Royal Queens Converge To Impact Purposefully, Support Each Other for Development ….as Queen Aderonke Ogunwusi, Queen Janet Afolabi advocate empowerment….

By Abisola Ariwodola,

Royal Queens in Nigeria Converged in the cradle of Yorubaland, Ile-Ife to deliberate and map out strategies to impact purposefully, support and bring national development through Royal Stools to their Communities.

The convergence was made possible by Queen Moremi Ajasoro Initiatives powered by Olori Aderonke Ogunwusi of the Ooni of Ife, HIM Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in collaboration with the Foundation of Olori Janet Afolabi of the Alapomu of Apomu Kingdom, HRM Oba Kayode Adenekan Afolabi, who advocated empowerment to their fellow queens on Thursday. 

The epoch-making inaugural program, graced by Wife of the Governor, Erelu Ngozi Adeleke steered towards engagement and support of vulnerable in the communities while creating empowerment platforms that will alleviate poverty and provide economic sustainability.

The Conference of Oloris (Royal Queens), tagged ‘’The Impact of Oloris in National Development’’ to mark Black Women's History attracted Royal Queens from kingdoms in the country, held at the Ooni of Ife Palace Hall.

In her address, the Wife of Governor, Her Excellency, Erelu Ngozi Adeleke commended the Royal Queens conveners for the passion in motivating and engaging other queens to impact their communities alongside their husbands: the Royal Fathers.

The Osun First Lady charged the Queens on the need to brace up, take up and perform their multifaceted roles as wives and mothers of the nation while also supporting each other.

She opined that the government of her husband, the Executive Governor of Osun state, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke is poised to support women while also providing women friendly policies and programs.

In her welcome of Address, Queen Aderonke Ogunwusi stated that the impact of Oloris in national development can not be over-emphasized, since they are the engine room of development through households, as they contribute to labour force, have natural gifts, protects their households, give food security, generates incomes among others.

She historically gave narration on strong women model from ancient Ooniluwo of Ile-Ife, Osemawe Kuku of Ondo kingdom, Moremi Ajasoro among others, added that Moremi Ajasoro Foundation birthed in year 2016 and chaired by the Ooni of Ife is about the explicit legendary Moremi Ajasoro.

Olori Aderonke highlighted the success story of the foundation as empowerment of women in Adire making and Entrepreneurship, Moremi Maidens among others.

She also charged the Queens at the program to look into their communities and come up with empowerment and engagement programs that can eradicate poverty, protect the women folk and boost revenue generation.

In her lecture, the CEO Olori Janet Afolabi Foundation, Queen Janet Afolabi charged the Queens to emulate the ancient Queen Aminat from the north, who according to history controlled 20,000 man-armies, created wealth and enlarged her coast.

Olori Afolabi, the CNN award winning journalist turned queen pointed out that lack of education, teenage pregnancies, malnutrition, hunger, infant mortality among others stares communities in the face, adding that the way out is to brace up and face the challenges by identifying the problem, study the problem, define the analysis, strategize on solutions as well as implement the solution.

She opined that providing skill acquisition training is also a poverty breaker, alongside solving problems in the communities, stressed that it is important for them to remember to take care of their physical and mental health while taking care of others.

Citing examples of her foundation intervention in women and children, via education, skill acquisition and empowerment to bridge economic scale, she maintained that using the power of the royal stool purposefully and impactfully will bring development to the communities and the nations at large.

Highlight of the program was the launch of the Conference of Oloris (Royal Queens) by Wife of the Governor, Erelu Ngozi Adeleke, as well as the introduction of Moremi Ajasoro Cooperatives for Women, and the entertainment by Onijo-Ooni at the palace.