial training, being another monumental step towards the implementation of his 25-Year Development Agenda for the town.
The launch ceremony, which was conducted at the Ogbomosoland Job Creation and Empowerment Committee office in the Jokodolu Foundation, was arranged by the Ogbomosoland Job Creation and Empowerment Committee in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BoI). The programme is aimed at facilitating self-reliance, financial independence, and sustainable community development through practical training in different vocational and technical skills.
They will be given skills such as baking and pastry, event decoration and planning, information technology, soap and cleaning product manufacture, and the traditional textile art such as Adire and Aso Oke manufacturing.
“This is not training this is a seed of change,” said Oba Olaoye to trainees. “This is not just training. This is a golden opportunity. Study with passion. Commit completely. Use this gift to the maximum.”
The monarch underscored that the initiative captures the essence of community-led progress, highlighting the importance of lifting others. “This is what community progress looks like,” he added. “We rise by lifting others.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the Bank of Industry for its consistent support in promoting grassroots development.
The project is one of the first concrete steps under the Soun’s development vision to transform Ogbomoso into a successful business, learning, and innovation hub in the next quarter century.
