By Segun Olatunji
Incumbent Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming 2027 general elections, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, on Friday, empowered 4,000 market women and men in Ogun West with grants of N75,000 each under the fifth edition of his “Oloja Yayi” Market Support Fund Empowerment Programme.
Senator Adeola Yayi, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, in address at the event held at the Asade Agunloye Pavilion, Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, said the initiative was aimed at strengthening micro and small businesses while cushioning the effects of the current economic challenges on traders across Ogun State.
The lawmaker explained that the empowerment programme had already been held in Abeokuta for Ogun Central and Ijebu Ode for Ogun East before concluding with Ogun West, thereby covering the three senatorial districts of the state.
He recalled that the initiative began on February 6, 2023, during his campaign for the Ogun West Senate seat, when he identified inadequate capital as one of the greatest challenges confronting market women and men.
According to him, the intervention was conceived to complement existing government programmes such as Governor Dapo Abiodun’s “Oko Owo Dapo” initiative and the Federal Government’s TraderMoni scheme, which had provided financial relief to traders during difficult economic periods.
Senator Adeola Yayi noted that before his election into the Senate, he personally facilitated two rounds of grants of N25,000 each to 5,000 market women and men, laying the foundation for what later became popularly known as the “Oloja Yayi” programme.
He said the third edition of the programme was held on January 28, 2024, during which another 5,000 traders across the five local government areas of Ogun West received N50,000 each.
The senator further stated that the fourth edition, held on April 27, 2025, expanded beyond Ogun West to accommodate traders from other senatorial districts in Ogun State following repeated requests by market associations.
A total of 5,000 beneficiaries received N75,000 each during that exercise.
For the fifth edition, Senator Adeola disclosed that the programme is being implemented in partnership with the National Productivity Centre as part of efforts to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic growth.
He stressed that the financial assistance is a grant and not a loan, urging beneficiaries to invest the money in their businesses rather than diverting it to unrelated purposes.
Addressing traders who were not selected in the current exercise, the senator assured them that future editions would accommodate more beneficiaries, expressing optimism that the programme would continue beyond 2027 as part of his administration’s economic agenda.
Beyond direct financial support, Senator Adeola highlighted several infrastructural projects facilitated to improve commercial activities across Ogun West.
According to him, he has facilitated the construction of 43 modern markets and related infrastructure in the last three and a half years.
The projects include modern lock-up and open shops at Lusada, Agosasa, Ijoun, Igbo Aje Market in Ilaro, Sayedero Market, Farmers’ Market in Ilobi-Erinja, Obada Market, Ilara Market and TT Dada Market in Ota.
He also listed the installation of 10 solar-powered boreholes across major markets in the district, including markets in Ilaro, Owode, Ayetoro, Oja-Odan, Ipokia, Tube, Imeko, Oba Titi Dada and Lusada.
To enhance security and encourage longer trading hours, Senator Adeola said solar-powered street lights had also been installed in several markets across Ogun West, including TT Dada, Lusada, Atan, Owode, Tube, Koko, Sayedero, Oja-Odan, Ijoun, Ayetoro, Imeko, Ilara, Iwoye, Obada, Sabo Owode, Ijoko Ota, Agosasa, Ado-Odo and Igbo Aje Market in Ilaro.
He emphasized that beneficiaries of his empowerment programmes are selected without favouritism, noting that personal acquaintance with him plays no role in the selection process.
“The programmes are for the people without discrimination. I encourage all beneficiaries to make judicious use of the grants to expand their businesses and improve their standard of living”, he said.
Senator Adeola reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the empowerment initiative in the years ahead, expressing confidence that it would continue to complement the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the developmental efforts of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
He congratulated all beneficiaries and wished them success in their businesses while expressing hope for even greater participation in future editions of the programme.
