The Oyo State Director of the National Orientation Agency, (NOA), Dr Olukemi Afolayan has challenged all women in the society to invest in themselves to create a gender equal world. She advised on self re-discovery by learning a trade or acquire a new skill to be more productive.
Dr Afolayan made the statement this Friday when the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Oyo State organised an event to mark the International Women’s Day 2024 at the state office at Agodi in Ibadan with the theme: ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’.
It was quite eventful and exhilarating as the highly educative program was laced with lots of conversations and encouraging speeches all centered on women empowerment in our society with different guests. who make the day.
Dr Afolayan said, “women mostly dissipate energies on and thus, invest in their family, children and society at large but always forget to invest in themselves”. The state Director therefore implored “women to also remember to invest in other women – as women investing in fellow women is more beneficial to the society”
“Investing in women should be a collective task: the government, men in the society, husbands and fathers, but most importantly women should invest in themselves, as charity begins at home.
“Empowering should not always be limited to seeking for white collar jobs, women should learn a trade to empower themselves”. She stressed ‘Women are always engrossed in investing in their families, children and society but forget to invest in themselves, it does not always pay off. Women should invest in themselves and their female children.”
“Aside celebrating ourselves, women should also learn to support women. Gone are the days when people will say women are each other’s enemies we must lift up our gender”. Afolayan concluded.
Dr Iyun Adanito while addressing the gathering also narrated some fascinating story of her life as a woman who lived through the many rough patches to become a strong woman that she is now rearing a livestock. She advised women to realize their potentials in life, build on their strength in order to become empowered to achieve more.
Former State Director, Baale Moshood Oladele also addressed the people present with salient reasons why some men fear to empower women such as fear of losing authority, societal order that requires women to be totally submissive, religious belief, lack of trust, as well as sense of insecurity for some men amongst others.
The former Director also proffered some recommendations such as investment in women which should be from infants.
The Deputy State Director, Prince, Sola Sanda also highlighted other issues concerning how men can also further do to support their spouses and other women in the society.
The well packaged program ended on a promising note by women aspiring to take a frontal role in all societal endeavours with support of others.
