9/03/2024
By Abraham Jacob
The Founder of Folashade Ayoade Initiative for Women and Orphans, (FAIWO), Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade Ph.D, has called on everyone to make it a habit in giving genuine assistance to people without expecting a payback of any sort both now or in the nearest of time from them.
The Secretary to Kogi State Government who made this call on the ground of the foundation laying of her home for Orphans, Widows and the elderly through her Non Governmental Organisation known as Folashade Ayoade Initiative for Women and Orphans, (FAIWO), a project she admits to be one of her own ways of providing royal shelter to this group of special people in the State.
Mrs. Ayoade who revealed the inspiration behind this project, said she made a promise to God in almost nineteen years ago on her 40th birthday when He used her as a vessel to answer the prayers of some orphans who she visited with a bag of rice only with the intention to offer her little token to them as a way of celebrating with them on her birthday and one of the orphans who responded on behalf of others to her gesture to them, said, “mummy, to you, this is a token but to us, it is an answered prayer. Thank you for allowing God use you as a contact of answered prayer to provide this bag of rice for us. During our morning devotion today, we prayed to God to provide us with rice because we do not have even a grain of it and as God will perform His miracles, He brought you as a vessel of prayer answered”. According to her, this testimony left goosebumps all over her body and since then, it has become a tradition for her to always celebrate her birthday with orphans in their homes.
“Today, I am happy and I feel fulfilled that God has decided to use me as a vessel to put smiles on the faces of these special categories of people. As you all join me to lay this foundation today, I am believing God that He will help me complete it in no distant time because this project is not mine but His. My sincere appreciation to everyone that shares in this vision with reference to my mentor and Boss for life, the State Leader, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for his support and donation. To my boss, His Excellency, Alhaji Usman Ododo, The Executive Governor of Kogi State, who shares in this vision, as a friend of the downtrodden and vulnerable sets in the society, I am wholeheartedly grateful.”
Mrs. Ayoade reeled out the testimonies of the Lord upon her life in the last 19 yeara that she has dedicated this part of her to the service of humanity diligently, maintaining that indeed God is the God of the orphans and her promise to remain available to be used as the Lord’s vessel, she reiterates her commitment both in words and in actions.
Anchoring the spiritual rites at the ceremony, Pastor Francis Oluwalade, The Regional Pastor of Region 24 of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), thanked God for the life of Mrs Ayoade, members of her family, friends and associates who came around to witness this history making event, dedicated the project to the hands of God while praying to God to bless everyone with long life and good health to also gather here in the nearest of time to witness the commissioning of the project.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of the husband of the founder and initiator, Dr. Omisade Ayoade, Kogi State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Abanika Taiye, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Rabietu Okute, Rector, Kogi State Polytechnic, Associate Prof. Usman Ogbo, Wife of the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Princess Karimat Muiz Abdullahi, Former Commissioner for Environment, Chief Adewale Victor Omofaiye and other top Government functionaries both serving and past inclusive of members of Team Mama Cabinet and host of others.
