Foundation gifts academic, Piggery farmer N1m Grants each for business support
A university lecturer and a petty trader have emerged as beneficiaries of N1 million business grant each for the winners as facilitated by the Robert Florence Oyesanmi Foundation (RFOF) as part of its empowerment initiative for less privileged individuals in Ondo State.
The grants were presented during a double celebration marking the housewarming and birthday anniversary of the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Chris Babalola, an American-based philanthropist renowned for his humanitarian interventions across the state and beyond.
The event attracted dignitaries from different walks of life, including the Lumure of Ayeka Kingdom, Oba Michael Ayeyowa; the Odola of Ogbaro Kingdom, Oba Odola; and the Lisa of Ayeka Kingdom, High Chief Obolo.
Among the beneficiaries were Joseph Oluwaseyi, a piggery farmer seeking to expand her business, and Dr. Ayodeji Babanisi of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, who also received a N1 million grant for his photography business.
Speaking at the occasion, the celebrant and grants donor, Engr. Babalola Oyesanmi urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds for the purposes intended, stressing the importance of entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
He also announced consolation grants of N250,000 each for runners-up in the empowerment programme.
Egrn. Oyesanmi has earned recognition for his sustained support for vulnerable groups, including widows, orphans and indigent students through scholarships and bursaries, as well as other charitable interventions aimed at improving livelihoods in the state, particularly the indigents in the society who have plausible business ideas but have finance handicap.
According to the CEO of the foundation, the grants offered are the humble way of giving back to the society, hence it is not a free fall cash to be misused and frittered away on inanities. He said the committee that screened the beneficiaries are active and will reach out to evaluate the way the fund has been judiciously spent, charging the donor to adhere strictly to the business scheme they presented at screening.
Previous beneficiaries of the Robert Florence Oyesanmi grant, Dr. Ogunboye and Mr. Iroaye also gave words of encouragement while each appreciated Babalola Oyesanmi for providing fund assistance to budding Ikale entrepreneurs and indigent youths whose business projection dreams could stay fixed in the pipeline without the well thought out grants.
