Date: 2018-02-18

A former Governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State in the 2015 general election, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, has donated empowerment items worth N500,000 to Ilorin Emirate Youths Development Association (IEYDA).

The donation of the gifts was to complement the effort of the association in the empowerment scheme it floated aimed at eradicating poverty in the Emirate.

Besides, the ex-gubernatorial aspirant, who is a son of late former Governor of the state, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, also gave out scholarship to 200 Students to study at Pan-African College of Education, Offa.

Hakeem Lawal spoke in Ilorin at the weekend during the presentation of the items to the executive of IEDYA led by its President, Mallam Abdullahi Babatunde Salaudeen.

Represented by one of his aides, Mr Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf, the former governorship aspirant disclosed that the beneficiaries of the scholarship would have their tuition fees defrayed for three years that they would study in the school.

He clarified that the assistance was not politically motivated as it has always been his interest to empower those in need of help.

Hakeem Lawal promised that he would make the provision of the empowerment items a continuum to ensure that more Emirate youths benefit from it.

He urged the association not to rest on its oars in promoting and projecting the image of Ilorin Emirate positively.

Hakeem Lawal also used the occasion to congratulate Christians in the country and Kwara State in particular on the lenten season and admonished them to pray fervently for peace and tranquility of the state.

The IEYDA President, Alhaji Abdullahi Babatunde Salaudeen, who received the empowerment items in company of others, applauded the donor for identifying with the association.

Salaudeen assured that the items would be evenly distributed among the beneficiaries, adding that the idea of the scheme was to tackle prevalent poverty in the Emirate.

Items donated to the association included sewing machines and grinding machines.