International Women's Day: UPLIFTing Women

International Women's Day is set aside around the world to appreciate women and focus on the challenges they face in society. The theme for 2012 was "Empower Women, End Hunger and Poverty".

In Ogun State, Mrs. Amosun marked the day by inviting women across the state to a programme tagged "UPLIFTing Women" at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta. Women came in their thousands as early as 8 o'clock in the morning, and were entertained by march-past displays from women groups and performances from artists including Midnight Crew, Alhaji Sule and Rocky Fella.

Then-Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun attended to felicitate with the women and pledged to remain gender-sensitive in his executive decisions.

The high point of the day was the empowerment exercise. Mrs. Amosun announced that she had secured deep freezers, Bajaj motorcycles, generating sets, sewing machines, grinding machines, bags of rice and other items at distributorship prices for members of established cooperatives in the state, with repayment spread over a 12-month interest-free period.