Events

Grooming Centre Launches Inspiring Photobook on 30 Tenacious Women

Published

3 years ago

May 2, 2022

Eric

Grooming Centre, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on enabling financial inclusion among market women and artisans, on Thursday, 28 April 2022, launched a photobook on 30 Nigerian women entitled: The stories of impact: Real Women, Real Lives, Real Growth.

The launch of the photobook, which highlights and celebrates the resilience, grit, and courage of 30 women and their life-changing journey with Grooming Centre, was held at the Grooming Centre Multi-purpose Hall in Ejigbo, Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Dr Akindele Akinsoye, the CEO of Platform Capital, co-sponsors of the event eulogised women for whom he said the future belonged.

“The work that Grooming Centre is doing is very important because by helping women build sustainable enterprises, tooling them, scaling them, skilling them, they are preparing them to build bigger businesses in the future, being that the micro segment is the conveyor belt of big corporations,” he said.

The highlight of the event was a review of the book by Yale University Fellow and Founder of the School Politics, Policy, and Governance (SPPG), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.

Dr Ezekwesili joined virtually, was unable to attend physically as the day was her birthday and her family insisted that she spent it at Abuja.

She lauded the phenomenal work that the organisation was doing, describing it as incredible.

Praising the quality of production of the book, Ezekwesili did a methodical review of the book, telling each story with a passion and that brings to life the experiences of the women in the book, with one of the stories relating to her as a young woman when her father passed on.

Describing the book as one that tells the story of development done at micro level with real impact, she said it made the title – Stories of Impact: Real Women, Real Lives, Real Growth – proper.

“It is a book that should claim a stand on the shelf of development books,” she said.

She pointed out some development issues that the book highlights including the fact that 60 percent of businesses by women do not have access to finance, a situation which hampers growth from the current case of two percent of growth annually.

She called for measurement and evaluation of the input of women, calling on the relevant policy makers to get copies of the book promising to send them to t people who should read, with an interest to publicise the good works of Grooming Centre and the wonderful stories of success.

An interesting segment of the event was a fireside chat on sustainable efforts for social impact – The Grooming impact, where the Chief Executive Officer, Grooming Centre, Dr. Godwin Nwabunka and Member, Grooming Centre, Governing Council, Ms. ler Jonathan-Ichaver fielded questions bordering the genesis of Grooming Centre and other related issues.

Anchoring a pledge drive for internally displaced people IDPs in the country, a representative of Grooming Centre’s partner, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative and former Sierra Leonian refugee, himself, Tibo Rogers, while calling for donations to the agency, recounted his own experience as a refugee in Ghana, and spoke about the difficult life of refugees.

Goodwill review messages were also done on the book by a few distinguished personalities including former Presidential Candidate for Kowa Party, Professor Remi Sonaiya, who lauded the sterling efforts of Grooming Centre.

Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Dr Essien, introduced a lot of humour in his brief review of the book that sent the entire hall reeling with laughter, but all the while pointing out the fine points in the book, while inspiring the audience.

The presentation of the book was the semi climax of the event, done with the women whose stories were told right on the podium.

Grooming Centre is an NGO founded in 2006 to address the perennial challenge of access to credit at the base of the pyramid.

Since its inception, the Centre has provided 12 million credits and currently empowers 720,000 client members by providing financial and non-financial services through a network of 605 branches in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Events

Adedapo Amoo Gives Dad Befitting Burial in Ogbomosho

Published

6 days ago

December 16, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

It was a period of solemn reflection and thanksgiving as the Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Lagos State Command, Mr. Adedapo Amoo, dedicated three whole days to bid his beloved father, Pa John Adewole Amoo JP, farewell to the great beyond.

The events, which gathered friends, family members, colleagues, associates and members of various communities, was a testament to the life the octogenarian lived in his 87 years of existence on earth.

The obsequies kickstarted with a Commendation Service at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, Eleyele, Ile-Ife, where members of the public eulogised the life and times of the patriarch of the Amoo dynasty, labeling him a moralist and disciplinary of no mean fit.

The day after, the ceremonies moved to the residence of the deceased at Castle of Mercy, Arinkinkin, along Oyo-Ibadan Road, Ogbomoso, where a Wake Service was held in his honour amid rendition of hymns, reading of distinct chapters of the Bible and exhortation as presented by the presiding minister.

A well attended funeral service was observed on the third day at the Stadium Baptist Church, John A. Amoo Street, right behind Stadium Complex in Ogbomosho.

With a solemn presentation of the enviable life of the deceased via the reading of his biography by his son, Adedapo Amoo, the Service delved into Bible readings, songs and sermon. One of the highlights of the Service was the prayers said for the repose of the soul of the dead, and for the fortitude to bear the loss for members of his family.

After the service, members of the family, selected members of the leity and officiating members proceeded with the remains to its final resting place within the premises of his residence. After a very short encouraging exhortation, the remains were committed to mother-earth amid solemn hymns and silent sobs.

The final part of the ceremony, which was the reception, was held at the Viva Continental Event Centre, Irese Apa Road, also in Ogbomosho, where guests were treated to sumptuous delicacies, good music and choice beverages.

Pa Amoo was born in 1937, and answered the call to glory in 2024. He is survived by his son, Adedapo Amoo and a host of others.

May his soul rest in peace!

Photos: Tunde Bolarinwa

Events

The Splendid Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Barr. Daniel Aramide

Published

5 months ago

July 28, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The ancient city of Abeokuta was agog when celebrated lawyer and businessman, Barrister Daniel Aramide, pulled all stops to give himself a well deserved diamond jubilee bash.

The event, which took place in his palatial residence at Boldan House, Kemta Housing Estate, Zone II, Idi Aba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, was a beehive of activities as friends, colleagues, family members and well wishers came in their numbers to grace the spectacular event.

It was a moment of joy and visible emotion as the birthday boy beamed smiles after smiles and grinned from ear to ear in absolute ecstacy amid cheers from guests even as he danced away to the sonorous voice of music maestro, Yinka Ayefele, and tunes from the wheels of DJ Secxy, who rocked the house with a combination of oldies and present sounds.

The event, planned by Que-Brand Events, also made available plenty to eat and drink as Topsy Catering, Jimmysgrillz, Pop House Cocktails, Slot Films, Amala Iya Oyo, Sansan Pots Catering and Annidre’s Food were all on hand to serve both local and continent dishes as well as assorted beverages.

Among dignitaries in attendance were the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, HRM (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola, Otileta VII; the Olowu of Owu Kuta, HRM, Oba Hameed Adekunle Makama Oyelude; Mrs. Funmi Kehinde, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola and friends from the United Kingdom.

A seasoned lawyer, Aramide graduated with LLB honors from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and later attended the Nigerian Law School. He was called to the Bar in 1989, and afterwards, returned to England to start his law career, working in several organizations to gain valuable experience.

Barrister Aramide is also a qualified Notary Public, having completed two years of studies at University College London. His firm is based in Dagenham, East London.

He is married to Alhaja Aminat Bolupe Aramide and they are blessed with three children: Bola, Emmanuel and Olamide.

Photos: Segun Lawal

Events

Sights and Sounds from Bimbo Oloyede’s ‘Command Your Stage’ Book Presentation

Published

7 months ago

June 9, 2024

Eric

Photos by Koya Adegbite

Veteran broadcaster, Mrs Bimbo Oloyede, on Thursday, hosted a public presentation of her new book, Command Your Stage, at the Metropolitan Place, in Victoria Island.