The First Lady of Ondo State; Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu; has empowered over 1,500 girls under the aegis of BEMORE Girls with the distribution of food palliatives to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event which took place in various designated centres across the state, had the Akure Centre; which is located at the BEMORE EMPOWERED Office of the Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu Foundation (BAAF) at 10, Ilaje Street, Ijapo Estate; bubbling with excitement as scores of the BEMORE Girls thronged the venue in their BEMORE green T-shirts or ICT pink T-shirts or Solar 4 girls green T-shirts, for their share of the palliatives.
The palliatives; which were in sizeable bags; include foodstuffs ranging from rice, garri, spaghetti, noodles, and other ingredients. All through the exercise, the beneficiaries comported themselves properly and in accordance to the COVID-19 guidelines and protocols of proper use of nose-masks and physical distancing.
Speaking at the event, the BEMORE Chief Matron; Mrs. Funmilayo Akpan; thanked the Wife of the Governor for the laudable initiative.
“I want to thank Her Excellency, the Wife of the Governor, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu for this initiative. She is the Founder of BEMORE Initiative. We normally have our Summer Bootcamp in July, but because of this COVID-19, we can no longer have our Bootcamp. So, Her Excellency thought it wise to come up with the idea of alleviating the burden the pandemic must have had on the BEMORE Girls.”
“We’re giving out palliatives to our BEMORE Girls, right from the 2017 set, to 2019. Our Grandma, the Founder of BEMORE, is a caring mother. She has looked at it that at this period, she needs to give the girls something to augment in their homes, and that is what have brought about the palliatives we’re giving out today.”
“In this Akure Office here in Ijapo, we’re giving out food palliatives to the BEMORE Girls from Akure North and South, Ifedore and Idanre Local Governments. Girls from other Local Governments will receive their own palliatives at their respective Local Government Area Headquarters. We want to assure Ondo State indigenes that Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu means well for the girl-child and women of Ondo State. She is a mother in a million, for her to think of giving palliatives at this period. We want to thank her. And we want to plead to the people of Ondo State to see the good work that the government of Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu is doing, and the support our mother, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, is giving to uplift the girl-child and womenfolk in Ondo State.”
While appreciating the Wife of the Governor, the beneficiaries were full of joy, even as they prayed for her and wished her well as she supports her husband in piloting the affairs of the state to greater heights.
One of the beneficiaries; Rachael Olanrewaju; who spoke with PRESENT NIGERIA, was full of praises for the First Lady.
“Our Grandmother; Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu; is a good woman. She has done exceedingly well for us. We love her. We thank her for this palliative she has given us. I am grateful. May God continue to bless her.”
Similarly, another beneficiary, Miss Similoluwa Ojekhoa, was full of appreciation to the Wife of the Governor.
“We thank our mother, Arabinrin Betty Akeredolu for these gifts. She has been supportive ever since I’ve been in the Bootcamp. I was in the Makeover programme of the BEMORE Camp where I learnt a lot. I have benefitted from the programme of Her Excellency, and I am still benefitting. This palliative today is a testifier to that effect. Mummy Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, I thank you ma.”
Speaking in the same vein, a beneficiary and an indigene of Ilaje Local Government; Miss Queen Omotunmise thanked the ‘Digital Mama’ for the lofty gestures.
“I want to say a very big thank you to our Grandma, the digital mama of Ondo State, Arabinrin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu for availing us this opportunity to be beneficiaries of the COVID-19 palliatives. It will go a long way in helping my family this period.”
