The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged graduates of the State’s Skills Acquisition Centres to embrace creativity, perseverance, and entrepreneurship as they take bold steps into the world of business.
Addressing more than 5,000 graduates of the 2024 training cycle under the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Governor Sanwo-Olu encouraged them to take advantage of the skills they have acquired to become job creators in their communities. The graduation ceremony, held at the Blue Roof, LTV Complex in Ikeja, marked the culmination of intensive vocational training in tailoring, catering, hairdressing, carpentry, bead making, tiling, paint production, leather works, and more.
The governor advised the graduates to remain focused and resilient, especially in the first five years of their entrepreneurial journey, describing it as the most critical period for long-term success.
“You have been equipped with practical skills—tools that can transform your lives and that of your families. Take this opportunity seriously. Become creators of opportunities, not seekers,” he said.
The wife of the Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, in her goodwill message, described the ceremony as not just a celebration of completed training but the beginning of new opportunities and a brighter future for the graduands.
“Each one of you graduating today stands as a symbol of hope, resilience, and the power of personal transformation,” she said.
“With the right tools, anyone can rise above limitations and become a positive force in their home, community, and society. This is a reaffirmation of our shared belief that when we empower women, men, and young adults, we secure the future of Lagos State.”
She also commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering commitment to women empowerment and praised the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, for her dedication and visionary leadership.
Commissioner Dada, in her address, disclosed that since 2019, over 34,000 individuals have been trained across the 19 WAPA centres spread across the state. She emphasised the inclusive nature of the programme, which also caters to vulnerable groups such as persons living with disabilities and survivors of gender-based violence, through flagship initiatives like the Life Skills Economic Empowerment Programme (LEEP).
“We are not only addressing poverty but also building a stronger, more self-reliant society,” the commissioner said.
Some of the graduates who spoke at the event expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Government for the opportunity to acquire life-changing skills. They pledged to put their knowledge to good use in starting businesses and uplifting others in their communities.
The event underscores the Sanwo-Olu administration’s continued investment in human capital development and poverty alleviation, aimed at boosting self-sufficiency, reducing unemployment, and supporting Lagos’ microeconomic growth.