*Unveils Dosumu Awolowo, Onikepo Akande, Wole Olaonipekun, others as Odua Foundation Advisory Council
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Group Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company limited Otunba Bimbo Ashiru has tasked the Odua Foundation Advisory Council to focus on youth empowerment, education and healthcare
Otunba Ashiru gave the task, while unveiling the foundation over the weekend at the Banquet Hall of Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja.
The Group Chairman pointed out that “Youth Empowerment, Education and Health care” are the three focus areas of the foundation and that the focus areas ” were chosen based on an evaluation of the major developmental needs of the region”
According to Otunba Ashiru, ” the foundation is targeted at directly impacting the people of the South West region by reaching those that the exigencies of growing out businesses may otherwise have prevented us from reaching as quickly as we would like to”
He stressed that members of the Foundation are expected to use their influence and connection to sustain the idea which focuses at youth empowerment, Education and Health .
“Odu’a Investment Company Limited has committed 1% of our Profit After Tax going forward to the Foundation. Our hope is that this will provide the Foundation with the seed money required to attract additional external funding and resources needed to achieve the necessary impact and reach”, he said.
Otunba Ashiru added, “To achieve its objectives, the Foundation will rely heavily on collaborations and partnerships with individuals, businesses, and public and private institutions, including non-governmental organizations, development agencies, multilateral bodies, etc.”
” We believe that with your support, the Foundation can tap into the vast collective economic and social capital available to the Southwest Region, and direct the resources pooled together into projects and initiatives that will improve the welfare our people”.
Chairperson of the Foundation, Ambassador Ọlatokunbọ Awolọwọ Dosumu while speaking said the pioneer members of the foundation will lay a solid foundation for its sustainability and future growth.
She stressed that by setting up this Foundation, therefore, the Odua Investment Board has intentionally introduced an additional avenue through which the company can further impact the lives of the people positively.
” In other words, rather than neglect or erase the legacy of our founding fathers, they have elected to maintain and, even, propagate it. I commend them once again for taking this bold step.I note with great joy that several decades after the group was set up and more than three decades after the transition of the prime legator, Chief Awolowo, the legacy has remained in very safe hands”, she said.
Ambassador Awolowo – Dosumu added, ” I must express my profound admiration for the, evidently, meticulous process that has resulted in the composition of the pioneer Advisory Council of this Foundation. It is a most impressive line-up of personages and is, undeniably, made up of some of the brightest and best minds in the land.
These are persons of exceptional knowledge, eminent social pedigree and impeccable integrity. They also possess considerable influence and networks, nationally and internationally, which I have no doubt they will fully deploy for the benefit and success of the foundation.
