The empowerment programme, which cut across different zones in the ward, including Olorunda, Keesan, Ilogun, Gbegbinlawo, Tibo Falekan, Ijale Papa, Ijale Orile, Seriki Ogboye, Akiegun Iwofin, Fapote, Akiliyi and Idi Ori, was aimed at providing financial assistance to residents to strengthen their livelihoods and small-scale businesses.
Speaking during the presentation on Tuesday, Bankole said the initiative was to give back to his people and part of his commitment to improving the welfare of residents and ensuring that the people at the grassroots benefit directly from the dividends of democracy.
He explained that the beneficiaries were drawn from different categories, particularly petty traders, small-scale business owners and residents engaged in various means of livelihood, adding that the financial support could make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families.
The councillor urged the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously, stressing that the purpose of the intervention was to help them improve their economic wellbeing.
He advised the beneficiaries to channel the funds into productive ventures and activities that could provide sustainable benefits rather than spending the money on frivolous needs.
Meanwhile, the immediate past Vice Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Hon. Ayoola Oluajo, commended Bankole for what he described as a gesture of giving back to the people.
Oluajo said, “What I have seen today is giving back to the people. The councillor has done well by giving back the dividends of democracy to the people of Ward 13 in Abeokuta North Local Government.
He has done very well by remembering the people at the grassroots who voted for him as their councillor.”
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds, stressing that even a small amount could be useful when invested wisely.
“Whatever amount they have received, they should make sure they use it for something meaningful that they can remember. There is no amount that is too small in Nigeria today. They can still do something or buy something that they will always remember as part of the empowerment programme of Hon. Bankole,” Oluajo said.
Also speaking, a Ward 13 leader and Ogun State board member, Hon. Idowu Fakorede, described the initiative as encouraging, saying it reflected the type of grassroots intervention leaders had been advocating.
He said, “It is very, very encouraging. This is what we have been telling previous councillors that they should be doing. I am very happy and glad with the present councillor and the step he has taken because he has been listening to us.”
Fakorede also advised the beneficiaries to use the money judiciously, while describing Ward 13 as one of the peaceful wards in Abeokuta North.
A touching moment at the event occurred when Fakorede offered additional support to a physically challenged beneficiary Aduragbemi Ogundeji who expressed his desire to learn barbing as a means of becoming self-reliant.
Moved by the young man’s determination to acquire a vocational skill, Fakorede supported him towards pursuing the barbing training, describing the gesture as an opportunity to help him develop a sustainable means of livelihood.
The APC Ward 13 Chairman, Kabiru Yusuf, expressed appreciation to Bankole, describing the programme as a significant development in the ward.
Yusuf said, “I am very happy about the empowerment programme that Hon. Toyin Bankole organised in my ward today. It is a delightful thing that has never happened before in my ward as of today. I pray that God Almighty will double what he has done so that he can do even more next time.”
He urged the beneficiaries to invest the money in productive activities, including their businesses.
“My advice to those who received the money is that they should use it to do something good. Since it is an empowerment programme, the money is meant to empower them,” Yusuf added.
He also used the occasion to appeal to residents and APC members in the ward ahead of the 2027 general election saying that residents should support all APC candidates starting from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Hon. Olumide Osoba and Hon. Babatunde Tella.
Yusuf said the ward is prepared to mobilise its members for the party during the 2027 elections.
The event also witnessed the defection of some individuals from other political parties to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The new entrants were received into the party by APC leaders and members of Ward 13 during the programme, in a development that added a political dimension to the empowerment exercise.
Another party leader in the ward, Mrs Funke Obasami, who is the Assistant Auditor of the Abeokuta North Local Government APC, said the initiative was unprecedented in the ward.
Obasami said, “Ever since we have had councillors, we have never had anything like this in our ward. Previous councillors rarely brought anything to us in the ward. Once we finished voting for them, they vanished and we would not see them again.”
She added that Bankole had also been supporting residents privately before the public empowerment programme.
“On this occasion, he has done wonders. What he did today is the first of its kind in Ward 13. He has done well for the leaders and the executive members. Even before organising this empowerment programme, he had already been helping many people privately without making a public show of it,” Obasami said.
Some of the beneficiaries also expressed appreciation to the councillor, describing the intervention as timely and useful in strengthening their businesses and addressing pressing financial needs.
The programme was attended by several Ward leaders, including Hon. Akintade Semiu, Hon. Abegunrin Idowu, Hon. Sunday Afolabi, Hon. Abel Olusegun, Hon. Victor Olusola, Hon. Waheed Akomolafe, Hon. Sefiu Olatunji and Hon. Sotunde Oladapo.
