The serene and bucolic town of Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State was, as it has become in recent years, a beehive of activities, in the days leading up to Saturday, November 22, 2025 – and for good reason.
That day was an occasion for the celebration of two important milestones in the life of the Wole Olanipekun Foundation (WOF) – namely, the 29th edition of the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme (WOSS), and the 6th edition of the Wole Olanipekun Foundation Empowerment Programme.
NEWSWIRE Law Events Magazine’s correspondent in Ikere-Ekiti reports that the dual celebrations, which took place on the grounds of Iyaniwura House (the country home of the Foundation’s Initiator and Promoter, Asiwaju Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN, one of Nigeria’s foremost legal luminaries and one-time President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA) recorded a huge turn-out of guests from all walks of life, including thousands of his Ikere townspeople.
The Governor of Ekiti, His Excellency, Biodun Oyebanji was among the notable personalities that graced the event (as he has done, remarkably, in each edition of the WOF Scholarship Scheme and Empowerment Programme since he assumed office in 2023). He was joined by the Deputy-Governor of the state, Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Christiana Afuye. The wife of the Initiator and Promoter (and Erelu of Ikere Kingdom), Princess Omolara Olanipekun, was at her husband’s side at the event.
Other important dignitaries included the Chairman of the ceremony, Otunba (Dr.) Olutoye Ariyo, KSJ; the Chairman of Ikere Local Government Area, Retired Squadron Leader Olu Adamolekun Egbejoda, and the Chairman of Ikere West Local Council Development Area, Hon. Rufus Olorunfemi.
The Royal Father of the Day, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado, Agrilala II, Ogoga of Ikere, led a distinguished retinue of traditional rulers to the ceremony.
In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Wole Olanipekun Foundation, Prince Feyi Ogoji, FCA, said the programmes of WOF and WOSS have succeeding in rewriting the history of thousands of beneficiaries who, he said, had moved from extreme dependence to economic independence. He hailed the ‘caring and compassionate heart’ of Chief Olanipekun, and the untiring support of his wife, Erelu Omolara Olanipekun, in the task of salvaging the fortunes of the most vulnerable members of society, including widows and aged persons – in the Ikere axis and beyond. The various empowerment programmes of WOF and WOSS, Ogoji stated, were aimed at helping young people realize their latent potentials. The various annual grants and awards, he added, have not only galvanized the beneficiaries to channel their energies productively, but also inspired them to become part of the solution to society’s socio-economic challenges.
Ogoji spoke at length on the modalities, details of disbursements and profiles of the beneficiaries of each of the grants and awards of the Foundation as a whole, and the Empowerment Programme and Scholarship Scheme in particular, adding that over the years, the initiative has impacted the following: over 3,274 scholarship beneficiaries; 800 youth entrepreneurship beneficiaries; 600 youths and aged persons; and 2,000 palliative beneficiaries – who span the gamut of the 11 wards in Ikere LGA, religious faiths and denominations, as well as trade associations. There is no discrimination, he said, on the basis of background, political or religious affiliation in the selection of beneficiaries and disbursement of funds. Henceforth, he also disclosed, funds would be paid into the accounts of beneficiaries at the Ikere Microfinance Bank, so as to encourage a savings culture among un-banked beneficiaries and under-served demographics and communities.
Prince Ogoji showered glowing encomiums on his colleagues on the boards of WOF and WOSS for their dedication and commitment in actualizing the objectives of the organizations and the vision of Asiwaju Olanipekun, SAN, CFR. He also paid tribute to the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, as well as Governor Oyebanji for unfailingly lending their esteemed presences at periodic editions of these programmes.
He ended by admonishing the beneficiaries to make the most of the lifelines afford them by this programme. It was an admonition that would be echoed by other speakers throughout the event.
The Initiator and Promoter of WOF and WOSS, Asiwaju Wole Olanipekun, SAN, CFR, took his turn at the podium thereafter. Speaking mostly in Yoruba, he expressed a range of sentiments: He opened by celebrating the exponential increase in the harvest of benefits and disbursements over the years, with more than 4,000 lives touched, talents nurtured, and destinies redirected. In a speech riddled with both scriptural and literary (especially Shakespearean) references and allusions, he asserted the truth of biblical statements calling on each individual to be a shining light in the world, and to be his/her brother’s/sister’s keeper. We are not just to give of our financial resources, he said, but also of our time, energies, education, wisdom, reputation and access. He also dwelt on a number of principles and ideals that have over the years guided his life-journey, impacted his highly successful legal career, and animated his philanthropy. These principles include: charity as a form of justice; giving as grace (not just upon the given, but also upon the giver); building of structures as an expression of sublime wisdom; gratitude for the opportunity to touch lives and thereby build enduring legacies; the world’s need for lifted hands rather than clenched fists, and so forth.
Chief Olanipekun concluded his address by reiterating the call, already made by others, on the beneficiaries to take the dream forward into another generation – and to yet another – and to demonstrate their gratitude in tangible ways.
The Chairman of the ceremony, Dr. Olutoye Ariyo, KSJ also offered his thoughts on the significance of the ceremony, praising the former NBA President for not only coming up with such an impactful initiative, but for also ‘ widening the vision’ over the years – without waiting for government’s assistance. Olanipekun’s actions, Ariyo said, signal the difference between sympathy and responsibility, and between charity as an event and charity as a lifestyle. There is greatness, he added, in the quiet consistency demonstrated by Chief Olanipekun.
Dr. Ariyo drew the biggest applause of the evening when he announced two separate donations of N500m (five hundred million naira) each to WOF and WOSS on behalf of himself and his own foundation.
Also speaking, the Ikere monarch, Oba (Dr.) Samuel Alagbado, reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to be forward-looking as they put their benefits to the best possible use, praying that they, in turn, will do greater things in future than even their benefactor is doing today.
Those views were echoed by the Governor of Ekiti State in his brief remarks. The Almighty God, Gov. Oyebanji said, has created all of us to add value to our lives and to those of others around us. He expressed his personal pride in associating with the activities and programmes of WOF and WOSS, and his determination to continue lending his presence and support for their activities. He also pledged to fulfil all promises he had made to Chief Olanipekun in particular, and to the people of Ikere-Ekiti in general, concerning the infrastructural development of the area, pointing to the various projects his administration had already carried out across the locality. The Ekiti State’s No.1 citizen, who is running for re-election in forthcoming off-year polls, expressed confidence that he’d be able to attend the next events of WOF and WOSS in a dual capacity – as both sitting and incoming Governor.
NEWSWIRE’s correspondent reports that the occasion featured a number of interesting highlights, among them Ewi (traditional Yoruba poetry) performances, as well as cultural dances by various groups of youngsters.
Another highlight was the formal presentation of cheques to the various beneficiaries (students and other youths, widows and aged persons, etc.) by Chief Olanipekun, who was assisted by the Governor, the Chairman of the occasion, the Father of the Day, and others. There was also an unveiling and presentation of palliatives to selected beneficiaries by Princess Omolara Olanipekun.
Goodwill messages by well-wishers, and testimonials of lives and fortunes transformed by beneficiaries, brought the event to a close.
The ceremony was, by the common consensus of a cross section of attendees, another glorious chapter in the success story of an initiative which has, in almost three decades of operation, delivered (with interest) on its founding objectives and evolving mandate – namely, to improve the quality of life of the average Nigerian through targeted interventions such as access to justice; quality healthcare; provision of scholarships for students; support for educational institutions, as well as youth and women development. These interventions are in line with the overarching vision of the WOF and its Founder, which is of a Nigerian nation in which all citizens, irrespective of background, can aspire, and have access, to affordable and quality healthcare, education and equal opportunities to actualize their God-given potentials.
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