A non governmental organization, Saliu Mustapha foundation has on Sunday, 1st December empowered another batch of 118 businesses barely one week after disbursing over 10 Million Naira to 150 women.
The occasion, which took place at the organization’s office located at Basin Roundabout, Fate Road, Ilorin saw a sum of N14.4 million distributed to 118 Small and Medium Enterprise owners.
The sum of N100,000 each was given to support 100 businesses while 10 beneficiaries got N200,000 each and N300,000 was alloted to eight businesses.
Declaring the occasion open, the representative of the Chairman of the Soliu Mustapha Foundation Alhaji Umar Agboola Balogun informed the general populace that the empowerment fund is not a loan scheme, but grants to support their businesses, adding that it also assists indigent students through its scholarship scheme.
He however urged people to be calm as those who were not captured in today’s empowerment exercise would also receive their empowerment funds in the next round,
Mallam Saliu charged beneficiaries that the only way they can show appreciation is by wisely investing the grants in profitable ventures.
Some of the dignitaries present at the occasion included: Sheik Sulyman Abdulaziz (Imam Gambari), Dr. Abdullahi Abdulhameed (Imam Imale), Mallam Saliu Mustapha, Mudeer Darul kitab Wa sunnah Dr. Abdul Qodir Salman Solagberu, Alhaji L.A.K Jimoh (Amirul Hajj, Kwara state), Shaykh Umar Farouq sohibul bayan (Guest Lecturer), Prof Abubakar Imam Ali-agan.
Other notable figures are: Former PDP chairman and APC chieftain Barr Iyiola Oyedepo Akogun, Former speaker Kwara state House of Assembly Rt Hon Benjamin Yissah, a member of the Kwara state House of Assembly Hon AbdulGafar Ayilara, member kwara state environmental task force Comrade musbaudeen Esinrogunjo and other personalities worth mentioning.
While delivering his lecture, Sheikh Sohibul bayan Wa tibyan advised the recipients to make good use of the money and not divert the money, enjoining the government officials not to betray the trust the citizens have in them by delivering on their campaign promises.
The much revered Islamic cleric concluded by praying for the founder of the Foundation, Mallam Soliu Mustapha urging him not to desist from his charitable gestures.