The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ambode’s wife

  • Ambode’s wife urges Sanwo-Olu to move COWLSO to greater height

    Wife of the Lagos State governor and Chairman of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has handed over to the wife of the governor-elect, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwoolu.

    She urged her to take COWLSO to a greater height.

    At a brief ceremony at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, at the weekend, Mrs. Ambode hailed the vision of the founding mothers of the committee, which is to complement the efforts of the government in critical areas that are women and children-friendly.

    She said the committee, under successive chairmen, had continued to walk in that great vision, leading to remarkable improvement in the lives of women, girls and children, in vital areas of health, empowerment, education and others.

    Mrs Ambode recalled some of the achievements made under her chairmanship in the last four years: “My lovely women, with all sense of modesty, we happily recall some of our collective achievements in the health sector, by way of interventions in maternal and child health, year after year.

    ‘The phases of intervention led to the sponsorship of goiter surgery for 30 women, free hearing aids for 15 children, three  women and two men; as well as the upgrading of the ENT Department of the General Hospital, Odan, Lagos. We also purchased and installed state-of-the-art audiology equipment, including Otoread OAE capable of detecting hearing defects in newborns.”

    She went on: “Other phases of intervention saw the procurement and donation of two Transport Incubator Ambulance to the Gbagada General Hospital and Island Maternity Hospital, coupled with the donation of 32 neo-natal incubators to 13 General Hospitals and six fully fitted Birthing Suites for Amuw-Odofin Maternal and Child Centre, Epe General Hospital and Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos, among others.”

    She thanked members of the committee for their support for her and the Ambode administration over the past four years and appreciated her predecessors for their advice and words of wisdom.

    Mrs. Sanwo-Olu praised her predecessor for taking COWLSO to an enviable height, promising that she would not deviate from the founding ideals of the committee.

    She said: “I thank my big sister, Her Excellency, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, for the great steps she has taken to move the committee to its current level. I thank her for the words of encouragement that I should not be scared about the challenges of that office. I will do my best, God helping me, to move COWLSO to the next level.’

    Mrs. Sanwoolu, who also commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his attention to the committee, noted that governance was a continuum.

    She said the incoming government would work hard to move the state to the next level.

    A major highlight of the event was the presentation of charity grants to 29 orphanage homes and those for the less privileged.

  • Senator Tinubu hails Ambode’s wife for youth fiesta’s success

    Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, yesterday got encomiums for her contribution to the sustenance of Musical Youth Fiesta Initiative (MYFI) in the last three years.

    Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the founder of the initiative and lawmaker representing Lagos Central, specially praised Mrs Ambode before a large audience at the eighth edition of the musical fiesta.

    She prayed for the governor’s wife for her “relentless effort” to keep the fiesta stronger since she got involved in 2015.

    This year’s event with the theme: I Am, was held at Expo Centre of the Eko Hotels and Suites on Victoria Island in Lagos.

    The audience comprised clergymen, top government officials, young choristers, pupils, teachers and Very Important Personalities (VIPs), including the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; former governor’s wife of Osun State, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola; Lagos APC Woman Leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas and Hajia Abba Folawiyo, among others.

    For Mrs Ambode’s commitment to the ideal of the fiesta and the happiness of children for whom it was conceived, Mrs Tinubu noted that the yearly event continued to grow stronger.

    The senator said she was proud of Mrs Ambode while beneficiaries of the fiesta would not forget her impacts in their lives.

    She said: “I want to celebrate the mother of our children in the state, Mrs Ambode. She has been very helpful for the sustenance of this musical fiesta. Since the day she bought into the vision of the initiative, she has never disappointed us. She makes resources available for the event to be hosted.

    “I specially appreciate you for investing your time, energy and resources on this ideal of raising a responsible generation of youths. God will honour you wherever you go. Your children will see their children’s children walk the land of honour. God will bless you and your husband (Governor Akinwunmi Ambode) because you have supported a cause that is dedicated to God.

    “I also thank the First Lady for what she has done to me personally. If I didn’t see helpers when I had this vision, I couldn’t have got it done alone. All of these things put together here today are not done by me only; a lot of people, including Mr and Mrs Rauf Aregbesola, contributed to this in no small measures. God will honour you all.”

    Mrs Ambode said she bought into the vision of the fiesta because she discovered it was conceived for soul-searching and spiritual development.

    The governor’s wife noted that the event had been mentoring children towards realising their God-given talents.

    She said she was happy to join Senator Tinubu in her effort to instil the fear of God in the hearts of young people and inculcate positive values that would make children to become responsible to their families and the society.

    Mrs Ambode said: “I commend our distinguished Senator Oluremi Tinubu, our mother and the convener of this musical initiative, for being steadfast in sustaining the fiesta since the maiden edition was held in 2011.

    “We appreciate our distinguished senator and mummy for all the successes recorded since the fiesta started. It has continued to make positive impacts on our youths.

    “I enjoin our young people to look beyond the excitement and enjoyment that normally come with the event, but focus on the objective of the fiesta, which is to help steer your musical talents in the honour of God and personal success. As youths, you must embrace good character and attitude that should be worthy of emulation among your peers.”

    In his exhortation, Pastor Lekan Adesina, who spoke on the theme: What’s in a name? urged youths to portray good names.

    The cleric said God usually identifies with people who project good names through their actions.

    Taking a reading from Isaiah 40:10, Adesina said the purpose of the fiesta’s theme was for believers to understand the purpose of God’s presence in their lives.

    He urged the beneficiaries to choose names that would make God defeat forces of destabilisation in the lives.

    At the event, the 20 participants of MYFI Leadership Academy for Girls were graduated and presented with their certificates.

    Ten of them were specially rewarded for displaying high leadership qualities during the course of the programme.

    Margret Moyosore Solola, a pupil of Federal Government College (Technical) Secondary School in Akoka, was named the Best Participant in the 2018 Class at the leadership academy.

    Senator Tinubu said punctuality and eagerness to participate in sessions were part of the qualities used to pick the best in the class. The initiator said the MYFI Academy had produced 80 leaders since it was established four years ago.

    She said: “The leaders are going to be lights in the world. Wherever they go, they shine to their brightest intensity and stand out among their peers.”

    The event also featured musical renditions by choirs of various denominations and special prayer session for Nigerian youths.

    Borno State Governor Alhaji Kashim Shettima, who appeared briefly at the event, had a short conversation with Senator Tinubu and other political leaders at the event.

    MYFI is a private initiative of Senator Tinubu mentoring young people in music, dance and drama, with objectives to improve their talents and raise generations of responsible youths.

  • Ambode’s wife, others seek mangrove forests’ restoration, desert reclamation

    LAGOS State Governor’s wife, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has commended Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called for the restoration of mangrove forests  and reclamation of deserts.

    Mrs Ambode, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Biodun Bamgboye, spoke at the NCF dinner held in Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    She praised the body for its efforts on the “Mangrove restoration” projects aimed at restoring the country’s mangrove to about 70 per cent of their original states.

    “There is an urgent need for rehabilitation for the mangrove ecosystem to be stepped up if they are to continue to render services to the country,” Mrs Ambode said.

    Also speaking at the event, themed: “Green recovery Nigeria – Restoring the mangroves and reclaiming the desert” , NCF’s Board of Trustees President, Chief Philip Asiodu, said despite the Federal Government’s declaration and policies on reclaiming the lost forest to at least 25 per cent as recommended by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria was yet to achieve five per cent of this figure.

    NCF Director-General Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, in his speech, observed that the degradation of pristine mangroves and desert caused by various human activities need to be tackled with utmost urgency.

    He noted that the country has one-third of the mangroves in Africa, making it the largest in Africa and the third largest in the world.

    Giving a breakdown of the spread, he said the Niger Delta mangroves are estimated to provide 60 percent of the spawning grounds of fishes in West Africa. “Mangroves absorb carbon and they determine the livelihood of the coastal dwellers. Nigerian mangroves make up 40 percent of the remaining original forests in Nigeria and cover 10,500 square kilometres,” Aminu-Kano said.

    He is however saddened that mangrove degradation was being caused by oil pollution, firewood cutting, over-exploitation and sand filling, among other factors.

    He further said the Savanah covers 35 percent of the total land area of the country, while it caters for 35 million people in 11 states. A healthy Savanah ecosystem provides, he explained, provides food, fibre and other valuable economic and social services, adding that Nigeria is losing about 351,000 hectares of its land mass to desert conditions yearly.

    This is why participants at the dinner all agreed that huge effort is needed to reclaim the desert so that current and future generations can benefit from the livelihood and ecosystem services provided by the Savanah.

    At the event, NCF recognised the contributions of some personalities to the environment. For instance,the Environmental Stewardship Award was given to Mrs. Ajoke Murtala-Muhammed, wife of the late Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, in recognition of her strong commitment to environmental sustainability in Nigeria through the establishment of botanic gardens, poverty alleviation and promotion of sustainable development globally.

    The other recipient, Dr. Olufunso Amosun, founder/initiator of Green Education for the Youth (GEFTY), was recognised for her contributions in safeguarding the Nigerian environment through advocacy, awareness and youth mobilisation.

    At the event, NCF created awareness and sought support for its Green Recovery Nigeria Initiative, with a focus on restoring the mangroves and reclaiming the desert.

  • Ambode’s wife, others seek mangrove forests’ restoration, desert reclamation

    LAGOS State Governor’s wife, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has commended Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called for the restoration of mangrove forests  and reclamation of deserts.

    Mrs Ambode, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Mr. Biodun Bamgboye, spoke at the NCF dinner held in Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    She praised the body for its efforts on the “Mangrove restoration” projects aimed at restoring the country’s mangrove to about 70 per cent of their original states.

    “There is an urgent need for rehabilitation for the mangrove ecosystem to be stepped up if they are to continue to render services to the country,” Mrs Ambode said.

    Also speaking at the event, themed: “Green recovery Nigeria – Restoring the mangroves and reclaiming the desert” , NCF’s Board of Trustees President, Chief Philip Asiodu, said despite the Federal Government’s declaration and policies on reclaiming the lost forest to at least 25 per cent as recommended by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria was yet to achieve five per cent of this figure.

    NCF Director-General Dr. Muhtari Aminu-Kano, in his speech, observed that the degradation of pristine mangroves and desert caused by various human activities need to be tackled with utmost urgency.

    He noted that the country has one-third of the mangroves in Africa, making it the largest in Africa and the third largest in the world.

    Giving a breakdown of the spread, he said the Niger Delta mangroves are estimated to provide 60 percent of the spawning grounds of fishes in West Africa. “Mangroves absorb carbon and they determine the livelihood of the coastal dwellers. Nigerian mangroves make up 40 percent of the remaining original forests in Nigeria and cover 10,500 square kilometres,” Aminu-Kano said.

    He is however saddened that mangrove degradation was being caused by oil pollution, firewood cutting, over-exploitation and sand filling, among other factors.

    He further said the Savanah covers 35 percent of the total land area of the country, while it caters for 35 million people in 11 states. A healthy Savanah ecosystem provides, he explained, provides food, fibre and other valuable economic and social services, adding that Nigeria is losing about 351,000 hectares of its land mass to desert conditions yearly.

    This is why participants at the dinner all agreed that huge effort is needed to reclaim the desert so that current and future generations can benefit from the livelihood and ecosystem services provided by the Savanah.

    At the event, NCF recognised the contributions of some personalities to the environment. For instance,the Environmental Stewardship Award was given to Mrs. Ajoke Murtala-Muhammed, wife of the late Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, in recognition of her strong commitment to environmental sustainability in Nigeria through the establishment of botanic gardens, poverty alleviation and promotion of sustainable development globally.

    The other recipient, Dr. Olufunso Amosun, founder/initiator of Green Education for the Youth (GEFTY), was recognised for her contributions in safeguarding the Nigerian environment through advocacy, awareness and youth mobilisation.

    At the event, NCF created awareness and sought support for its Green Recovery Nigeria Initiative, with a focus on restoring the mangroves and reclaiming the desert.

  • Ambode’s wife donates incubator ambulances to hospitals

    Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, has said the state government is working towards achieving zero infant mortality rate.

    Mrs Ambode stated this when she donated two transport incubator ambulances to Gbagada General Hospital and Lagos Island Maternity on behalf of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).

    The donation was part of the committee’s health intervention project for this year.

    A transport incubator ambulance is specially designed to convey “premature” babies to standard medical facilities. It is equipped with an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

    The governor’s wife said members of the committee were touched by the high mortality rate of pre-term babies, which occurred before they could access intensive care.

    The transport incubators, according to her, would provide a womb-like environment for the baby with the right temperature and life-saving gadgets to help the new-born hang unto life till it gets to the ICU.

     

  • Ambode’s wife, Joke Silva, others inspire LASU students

    Two Nollywood icons Joke Silva, actor Segun Arinze and a pilot, Enitan Dan-Faparusi have given success tips to students of the Lagos State University during the institution’s second Distinguished Lecture Series held at its Ojo campus.

    The lecture was themed: “Life skills education and entrepreneurship learning in the 21st century.”

    Dan-Faparusi, a law graduate of LASU and a US-trained pilot, who set the tone for the event, made the hall reverberate while displaying her LASU degree certificate in addition to  the credentials she obtained as a certified aviationist from the US.

    According to her, the gesture was to demonstrate that products of the institution could be much better than her, provided they could unlock and unleash their potentials.

    Dan-Faparusi, who reeled out her name and matriculation no of her alma mater, admonished the students to inculcate in them virtues such as resilience, self confidence critical thinking, empathy, problem-solving ability, self confidence, time management, optimism and faith, describing them as core values for an aspiring entrepreneur.

    Dan-Faparusi who confessed that she had no science background, added how her creativity and determination, saw her through while taking varying courses in aviation in the US.

    “Naturally, I am not science inclined. I studies law and I was working in Nigeria. And then, my husband was to be transferred to the US to handle a project and the realisation hit me in the face that I had to give up my job here in Nigeria and travel with him. It was while I was in the Us that the idea to become an aviationist struck me.

    “And then I realised I not only had to start learning basic sciences but also the rudimentary; all those little things about sciences I used to run away from when I was ins secondary school. So my children and husband became my tutors. I had to be humble enough especially when learning from my kids because oftentimes they would say ‘Mummy you are wrong’ and I would say “don’t say that; I’m your mother’.

    Silva admonished the students to combine education with their divine endowments.

    She noted that in this 21 century, employers are desirous of graduates who could demonstrate multiples skills in addition to what they study, adding that potential entrepreneurs also need multiple skills to have an edge in business.

    “What makes you more viable as a person is not the certificate that you have, but additional skills acquired while getting the certificate,” she said.

    She emboldened them not to dread future, but take advantage of the innovativeness and ICT that call the shots in this era. She warned them not to allow Nigeria’s harsh economic realities, put them off.

    “Despite our economic challenges, you must all see Nigeria as a country with boundless opportunities. So the fact that you put your hands in one or two businesses but failed is not excuse not to try again. Learning is a key to success, and we cannot learn unless we fail. When you fail, you learn, then you can succeed.”

    Arinze encouraged the students to be focused, open their minds to flexibility, and be ready to ask questions about grey areas.

    Arinze pinpointed planning, education and skill acquisition as keys to attaining the zenith.

    He said they would experience frustrations from friends and relatives as they move along the path of life; nonetheless, they must not be distracted, but be determined.

    Earlier, wife of the Lagos State Governor Mrs Bolanle Ambode, herself an alumnae, warned students to stay off drugs and bad company, regardless of circumstances.

    “No matter the peer pressure, emotional challenge or psychological issues you may be facing, I urge you to say no to drugs, cultism and other vices. One moment of indiscretion is enough to ruin a life; but l pray that your lives will not be ruined. I will advise you to make the best use of the knowledge gained today for your self-development tomorrow.”

    She recalled her days as LASU undergraduate,  , adding that the ambience then was not as good as now that the current management is fashioning a new direction for the institution.

    She said the fact that many products of the school have and are still gaining global recognistion is a testimony to the realisation of the dream of the founding fathers, who had a vision of academic distinction for all students that would pass through the university.

    In his brief address, the VC Fagbohun sProf Olanrewaju Fagbohun, said the mentoring came at a time Lagos State government is committed to tackling youth unemployment.

    Fagbohun said CDC was established with a mandate to entrench student’s potential towards charting a career pathways and producing employable and marketable graduates for global relevance.

     

  • Ambode’s wife to women: stand against corruption

    Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode has urged women to against corruption.

    She spoke at Protea Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, during a day seminar and award presentation, organised by Fight Against Corruption Organization (FACO), with the theme; “The role of women in the fight against corruption”.

    Mrs Ambode, was represented by Titilola Ayinla, said the fight against corruption should start from the home by discouraging any act, behaviour and attitude that aid and abet corrupt tendencies.

    According to her; “If we succeed individually in our various homes, there will be no room for corruption and corrupt practices in the larger society.

    “If we do not kill corruption, it will eventually kill us. The short and long term effects of corruption are too severe for any country and its citizens; hence the need to take steps to redress the situation before it’s too late.”

    She added that the fight against corruption must be seen as a priority in which everyone is a stakeholder and actively involved, if we truly desire to address the issue of pervasive poverty and make the economy work for everyone.

    FACO Executive Chairman Dr Francis Shopekan said the nation cannot develop without the contribution of women, whom he described as home builders and future leaders.

    “Women build the home and the family, if we exempt them in the fight against corruption, we will go nowhere. Some women have a stronger heart than men. Giving the women platform and support will go a longer way to encourage them to rise to the full task and capacity in this nation.

    “To fight corruption is a collective responsibility and government cannot do it alone. We all need to do the right things and leave the right legacy behind for the next generation,” he said.

    The Keynote Speaker, Mrs Funmi Falana, said no country is free from corruption.

    She said the prosecution process in the country is faulty; adding that it is one of the reasons corruptions is still the way it is in Nigeria.

    She said women have always been in the fore front of fighting corruption, noting that women are the custodian of virtues in the society.

    “We are the ones that brought up the children right from cradle to adulthood and whatever these children learnt is what they become in the future. Women should teach the virtue and let children know that corruption is something they should have nothing to do with. We must take away the love of money but imbibe in them hard work,” she said.

    Former Lagos State University (LASU) Deputy Vice

  • Speak out against domestic violence, Ambode’s wife, Adebule urge women

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Oluranti Adebule and wife of the governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode yesterday urged women to speak out against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy, among other vices.

    They spoke at the Lagos Women’s Forum held at the Police College, Ikeja.

    The event was organised to address women’s health and recurring social vices in the society.

    Adebule said it was unfortunate that 23 years after the Beijing Declaration, women were still facing many health-cum-social problems.

    She urged women to embrace sustainable advocacy and take conscious action on matters concerning their health and how they were treated by the society at large.

    “We should no longer be stereotyped into silence but become vocal advocates for improved health delivery system and social justice for women in the state and the country.

    “As critical stakeholders, our role must be focused on investing and increasing access of more girls and women to good health, quality education; ensuring that laws that respect and ensure the rights of women are enforced and help create gender-posture media messages that support women and girls in distress,” she said.

    Mrs Ambode urged women to speak out against domestic violence, child abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.

    She said: “Importantly too, we would be examining the rights of women under the law, in the face of persistent social problems. When we know our rights, we can speak better and act better, to protect ourselves if and when those circumstances arise.”

    She reminded women of their role as mothers and coordinators of the family unit, which according to her, imposed on them the responsibility of bringing up their children in the most decent way for a decent and moral society.

    According to the governor’s wife, good health was a prerequisite for every other thing, including good attention to children and family, business and even political activities.

    “It is when we have good health that we can run around for business, take care of our homes, our children or engage in political activities. When we have sound health, we can better attend to all issues and concerns,” she said.

    Mrs Modupeola Adebambo, a director from the Ministry of Youth and Social Development said sexually abused children tended to be sexually active and exposed to teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and alcoholic addiction, among others.

    She appealed to parents not to abuse their children, urging them to teach their kids sexual education because of the danger inherent in sexual abuse.

    Director, Office of Public Defender (OPD) Olayinka Adeyemi, urged women to speak out against domestic violence and report such cases to the OPD for legal action.

  • Keep supporting govt policies, Ambode’s wife urges

    Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, yesterday urged Lagosians to keep faith with the current administration and remain supportive of its policies and programmes, expressing optimism that the future will be greater than the past. She spoke at the second edition of Lagos Marathon Praise, a 12-hour song ministration programme, dedicated to thanking God for his mercies on the state and residents, organised by Jubilee Concert International, at Agidingbi, Ikeja.

    Ambode said it was the duty of a grateful servant to thank God for numerous acts of kindness, adding that when this is done, the state and its people would continue to prosper. According to her, “We had thought deeply about the wonderful acts of God to us as individuals, as a government and as a people; and came to the humble realisation that we owe Him a huge debt of gratitude we can never fully repay, no matter how we try. What we are doing here today is just a mark of gratitude from grateful servants.”

    Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, said his administration was grateful to God for the transformation witnessed in the state in the last three years. Ambode, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said, “each time I reflect on the level of development our state has experienced within this period, I come to the conclusion that this could not have been possible without God.

     

  • Ambode’s wife distributes 50,000 shoes, socks to pupils

    Wife of Lagos State governor and founder of Hope for Women in Nigeria Initiative, (HOFOWEM), Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, has kick-started the distribution of 50,000 shoes and branded socks to primary one pupils in public schools across the state.

    Mrs Ambode started the distribution at the Cherubim and Seraphim Primary School on Lagos Road in Majidun, Ikorodu.

    The distribution is this year’s edition of the “Project Bright Steps,” a pet project of HOFOWEM, to boost the morale of the children and sensitise the society that the welfare of pupils is important in getting the best of them in their academic pursuits.

    In the first edition of Project Bright Steps in February, last year, 175,000 shoes and HOFOWEM-branded socks were distributed to primary one to three pupils in public primary schools across Lagos State.

    During the distribution, Mrs Ambode noted that getting the best from education begins with proper dressing to school.

    The governor’s wife said the foundation was pained that many pupils were not properly dressed to school, while some turned up in bathroom slippers and many others barefooted.

    She said: “Our foundation had pondered this and settled on the mass procurement and distribution of shoes and socks to the pupils, at least, to prepare them for school. By the grace of God, upon the huge success recorded in the first edition, we are kick-starting the second edition of the project today (yesterday), with a plan to distribute no less than 50,000 shoes and branded socks to primary one pupils in public schools across the state.

    “The distribution centres are: Agege, Maryland, Yaba, Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, Epe, Lagos Island and Ikorodu, which doubles as the flag-off venue. This arrangement is for easier accessibility to the various schools and the benefitting pupils.”