Fawaz Adebisi
The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof. Saka Adelola Matemilola, has disclosed that the Olowu Hope Initiative has impacted more than 12,600 people through interventions in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability.
The monarch made the disclosure on Monday during a press conference at the Olowu Palace, Oke-Ago, Abeokuta, to commemorate his fourth coronation anniversary.
Presenting the Olowu Hope Initiative’s first quarter 2026 performance report, Oba Matemilola said the palace-backed intervention was established to combat poverty by investing in education, health and well-being, enterprise and skills development, as well as environmental sustainability and climate action.
He said the initiative was designed to empower beneficiaries to become self-reliant rather than depend on short-term assistance.
According to the monarch, education remains the cornerstone of the initiative because it influences other aspects of human development, including health and economic empowerment.
He noted that the programme had continued to attract support from the Ministries of Education, Health and Environment due to its measurable impact.
Giving a breakdown of the interventions, Oba Matemilola said the initiative supported 1,427 students, awarded ₦20m in scholarships and expanded the Olowu Scholars Programme to over 600 beneficiaries.
He added that the initiative also secured 650 Coursera licences through a ₦390m Digital Inclusion Initiative grant to enhance digital learning opportunities.
The monarch further disclosed that the initiative renovated facilities at the Daniel Akintonde Model School for Children with Special Needs, benefiting about 380 pupils, while its school feeding programme provided 8,662 meals for pupils of Oke Ago Owu Primary School during the first quarter of the year.
On healthcare, Oba Matemilola said the initiative renovated and equipped the Igosun Health Centre, provided medical support for more than 200 pregnant teenagers and single mothers, facilitated 540 eye surgeries and conducted 388 medical consultations.
He added that plans were underway to renovate three additional primary healthcare centres.
Speaking on economic empowerment, the traditional ruler said 287 entrepreneurs and artisans had received support under the initiative, while 135 beneficiaries were trained in vocational skills and business development.
He also said 152 women benefited from various economic empowerment programmes.
On environmental sustainability, the monarch said the initiative drilled four boreholes serving communities in Abeokuta and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State and carried out environmental awareness campaigns to promote cleaner and healthier communities.
Overall, he said the initiative recorded over 12,606 beneficiaries across its various programmes during the first quarter of 2026.
Speaking on funding, Oba Matemilola said the initiative was initially financed with personal and internal resources before attracting support from individuals, organisations and Nigerians in the diaspora.
“Nothing succeeds like success. When people see that you are committed and accountable, they naturally want to support what you are doing,” he said.
According to him, some donors had contributed to the initiative despite never visiting Nigeria after learning about its activities through social media and recommendations.
The monarch, however, acknowledged that poverty remained a major challenge across the country, describing the initiative’s interventions as “a drop in the ocean.”
He said the focus of the programme was to equip people with the skills and opportunities needed to improve their livelihoods, with particular attention given to youths and women.
Oba Matemilola also defended the decision to extend the initiative beyond Owu communities, saying its programmes were driven by humanitarian considerations rather than ethnic affiliation.
He explained that beneficiaries of the Olowu Scholars Programme were drawn from different ethnic backgrounds, provided they met the eligibility requirements.
The monarch further revealed that the palace had institutionalised bi-monthly security meetings involving the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, the Oodua People’s Congress, community leaders, religious leaders, Community Development Associations and Community Development Committees.
According to him, the security engagement, which began in November 2024, has strengthened collaboration among stakeholders and enhanced security awareness in Abeokuta and its environs.
Ahead of future elections, Oba Matemilola urged traditional rulers to remain non-partisan while encouraging eligible Nigerians to register, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, participate in elections and reject vote-buying.
“We cannot be partisan because all politicians are our children, but we must encourage our people to choose leaders who truly have their interests at heart and not sell their future for temporary inducements,” he said.
The monarch also disclosed that the Olowu Scholars Programme operates through a transparent selection process involving participating secondary schools, academic assessments and character evaluation.
He added that the palace planned to establish additional study centres to expand access to more students.
Oba Matemilola said the annual Owu Festival would continue to serve not only as a celebration of the kingdom’s cultural heritage but also as a platform to present the impact of the palace’s development initiatives and encourage similar interventions across Nigeria.
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