The Dallas chapter of the Ibadan Descendants Union (IDU) in the United States of America has fixed Tuesday, 27 June 2023, for the execution of the second phase of its Ibadan Family Empowerment (IFE) project.
The event is scheduled to be held at Ibadan House, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The project involves the empowerment of Ibadan citizens managing small-scale businesses with the sum of N50,000 each. The beneficiaries are picked from across the 11 local government areas that make up Ibadan.
The first phase of the project was carried out in May 2022 with 22 beneficiaries presented with N50,000 each. But a total of 80 persons have been penciled in to benefit from the second phase coming up next week.
The president of the IDU, Dallas chapter, Mr Shola Bolomope, informed the Nigerian Tribune over the weekend that for the second phase, the chapter had planned to empower 40 people but the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association, after being informed of the event, offered to double the number.
In a statement sighted by the Nigerian Tribune, the National President of the IDU-USA Inc, Chief Abiola Iyiola, commended the Dallas chapter of the association, saying the IFE project is in line with the vision and mission of IDU, USA, “especially the present National Executive Committee under my leadership, to ensure that we give back to our birthplace, which is Ibadan. And on this, the national body will be supporting and partnering with Dallas for the project.”
Chief Iyiola said: “As we all know, empowering small-scale businesses is one of the ways to eradicate poverty and stimulate local economy. The Dallas Chapter has thrown a challenge to other chapters to join in the efforts towards eradicating poverty in Ibadan and activating her economy for the benefit of the natives, the residents and the visitors.
“The National IDU has offered to partner with the Dallas Chapter to implement the forthcoming empowerment project with additional 40 slots, for a total of 80 recipients.
“Therefore, I am calling on other chapters of the IDU to share with the national body, any projects, events, celebrations that they have planned for the year, to see how the national body can key in and partner with them.
“I thank you so much for your past endeavours towards making Ibadan a better place to live in as I look forward to having more of your contributions to elevate Ibadan and her citizens to prosperous heights.”