The Ogun State Chapter of the Wazobia Widows Welfare Association is set to be officially inaugurated on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Abeokuta, as the organisation expands its grassroots campaign for the welfare, empowerment and social inclusion of widows across Nigeria.
The inauguration is scheduled for 10:00am at the Alake Sports Centre, Ijeja, Abeokuta, and is expected to bring together community leaders, stakeholders, women advocates, philanthropists and members of the public to witness the formal launch of the Ogun chapter.
Operating with the motto, “God is our strength,” the association is building a support network designed to provide relief, empowerment, advocacy and opportunities for widows who often face difficult social and economic circumstances following the loss of their husbands.
Importantly, the Ogun chapter is not established as a platform for one tribe or ethnic group. The association’s message is that widowhood has no tribe, and any Nigerian widow, regardless of her ethnic background or state of origin, should be able to benefit from its programmes and support.
Whether a widow is an indigene of Ogun State or another part of Nigeria, the organisation says she deserves dignity, encouragement, economic opportunities and access to a community that can support her through the challenges associated with widowhood.
The movement has also received support from Temitope Adeola, wife of Ogun State politician Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, whose contribution and support have helped advance the initiative and draw greater attention to the cause of widows.
At the national level, the association is led by Ambassador Dr. Binta Adejoke, the Director-General of the Wazobia Widows Welfare Association, with Professor Lola George serving as the National General Secretary.
The South West Regional Director is Hon. Dr. Omoniyi Ogbodo-Bach, who oversees the association’s activities and expansion across the region.
The Ogun State executive is headed by Pastor (Mrs.) Adesola Oluwatoyin Oyebade, the Ogun State Coordinator. She is supported by Ambassador Oluwakemi Abiodun Soyebi (JP), the State Deputy Coordinator, and Pastor (Mrs.) Philomena Kayode, the State General Secretary.
The association’s intervention comes against the background of the many difficulties widows face, including financial hardship, loss of family income, unemployment, difficulty caring for children, social isolation, discrimination and struggles over property and inheritance.
Widows can also face cultural and traditional pressures that compound their grief. In some communities, harmful widowhood practices, restrictions over inheritance, family disputes, social stigma and other forms of discrimination can leave women vulnerable at a time when they need protection and support the most.
The Wazobia Widows Welfare Association is therefore seeking to go beyond temporary relief by promoting sustainable empowerment. Through welfare programmes, advocacy and economic opportunities, the organisation aims to help widows become more financially independent and better equipped to provide for themselves and their families.
The association also hopes to encourage greater public understanding of the challenges widows face and promote a society where women who lose their husbands are not treated as less important or deprived of opportunities because of their marital status.
The launch of the Ogun chapter is consequently being viewed as more than the opening of another state branch. It represents an effort to create a stronger support system where widows can receive encouragement, discover opportunities and have their concerns represented.
The organisers are calling on government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, businesses, philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians to support programmes designed to improve the lives of widows.
With preparations underway for the inauguration, the Ogun chapter is expected to provide a new platform for widows across the state while reinforcing the association’s wider commitment to supporting Nigerian widows irrespective of tribe, religion, background or place of origin.
The inauguration will hold on Friday, September 4, 2026, at 10:00am at the Alake Sports Centre, Ijeja, Abeokuta, and members of the public, dignitaries, community organisers and supporters of the widow empowerment movement are invited to be part of the event.