Amb Prince Yommy Eshinlokun Ogungbe Empowers over 700 people at Imole-Eko 6th Graduation Ceremony
Going by the phrase of Maimonides…give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime came to the fore at the ImoleEko 6th Graduation Ceremony of over 1000 people at the Police College Training Ground, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The gathering brought together who-is-who from all walks of life to witness the grand occasion. The ImoleEko front rurner, Ambassador (Prince) Yommy Eshinlokun Ogungbe, entertained guests with a mouth-watering buffet during the graduation ceremony.
Creekvibes Man of The Year 2023, Yommy Eshinlokun Ogungbe, has been empowering youths for over 2 decades, due to the growing population and the corresponding increase in the population of employable youths, unemployed youth, he established ImoleEko Foundation, a non-governmental-organization-to-carter for the youth wing of the population Seven years ago.
Technical Vocational education and training (TVET) are one of the three main priorities outlined to tackle youth unemployment in Africa, Ambassador Eshinlokun has taken it upon himself to empower trainable youths through the creation of a vocational training centre situated at Isheri Ijegun, the centre provides vital training in Soap making, Makeup Artist development, Headgear specialist, Adire (Tie and Dye), Milling Machine Operator, PopCorn Machine Usage etc.
A lot of Lagosians yearning to make their lives better had obtained forms earlier at the ImoleEko Foundation office, now they have been equipped with marketable and relevant skills to forge ahead.
Do you know that the ImoleEko Foundation’s registration costs nothing?
Once you obtain the form, fill it out appropriately with two guarantors, the training lasts for only four months, once a month the ImoleEko Foundation representative will reach out to the guarantors on the progress of the enrolled candidate, once the feedback is encouraging graduation is sacrosanct.
Oba Akran P.A. Alipoto 1 Atona of Badagry Kingdom
Representatives of the paramount ruler of Badagry, Oba Akran of Badagry His Royal Majesty, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi
Alhaji Chief Olugbenga Afis Fayemi Alipoto 1 Atona of Badagry Kingdom P.A to His Royal Majesty, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi the First, OFR, LLB, JP the Akran of Badagry Kingdom. Alipoto 1 Atona of Badagry represented his subject to the fullest.
Creekvibes inquired from him his view concerning the reason prominent Nigerians gathered at the 6th graduation ceremony, he said; “Yommy Eshinlokun Ogungbe is a prominent Nigerian when talking of service to humanity Ogungbe stands out from the crowd, he left his responsibilities and started to cater for people to ensure they are taken out of poverty, going by the shrinking job opportunities Amb Ogungbe has given limbs by promoting entrepreneurship with the objective of self-sustainability; building humanity, thereby supporting the economic growth of the state.
This is not the first time, he has done it consecutively for five years, we were here last year and I am sure we will be here next year.”
P.A Ezeugo of Badagry
Creekvibes met with the representative of Igwe of Badagry Kingdom and varied his views on the self-sustainability program being put together by the MD/CEO of De-Prinocc Construction Company Limited, Chief Ugochukwu Onyealisi, Ogbuwarauzo of Badagry the P.A. to Ezeugo of Badagry said; “What we are witnessing today is a mouth-gapping grand event, put together by Prince Ambassador Yommy Eshinlokun Ogungbe, a man of means, who have the interest of the people at heart, he has volunteered to divert his financial resources for youths development just to make sure they are useful for themselves and to the society at large, this is the type of person we need in government, presently what he is doing right now is from his coffers and it simply means when he gets into a political office he will do more than what we are witnessing now.
I just don’t know how to encourage this man, I will eulogize everyone to support him.”
Creekvibes inquired further to know how many years he has known the philanthropist, he said; “specifically I have known him for six good years, I met him in his course of reaching out to the needy, to ensure people around him are happy, anytime any day, I am for him, I am sure he is going to empower more people next year.
I pray for God to continue to enrich him more, I know once he is provided for, he will reach out to people.”
Finally, Creekvibes asked him, for the message of the Igwe to the people, he concluded by saying that; the people should ensure that the expensive equipment given to them by the Prince should not be sold out, it should be used meaningfully to better their lots and the people around them.
Mrs Apara Caroline Idowu, Milling Machine
A beneficiary of Milling Machine: I want Ambassador Ogungbe to be the president of Nigeria
I am Mrs Apara Caroline Idowu, a resident of Isheri Idimu and a retired teacher, I have collected a Milling Machine. Creekvibes asked her if she had mastered the art of manipulating the machine, and her response was; “I learned how to manipulate it from my neighbour at community road, a lot of us here have collected these machines, this man is a God-sent to us, he has helped a lot of people at C.A.C. Ajanpelebe.”
Furthermore, Creekvibes asked her to say something about the convener, and she said; “My message for him is for God to continue to uphold him, his family should not lack peace, I will want him to be the president of Nigeria.” she concluded.
Eze Modester, Adire brocade
Creekvibes asked Modester how long she had learned the trade of making the Adire Brocade, she said; “I have learned for four months, a lot of us are here today have collected our certificate and we’ll also be established by monetary empowerment, ImoleEko promised to open an account and also to fund it.” Creekvibes asked her to send a word to ImoleEko convener through this medium; she said; “I pray for him and his entire family to encounter a great fortune, it is not easy for a man to singlehanded gather people together and train them on various vocational skills, to cap it up, he empowered them with startup money.”
Yusuf Mariam (Makeup artist)
I am Mariam, a Makeup artist, Eshinlokun Ogungbe, ImoleEko’s boss, has empowered me, by giving me this make-up kit, I can now go around and do make-up for people and make income for myself, There are many beneficiaries here that has collected.
Creekvibes asked her, what if any of her colleagues may want to sell the machine and divert the resources elsewhere. She said; “In my department, I don’t think anyone will want to do that, this is what we have been anticipating and we all know that it will better our lives.
I thank the ImoleEko convener for what he has done for us today.
Mrs. Oluwaseyi Gbade from Shomolu LGA (Hairdresser)
Why are you here?
I am a beneficiary of hairdressing equipment.
How many years have you been in this business?
Five years now.
What can you say about the Imole Eko boss?
I have a lot to say, I pray for God to uplift him and his family; he will keep growing from grace to higher grace, many people in government can’t be seen coming to the grassroots, but he is not even a government official yet he is doing all these at the grassroots.
My name is Toyin Onifade
Why are you here?
I and my group of fashion designers are beneficiaries of the ImoleEko Foundation, and as you can see we are over 100 in my department alone and we have collected our sewing machine equipment, this is awesome.
Creekvibes asked her; ‘Don’t you think any of your ladies will want to sell her sewing machine?’
We have given out stern warnings that nobody should sell this sewing machine, anybody that does that, will be equal to them selling their future.
It is generally accepted that when you empower a woman you have empowered a nation and this is a man who came out to empower thousands of women, so we women must grow, the equipment should be used to better lives, other ladies will also learn from the beneficiaries.
How many years have you been in this business?
I learned this sewing from the Imole Eko Foundation in a space of four months, surprisingly I can make dresses of different kinds for people in my locality, my family and friends, Imole Eko has made me a bold woman.
What can you say about the ImoleEKo boss?
God will keep blessing him because he has helped a lot of people out of the poverty line, I heard he did it last year, and he will still do it next year. If not for him I would not have known how to make dresses. This is the 6th graduation ceremony.
