IKEJA CHAMBERS SUPPORTS INDIGENT STUDENTS WITH FREE ‘I AM RESPONSIBLE’ UNIFORMS; PRESIDENT OLUTOKE BERATES POLITICAL CLASS FOR WEAPONIZING POVERTY
By Yomi Oyelami, Trek Africa Newspaper
President, Ikeja Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA), Amb. Dr. Eyitayo Olutoke
The Association of Formally Trained Theatre Artists (AFTTA) in conjunction with the Ikeja Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (ICCIA) has launched ‘I am responsible’ campaign with the intention to clothe indigent students across Nigeria for free. It also launched the ‘I am responsible’ clothing line to enable it to meet the immense challenges of putting clothes on the bodies of millions of Nigerians.
Speaking about the social policy, the President of the Ikeja Chambers, Amb. Dr. Eyitayo Olutoke said ‘how much is school uniform that our children will go to school in tattered clothes. When you see a school where students are not wearing good uniforms, just take a picture of them and bring it to us at Ikeja Chambers. We will see to it.’
R-L: Director, National Troupe of Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed; ace thespian, Hafiz Oyetoro awarded at the dinner; President, Ikeja Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA), Amb. Olutoke, and a special guest
‘On the clothing line, we are running a business where we produce clothes using local fabrics like adire etc. The factory is set. For members of the Chambers, when you bring your clothes, they will sew it for you at 50% of the market price’, Trek Africa Newspaper can report.
Amb. Olutoke berated the political class for weaponizing poverty and making the citizenry run after them for crumbs. ‘If we continue to grow our numbers like this by reaching out to more people, maybe we can by 2024 go and register a political party, Poverty Fighters Party. As you know we don’t have a single poster outside. We intentionally don’t have a signage outside our office. We want to reach out with results’
Speaking about the Ikeja Chambers, legendary actor and academic, Prof. Sola Fosudo said ‘I am a detribalized Nigerian. What makes Ikeja Chambers different from the likes of Lagos Chambers and so on is to identify with everyday Nigerian so that we, too, can move closer to wealth. We don’t discriminate here. We are for the people.’
‘You can be a passive farmer. You invest with your money and after 6 months, you will get your capital with 50% interest. The Chambers run partnership with some farms. That’s where we invest the money.
‘And if you want to be an active farmer, Ikeja Chambers will also help you because every week, they do trainings.’
‘Food, accommodation, and clothing, those are the three things that the Chambers do now’, he told Trek Africa Newspaper.
A member of the Ikeja Chamber, Bukola Salako added ‘this is a fashion hub. You may have learned a skill but you have not established due to money or other issues, you can come and at a token you will have access to machines and do your work. We need to embrace collaboration.’
Present at the special dinner meeting was Alhaji Ahmed, Director of National Troupe of Nigeria; Otunba Demola Oyefeso; ace comedian Hafiz Oyetoro who was awarded at the event, politician and grassroots mobilizer in Alimosho, Mr. Ife Salako; Trek Africa Newspaper editor, Yomi Oyelami, among others.
