Over 15m Widows Seek Government, Philanthropists’ Support....As Association advocates empowerment, education, healthcare for widows’ children

Over 15m Widows Seek Government, Philanthropists’ Support....As Association advocates empowerment, education, healthcare for widows’ children

More than 15 million widows across Nigeria have appealed to governments at all levels, traditional rulers, philanthropists, corporate organisations and other well-meaning Nigerians to support and empower them and their children amid the prevailing economic challenges in the country.

The widows made the appeal at the launching and inauguration of the Wazobia Widows Welfare Association, Ogun State Chapter, held at the State Sports Council, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The event, which was organised under the theme, “Empowering Widows, Building Hope and Creating a Better Future,” brought together widows, government representatives, philanthropists, community leaders and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Ogun State Coordinator of the association, Pastor (Mrs.) Adesola Oluwatoyin, said many widows were facing serious economic difficulties and struggling to provide basic necessities for their families.

She said the association had set a target of reaching more than 15 million widows across the country through a comprehensive empowerment programme involving skills acquisition, vocational training, grants, small-scale businesses, educational support, healthcare assistance and access to government empowerment schemes.

According to her, the welfare of widows should not be treated as a matter of charity alone, but as a social responsibility requiring sustained intervention from both government and the private sector.

“Many widows’ children are not getting the necessary care and attention they deserve. This is why we are calling on well-meaning Nigerians and governments at all levels to give special attention to the future of widows’ children by ensuring that they have access to education, skills and opportunities that will enable them to become responsible and successful members of society,” she said.

Oluwatoyin urged members of the association to remain united and resilient despite the current economic difficulties, stressing that collective action would help them overcome some of the challenges confronting them.

She also appreciated the wife of the Ogun State governorship candidate, Mrs. Temitope Adeola Yayi, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Chadash Empowerment Foundation, for creating opportunities for members of the association to benefit from its empowerment initiatives in commemoration of the 2026 International Widows Day.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Pellican-Valley Nigeria Limited, Amb. Dr. Babatunde Adeyemo, pledged N250,000 to support the widows and called on other philanthropists, governments and multinational organisations to support vulnerable families across the country.

Adeyemo, who is also a major promoter of the Oko Opo Widows Foundation, said his organisation was prepared to collaborate with Wazobia Widows Welfare Association to improve the economic wellbeing of widows.

Describing widows as resilient women who constitute the backbone of many families, he said his organisation would leverage its professional networks and corporate relationships to promote skills development, mentorship and financial inclusion among the beneficiaries.

“I am highly optimistic that Wazobia Widows Welfare Association and Oko Opo Widows Foundation can work together to bridge the critical gap between public policy and grassroots impact and rekindle the hopes and aspirations of widows across the nation,” Adeyemo said.

Earlier, the National President of Wazobia Widows Welfare Association, Mrs. Binta Adejoke Aminu, said the theme of the programme was carefully chosen to highlight the hardship and challenges faced by widows following the loss of their spouses.

Aminu called on governments at all levels, traditional institutions, private organisations and well-meaning individuals to make the welfare of widows a priority.

She disclosed that the association had been implementing various empowerment programmes across the country, including grants, skills acquisition and the distribution of equipment such as sewing machines to enable members to establish sustainable businesses.

She said the association would continue to seek partnerships with government agencies, corporate organisations and individuals to expand its empowerment programmes and reach more widows.

In his remarks, a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly representing Ifo II Constituency, Hon. Fatiu Folawewo Salami, urged governments, philanthropists and other stakeholders to regard support for widows and their families as an investment in the future of society.

Salami noted that providing widows and their children with education, vocational training and sustainable means of livelihood would help reduce their vulnerability and enable them to contribute meaningfully to the development of the society.

He also called on philanthropists, governments and multinational corporations to emulate the gesture of Adeyemo by extending assistance to vulnerable Nigerians, particularly widows.

The ceremony featured the conferment of the Life Patron title on Amb. Dr. Babatunde Adeyemo, Chief Executive Officer of Pellican-Valley Nigeria Limited.

Other highlights of the event included drama and cultural presentations, award/certificate presentations, medical check-ups and the inauguration of the executive members of the Wazobia Widows Welfare Association, Ogun State Chapter.