Kunle Adelabu and Mariam Akinloye
-Beneficiaries commend Council boss for the opportunity
A total of 356 young residents of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, have been empowered by the Council boss, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, with various equipment of their trades, after completion of their training.
The beneficiaries, who were presented the equipment at the graduation ceremony held at the Ijede LCDA Secretariat, on Thursday, were trained at the Igbe-Ogunro Skills Acquisition Centre in Ijede LCDA, for the 2022 and 2023 sessions.
They were empowered with items such as sewing machines, makeup kits, sterilizing kits for barbing salons, generators, hair dryers, Tiles Cutter, Kenwood Hand Mixer, production chemicals, wigs, attachments among others.
The graduands cut across various professions like Fashion Designing, Hairdressing, Gele Tying and Cosmetology, Bead Making, Barbing, Catering, Tiling and Paving. Production of Tye and Dye Departments, Tiles and paving Departments and others.
Meanwhile, the Ijede LCDA Chairman, Hon. Motunrayo, expressed her happiness over what the centre established in 2015, has been able to achieve by empowering Ijede youths with means of livelihood, adding that beneficiaries are not just graduating but are also being trained in business management at the centre while acquiring different vocational skills.
She also encouraged the graduates to leverage on the skills acquired as a means of livelihood.
“It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to this graduation ceremony of trainees of our vocational centre”, she said.
“It makes me very happy to see that this centre, which was established precisely in year 2015, is fulfilling its purpose which is empowering our youths and enable them go back into the society, confident that their means of livelihood is guaranteed.
“Today, this centre is graduating a total number of Three Hundred and Fifty Six (356) students who have acquired skills in different vocations in the Fashion Designing, Hairdressing, Gele Tying and Cosmetology, Bead Making, Barbing, Catering, Tiling and Paving. Production of Tye and Dye Departments and other household cleaning materials.
“The added bonus to their training is the Entrepreneurship Department where they are all trained on how to manage their businesses after graduation.
“The sets we are graduating today are the products of year 2022 and 2023, and I am sure many of them are already using the knowledge they acquired for their personal benefits and that of their families”.
While congratulating the graduands and charging them to leverage on the skills that they have acquired in making themselves engaged and contribute to economic development, Hon. Motunrayo also thanked the instructors and supervisors at the vocational training centre, for their good work.
The Ijede Council boss also urged parents and guardians to register their children/wards at the centre to acquire skills that would earn them means of livelihood.
Olori Kasali Bolanle Kafayat, Principal, Igbe-Ogunro Skills Acquisition Centre, charged the graduating students to make good use of the skills that they have acquired at the training centre.
While also urging them to be committed and dedicated to their work, she reminded them that the skills acquired and the empowerment equipment given out to them came at a very high cost from the council, hence, urging them to make maximum use of the opportunity.
Olori Kasali commended Hon. Motunrayo Alogba, for her support for the centre and empowerment of the graduands.
Hon. Saheed Adefarasin Hassan, a former Council Chairman, Ijede LCDA and the Alajede – elect who said that the ceremony marked a new phase of life for the graduands, also commended them for their dedication and commitment to the training.
He applauded the Ijede LCDA under Hon. Motunrayo’s administration, for consistently empowering the youths of the council.
In his own remarks, Alhaji Ajetunmobi Rasaq commended the council for addressing the needs of the youths despite the high cost of the empowerment equipment.
The diverse vocational training program at the centre encompassed fashion designing, bead making, makeup and gele tying, catering, hairdressing, cosmetology, tiles and paving, production, entrepreneurship, barbing, among others.
Ifeoluwa Adelakun, a graduate of Hairdressing for the 2023 set, who spoke on behalf of other members of her set, appreciated the council chairman for giving them the opportunity to acquire skills that would empower them and be self reliant.
“On behalf of everyone, I will like to appreciate you ma. I will like to say thank you for everything you have done. We are really appreciative of it all”, she said.
“One thing about learning is that no one can take it from us. One can lose everything but not knowledge acquired. This is a great opportunity for us, and a wonderful opportunity because with this, we can do a lot.
“If we take everything they have taught us into practice; all the entrepreneurship lessons and tips on how to be successful and all that we have learnt, we will go places.
“This is a great privilege because many people are using a lot of money to learn these skills and trainings on how to be successful business men.
“I will like to say thank you so much for this opportunity given to us”, she said.
Master Odumola Samuel Olamilekan, who graduated from the Barbing Department, also expressed his happiness for the skill acquired.
“I have learnt a lot and I want to say a very big thank you to the local government for given the youths this privilege to achieve something in life. Right now, I have the courage to say that I have a hand work”, he said.
“With the skill, I have been empowered and I will use it to open a shop, and start my own business in order to become a man”.
He advised those still understudying at the centre, to be focused and also charged those at home that are doing nothing, to register at the centre.
