Stop Judging Single Mothers, Widows – Osun Women Commissioner Urges Nigerians
The Osun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Children Welfare, Ayobola Awolowo, has urged Nigerians to stop judging single mothers and widows.
Awolowo said societal judgement is making single mothers and widows’ struggle even harder.
She stated this on Wednesday in Osogbo while delivering her keynote address at the graduation of some women empowered by a non-governmental organization, Akinkanju.
Awolowo, who was represented by the Director of Gender Affairs of the Ministry, Lola Adewale, called on stakeholders to formulate policies that would protect widows’ inheritance rights and provide equal opportunities for single parents.
She said, “If given the right opportunities and resources, you have the power to not only transform your own lives but also drive development in our communities.
“We cannot ignore the challenges you face daily, which include limited or lack of access to loans and training.
“Also, many single parents and widows face societal judgment, making their struggles even harder. These obstacles are real, but they are not insurmountable.
“There should be policies that protect widows’ inheritance rights and provide equal opportunities for single parents. To my dear single parents and widows, know that you are not alone. Your strength and resilience inspire us all. Take advantage of opportunities to learn new skills, network, and grow your businesses. Together we can break down the barriers holding you back.”
The founder of the NGO, Mrs Bosede Nwachi, noted that graduands were trained in Adire textile, household essentials, soap making and bedsheet production.
She explained that a production hub has been established where the women produce products and sell in groups, calling on well-meaning Nigerians to support the project.
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She said, “Akinkanju is dedicated to empowering single mothers, widows, and vulnerable women through education and vocational, job, and entrepreneurship skills as well as personal development and fostering economic stability.
“We envisioned a world where single mothers, widows, and vulnerable women are equipped with essential tools and knowledge they need to thrive independently and create a better life for themselves and their families.
“We have two phases – empower her project and ecobuilder. In our empower her project, we have 150 women, but we are graduating 30 of them today. They’ve been trained in ‘Adire’ textile, household essentials, soap making, and bedsheet production. In the eco-builder, we are using eco-friendly raw materials to train our youths in construction.
“This is not a normal empowerment where you just give them certificates and let them go. We have our production hub where they produce. They also sell the products as a hub and share the profits together.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
