News

Coca-Cola’s Catalyst For Change 2.0 Drives Women Empowerment in Lagos, Empowers 1062

Published

4 years ago

May 18, 2022

L-R: Olubukola Bamiduro, Founder, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation; Femi Bamiduro, Chairman, Karis and Eleos Foundation; Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, Director, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria; Frank Alarapon, Head, Retail Segments, Wema Bank at the closing ceremony of the 4th series of the Catalyst for Change 2.0 initiative at the Onigbongbo Community, Lagos, May 11th, 2022.

The community of Onigbongbo, Lagos, was in a joyous mood on Wednesday, May 18, as 1062 women were equipped with transformative skills through the Coca-Cola Foundation-funded women empowerment initiative, Catalyst for Change 2.0, to enhance their economic standards and quality of life for themselves and their families.

The graduation ceremony, held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Maryland, marked the conclusion of another edition of the initiative in Lagos, bringing the total number of empowered communities in Lagos to 9 out of 10.

Catalyst for Change 2.0 is one of Coca Cola’s several women empowerment and youth development initiatives, and has delivered economic empowerment to a total of 9,062 women through vocational skills such as pastry making, shoemaking, fashion designing, makeup artistry, wig making, tie and dye, household essentials and bag making.

Participants in financial literacy and business management classes learned about bookkeeping, personal and product branding, social media management, and customer relationship management.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, Director, Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, commended the beneficiaries and challenged them to continue using the skills gained through the program.

“I am heartened by the great achievements of previous participants of this program. When women work, economies thrive, and women empowerment increases productivity. The sponsorship of this project is in line with our Africa sustainability platform JAMII focused on wealth creation for women and youths. The system is thrilled about the outcomes and impact stories, and I anticipate that this batch of beneficiaries will attain a better degree of achievement,” she said.

The goal of this initiative, according to Onyemelukwe, is to constantly lower the number of disadvantaged women in the society and integrate them into a growth trajectory that generates value for their families and society.

She added that the recycling knowledge garnered from the training should be capitalized on by the beneficiaries as a supplementary source of income while ensuring community sanitation.

“The Waste to Wealth initiative is one of Coca-Cola’s numerous recycling projects aimed at promoting recycling by collecting PET waste and converting it to monetary value or food items. This practice is a source of value and additional revenue for women who own businesses or work in the corporate sector. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to promote financial inclusion in our society.’’

On her part, Bukola Bamiduro, founder, Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, the programme implementing partner, advised the beneficiaries to continuously create value in their communities through the application and transmission of knowledge while uplifting themselves, thereby leading to the formation of a cycle of trans-generational businesses.

She thanked the Coca-Cola Foundation for financially supporting the project and Wema Bank for the financial opportunities offered to the beneficiaries to ensure a better standard of living.

Amaka Igboaziahia, an outstanding alumna of the Catalyst for Change 2.0 in the Surulere community, recounted her experiences during the occasion.

Igboahazia, who now runs an Ottoman upholstery business as well as a confectionery startup, urged the programme’s participants to make the best use of the tools and skills they gained.

“Rather than sitting passively at home, employ these skills you have gained to construct a better life for yourselves,” she said. I understood what I wanted out of the program from the first day, and I continually enhanced my efforts toward launching my business,” she said.

Also speaking, Adeyemi Adebimpe, a beneficiary from the Onigbongbo community, also conveyed her appreciation to the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Karis and Eleos Foundation for the opportunity.

“I am grateful to both foundations for this life-changing experience, and I can’t wait to start my business with all I’ve learnt. Being a part of this program has transformed my perspective on being self-sufficient, and I intend to pass this information on to other women in my life,” she stated.

Chinyere Nwigwe, another programme beneficiary, expressed confidence in her ability to account for her funds while running her shoe making and fashion designing businesses as a result of the business lessons she took during the program.

So far, a total of 1,800 women have received start up kits/seed capital to start businesses out of the 9,000 women who have participated in the program.

About Coca-Cola Nigeria
Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited is a total beverage company, offering one of the world’s most valuable brands, Coca-Cola. Our company portfolio includes valuable beverage brands, such as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, 5Alive juices, Eva water, Schweppes and Limca. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

News

Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

9 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.

News

Otuaro Tasks Media On Objective Reportage

Published

17 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Dr. Dennis Otuaro has charged media practitioners particularly members of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum to promote ethical journalism through their reportage.

He gave the charge in Warri on Wednesday during the 2nd Annual Ijaw Media Conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF).

Represented by Princewill Binebai, spokesman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Otuaro while stating that the Niger Delta stories have been told in such a way that is quite different from what is obtainable in the real sense, said this, IPF must do everything possible to correct.

The administrator added: “I am happy that Ijaw journalists have boldly come out together to champion the Ijaw struggle in a very dynamic perspective”.

“The Ijaw story was misrepresented over the years, but IPF’s emergence had corrected this error and the story is gradually changing for better.”

Otuaro, however, challenged Ijaw media practitioners to be objective, truthful, accurate and fearless in their reportage to correct many years anomalies of the Ijaw struggle.

He admonished members of IPF to see themselves as brothers and love one another in the discharge of their activities to achieve a common goal.

News

Police Confirm Edo Tanker Explosion, say No Casualty

Published

17 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has confirmed tanker explosions that rocked Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Police Publice Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, who confirmed the incident via the phone, said the explosion occurred at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

Ikoedem said the incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6:30 p.m. following the fall of a fuel tanker along the road.

She explained that spilled fuel seeped into underground tunnels, which later ignited and caused three explosions in different parts of the Auchi community.

According to her, officers from the Auchi Divisional Police Headquarters and the Area Command were mobilised to the affected areas and successfully cordoned them off to prevent loss of lives.

She added: “No casualty was recorded. Our men on ground were able to cordoned the affected areas.”

It was gathered that three separate explosions rocked the town simultaneously in different parts, which led to properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

A resident who does not want his name in print said via the telephone that the blasts occurred along Igbei Road, Igbo Shade, and along the Auchi–Okene Road, close to Winners Junction.

The resident, who alleged the explosions appeared to have been coordinated, called for a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent future occurrences.

Calls put across to Mr. Monday Edogiawere, Chairman, Red Cross, Edo State, were not picked.