Women are moulders of nations’ builders, says Osun State Governor Oyetola

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State yesterday said that women across the globe deserve recognition and commendation for being moulders of all builders of nations the world over.

The governor, who said this while delivering a goodwill message at the second National Women’s Conference in Osogbo, described women’s role in leadership as booster to the sustainable development of a nation.

This is even as the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, who was the keynote speaker at the event, urged Nigerian women to rise up to the societal needs by being supportive to their husbands in the quest to move the nation forward.

She described women as vanguards of development, saying their role in the achievement of sustainable development and national unity cannot be over-emphasised.

Oyetola, who further said that women in Osun had been given a pride of place, as government is conscious of their rights, capacity and welfare, noted that the administration had, in the last 10 months, been supportive of the women by giving them soft loans to float small scale businesses.

He added that women in the state were also being mobilised to participate in politics.

The governor, who also acknowledged and lauded the support of his wife, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola, through her leadership of Osun Women Development Association (OSUNWA) in the promotion of girl-child education and women’s participation in politics, business and agriculture, said: “The theme of this conference, “Woman, Pioneer of Change for Inclusive Participation in Development,” is both beneficial to the women and the nation.

“It is an ample avenue for women, our vessels of honour, to mobilise and galvanise themselves into a formidable group for equitable and inclusive participation in nation-building.

“It is also a forum for our nation to further experience sustainable development through this initiative. Women are noted world over as great managers of men and resources, and indispensable supporters of successful ventures.

“The real strength of a nation emanates from families where its builders are moulded. These nation builders are armed with the ethos of character and zeal imbued in them mostly by the mothers.

“As a nation in need of change to regain our desired rebirth, the source of such reawakening can only genuinely come from the women.”

Earlier in her welcome address, Mrs. Oyetola thanked the governor for his continuous support for women in the state.

She said OSUNWA had created a platform for the wives of government officials to meet and deliberate on the development of the state.