Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has called on women to use vocational skills to generate income for themselves and employ other women.
Mrs Buhari made this call while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Women Empowerment Programme of Future Assured in Lagos State on Thursday.
She said the beneficiaries of the training should look beyond generating income to creating jobs.
The empowerment training for Lagos women, which graduated 2,200 women in various skills, was second in the series of such empowerment training programmes organized to hold throughout the country. The first of the series held for Kano women have since been concluded.
Speaking through the Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, Wife of the President Aisha Buhari said “the empowerment of women helps them to be more self-confident and puts them in a position to assist their spouses in family upkeep, thereby making them more relevant in their respective homes.”
The skills
Representative of the Wife of President and Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Abimbola Ambode, during the presentation of certificates to the beneficiaries of the women empowerment training programme of the Future Assured.
acquired by the women include hair braiding, manicure, pedicure and weaving, tie and dye, soap and pomade making, as well as catering and sewing. Others include hat making, bead stringing and cap making.
Also speaking at the event, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, commended Mrs Buhari for using her personal resources for the public good.
Orelope-Adefulire, who is immediate past Deputy Governor of Lagos State, said an empowered woman was more strengthened with enough muscle to do more for her home by assisting with family upkeep. She also expressed belief that women empowerment reduces cases of domestic violence.
The Presidential aide called on the women to imbibe the culture of putting their hands to work, rather than expecting handouts.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the event thanked Mrs Muhammadu Buhari for her kind gesture.
Among them was Kenny St. Brown, a popular artist, who said she joined the catering class and learnt local and international cuisine, such that today she can organize group feeding even at short notice.
St. Brown called on women to have a skill-based pastime even when they are well-to-do.
Another beneficiary, Mrs Florence Otu, who learned fashion design, called on other influential Nigerians to toe the line of the Wife of the President by empowering women both with skills training and start up packs or fund.
Highlight of the occasion included the presentation of certificates to beneficiaries and inspection of their finished products.
