The First Lady of Ekiti State, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, through the Renewed Hope Initiative, has reaffirmed her commitment to women’s empowerment with a fresh wave of economic support that directly impacts grassroots livelihoods.
At a lively ceremony held inside Lady Jibowu Hall, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. Oyebanji, representing Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, officially launched another round of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Women Economic Empowerment Programme in collaboration with the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
The initiative provided small business recapitalization grants to more than 500 women petty traders drawn from Ekiti’s 16 local government areas, local associations, and women’s groups.
Beyond the cash injection, the programme reflects Dr. Oyebanji’s broader agenda of aligning state priorities with the Renewed Hope drive at the national level. She has over time pushed support for start-ups, vocational training, agriculture, scholarships, and welfare interventions for vulnerable citizens, ensuring women are not only included in the economy but positioned to lead it.
The event attracted top state dignitaries, including Deputy Governor Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Bolaji Olagbaju, Mama Ronke Okunsanya, and other senior officials who witnessed hundreds of beneficiaries receiving a boost to their ventures.
With this step, Ekiti strengthens its growing reputation as a state where women are not merely spectators in economic growth but central drivers of it.
By Fikunmi Sokoya
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