By Adetokunbo FAKEYE
Nigeria – In a major stride towards driving grassroots development, a sociocultural organisation, Yewaland Development Forum, (YDF) in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command and WealthKey Homes, has successfully hosted a 2-Day Girl-Child Intensive Training and Empowerment Bootcamp in Idiroko-Yewa, Ipokia LGA.
The program attracted about 300 participants who received top-grade practical vocational training and skills acquisition for career development and income generation.
Tagged “YDF/YDAP Girl-Child Empowerment Bootcamp,” the second series of the 2-Day intensive program was held on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th April 2025 with participants drawn from all the major towns, villages and hamlets in Ipokia Local Government Area. This year’s edition is a follow-up to the success recorded in the first edition of the program held in Ayetoro-Yewa, the headquarters of Yewa North Local Government Area.
The Girl-Child Training Empowerment Bootcamp, an enduring legacy of Yewaland Development Forum and it’s project committee, Yewaland Development Accelerated Project, YDAP, offers hands-on training in high-impact vocations such as the production (in commercial quantity) of some essential household and personal needs such liquid and bar soap, petroleum jelly, perfume and hand sanitizers; culinary skills and catering services; traditional tye and dye (adire); and beauty-focused crafts like makeup and gele artistry.
Building on the momentum and the success of the first edition, held in Ayetoro, the headquarters of Yewa North Local Government Area, extending the program to Idiroko-Yewa reflects YDF’s growing commitment to spreading economic empowerment opportunities across Yewaland-one community at a time.
To achieve the desired objective, Idiroko Girl-Child Empowerment Bootcamp has been structured to capture relevant vocational fields with due regard for market demand, adaptability and potential to provide immediate economic opportunities for the participants.
In his welcome address at the event, the President of Yewaland Development Forum, Ogbeni Wasiu Fagbohun describes the bootcamp as a landmark intervention in the journey toward women and girl-child empowerment in Yewaland.
He says, “This initiative is a reflection of our belief that real development begins with investing in people. By equipping our young girls and women with hands-on, income-generating skills, we are planting the seeds for a more prosperous and self-sustaining future. YDF remains committed to replicating this model across the entire region,” he said.
Ogbeni Wasiu further clarified that YDF, as an organisation, is totally committed to the development of Yewaland and is determined to extend the empowerment initiative to other parts of Yewaland to build a more self-reliant and enterprising Yewa community from the ground up.”
In his goodwill message, the immediate past Comptroller, Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs, Comptroller Mohamed Salisu Shuaibu, stated that though the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, as an agency of the federal government is committed to performing, amongst several functions, the core mandate of preventing smuggling activities, collecting import and excise duties and carrying out other related security responsibilities, the NCS considers its intervention and support for community development initiatives such as the Girl-Child Empowerment Bootcamp as an investment in the right direction.
The NCS believes this is a more practical way of impacting positively on the socio-economic well being of the people of its host communities across the nation.
Comptroller Shuaibu noted that “The Nigeria Customs Service is not just an agency of the government that is just interested in making money for the federal government or to arrest and prosecute criminals for engaging in nefarious smuggling and other related criminal activities. The NCS believes very strongly that the Nigerian youth and particularly the girl child, is the beacon of hope for future growth and development of our great nation. This segment of the youth population therefore deserves our support and encouragement to be able to contribute maximally to community and national development. So, to achieve this main objective, no investment should be spared in ensuring that our young girls and women are adequately empowered and encouraged to acquire vocational training and capacity building for personal development.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of Ipokia LGA and Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Johnson Akohomeh Avoseh, applauded the organisers of the Idiroko Girl-Child Empowerment Bootcamp, Yewaland Development Forum for their commitment to youth and community development. He advised participants to take the training very seriously and through hard work and determination, build a prosperous future for themselves. He however expressed the optimism that future programme will attract participants from hinterlands and other communities far away from the major cities.
In their respective royal messages, the Royal Father of the day and Oniko of Ikolaje-Idiroko, HRM, Oba John Olakunle Ojo, HRM, Oba Ajibola Igbowu, Opo of Idosemo, admonished the participants to leverage on the opportunity offered by the training programme to create career pathways for themselves, noting that the organizers have done their best for the participants with the free vocational and skills acquisition program.
The training consultant and Director of Skills Enhancement and Entrepreneurship Development (SEED), Mr. Adeola Adeyemi, commended the enthusiasm of the participants and the vision of the organizers.
“This bootcamp is more than just training; it’s about igniting a mindset shift toward self-reliance and entrepreneurship. We’ve seen first-hand the determination of these young women to chart new economic paths for themselves, and we’re proud to be part of their journey,” he noted.
Also present at the ceremony are special invited guests, including representatives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ipokia Local Government chapter, among others.
