Over 100 elderly women across Ibarapa North Local Government have received bags of food items and ₦50,000 cash gifts each from the Executive Chairman, Hon. Lawal Lateef Akorede, in what he described as a gesture of compassion and gratitude to mothers who built the communities.
The distribution exercise took place across several communities in the council area, with beneficiaries drawn from towns and villages within Ibarapa North. Each aged woman went home with essential food staples and direct cash support aimed at easing the rising cost of living and helping them prepare for the Ileya festive period.
Addressing beneficiaries during the outreach, Hon. Lawal Lateef explained that the program was originally scheduled to hold before Ileya. However, he postponed it out of solidarity with families of the abducted pupils and teachers from Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities in Oriire LGA.
“My mind has not been at rest since those children and their teachers were taken. I could not, in good conscience, proceed with celebrations while they remain in captivity. Today, we are moving forward with this intervention, but we continue to pray and push for their safe and quick release,” the Chairman said.
He described the aged women as “custodians of our culture, values, and history,” stressing that any government that forgets its elders has no future. “Good governance must be people-centered and inclusive. Our mothers deserve dignity, comfort, and support in their later years. This is just one of many steps my administration will take to improve living conditions across Ibarapa North,” he added.
Hon. Lawal Lateef reaffirmed his commitment to responsive leadership, saying policies and programs under his administration will continue to prioritize the vulnerable, the elderly, women, youths, and low-income families. He urged residents to remain patient and supportive of government efforts, especially on security matters affecting the zone.
Beneficiaries who spoke at the event expressed deep appreciation for the intervention. Many described it as “timely, unexpected, and impactful,” noting that the food and cash would go a long way in meeting their immediate needs.
In prayers and songs of thanksgiving, the women offered blessings for the Chairman’s health, wisdom, and success in office. “Akorede, you have remembered us. May God remember you and your family,” one beneficiary said.
The welfare package reinforces Hon. Lawal Lateef’s growing reputation for grassroots-focused governance since assuming office. Through regular engagements and direct support programs, his administration continues to strengthen ties with residents while promoting social welfare and community development across Ibarapa North.
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