Amosun’s wife empowers Osun youths, traders with grants

Former First Lady of Ogun State and Yeye Moremi Oodua, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, has empowered 70 youths in Ile-Ife, Osun State, with free training in Artificial Intelligence and digital skills, while disbursing N5m in business support grants to traders, widows and other vulnerable residents.

The interventions, which also included free medical check-ups and eye care for elderly residents, formed part of activities marking the 2026 Edi Moremi Festival. The programme combined the celebration of cultural heritage with initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and creating opportunities for residents.

This was contained in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Monday. It said the first batch of 70 beneficiaries had completed six weeks of intensive training at the facility and received certificates at a ceremony held during the festival on Saturday.

Speaking at the presentation, Amosun said the initiative was inspired by the courage, sacrifice and selflessness of the legendary Queen Moremi Ajasoro, whose historic role in the liberation of Ile-Ife continued to inspire generations.

She said, “The story of Queen Moremi is a story of courage, sacrifice and selflessness. She gave so much for her people, and I believe that one of the best ways we can honour her legacy is by doing things that positively affect the lives of our people.

“We must not allow the story of Queen Moremi to remain something we only celebrate during festivals. Her values should inspire us to make sacrifices, empower others and contribute meaningfully to the development of our communities.”

The Yeye Moremi Oodua explained that the training hub, commissioned on September 26, was established to bridge the digital skills gap among children, young people, unemployed graduates and school leavers.

According to her, many talented young people were unable to access quality digital education because of financial constraints, adding that the centre was designed to remove that barrier.

“We want to give our young people an opportunity to compete in today’s world. Technology is changing the way people work, do business and earn a living. Our youths must not be left behind.

“This centre was established to give children, youths, unemployed graduates and school leavers access to digital education, especially those who may not have the financial means to pay for such training,” she said.

Amosun disclosed that the facility was designed to train approximately 200 beneficiaries every six weeks, stressing that participants would not be required to pay for the programme.

“Our intention is to train about 200 people every six weeks, and the training will remain free. We do not want money to be the reason any young person is denied the opportunity to learn a skill that can change their life,” she added.

She urged the graduating beneficiaries to make practical use of the knowledge acquired, warning that certificates alone would not guarantee success without commitment and determination.

“Do not just collect your certificates and go home. What matters is what you do with the knowledge you have acquired.

“I want you to see yourselves as future employers of labour, not just people looking for employment. Use these skills to create opportunities for yourselves and, where possible, for other people,” Mrs Amosun told the trainees.

In a separate intervention, Amosun extended support to elderly residents through a free medical outreach that provided health consultations, eye examinations and other essential healthcare services.

The outreach was organised to enable senior citizens, some of whom might otherwise struggle to afford medical attention, to access basic healthcare without financial burden.

She assured beneficiaries that residents requiring further medical attention would not be abandoned after the exercise, promising necessary follow-up care and support.

Traders and economically vulnerable members of the community received N5m in empowerment grants to support small businesses and improve their livelihoods.

The money was distributed among 15 associations operating within Oja Titu Market, Ile-Ife, with widows and other vulnerable residents also benefiting from the intervention.

Explaining the arrangement, Amosun said the funds were designed to operate as revolving loans, allowing beneficiaries to access financial assistance to sustain and expand their businesses.

“We provided an empowerment grant of N5m, which was distributed among the market associations to support their businesses through revolving loans.

“The idea is for the associations to pool the money together and decide which of their members would benefit from the loans. We want the associations to identify those who genuinely need the support.

“We intend to return in about a year to assess the impact of the intervention,” she said.

She further explained that the revolving-loan arrangement would ensure that the intervention continued to benefit members of the associations beyond the initial disbursement.

The wife of the Ooni of Ife, Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, commended Amosun for extending the empowerment programme to women, men and vulnerable members of the Ile-Ife community.

She described the interventions as a demonstration of commitment to grassroots development, noting that initiatives that directly improved the economic circumstances of ordinary people were important to community advancement.

The cultural celebration also featured the 11th edition of the Yeye Moremi Beauty Pageant, organised by Amosun to promote the legacy of Queen Moremi Ajasoro and celebrate the values of courage, leadership and service.

At the event, Miss Adegoke Aisha emerged as the winner of the 2026 Queen Moremi Ajasoro Cultural Pageant.

The winner received a brand-new car, a N1m cash prize and automatic employment.

The first runner-up, Oluwatunmishe Akinyele, received N750,000 and an employment opportunity, while the second runners-up were awarded N500,000 each, alongside automatic employment opportunities.

Speaking at the event, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, commended Amosun for sustaining the initiative and ensuring that the cultural legacy of Queen Moremi continued to receive attention.

The monarch said the opportunities attached to the pageant went beyond the prizes, noting that the employment opportunities offered to the top four contestants would expose them to international engagements.

He added that the opportunities would also give the contestants the chance to travel around the world and gain wider exposure.

He said, “This is the 11th edition of the Yeye Moremi Beauty Pageant, and there is something particularly spectacular about this year’s edition. The four finalists have distinguished themselves, and it occurred to me that they should be rewarded with employment opportunities to serve as Moremi Ambassadors, in addition to their other responsibilities.

“I commend Yeye Moremi Oodua, Chief (Mrs.) Olufunso Amosun, for this laudable initiative.”