News

How I Drove From Ogun To Gombe —21-yr-old Female Truck Driver

Published

3 years ago

June 9, 2023

Editor

A 21-year-old female truck driver, Ms Omolade Ademola, from Ogbomosho, Oyo State, said the longest journey she drove was from Ogun State to Gombe State, in her three-year experience in truck driving.

The young lady learnt truck driving in the Ajah-Eleko area of Lagos State, after her senior secondary school examination, SSCE, adding that she has driven to Akure, Ilorin and Osogbo, which are capital cities of Ondo, Kwara, and Osun states, respectively.

She made this known in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, adding that driving has been her passion since childhood.

“I started driving three years back. I love driving, so it is what I love to do. My name is Omolade. I’m a female truck driver. I started driving a truck three years back. I learnt how to drive a truck along the Ajah area to the Eleko axis to Ijebu-Ode, in Ogun State. I grew up in Ogun state,” Ademola said.

“I usually go to Akure, Ilorin and Osogbo. I’ve gone to Gombe State and this was the longest journey I’ve covered. It was not my truck, but I drove another truck down there, though I wasn’t the only one. All I have trained about is the length of the truck. Right from the beginning, my focus is truck. It is what I wish to do that is why I’m not scared. I love driving very well.”

She further said that driving is her passion. And that her parents opposed the idea of driving a truck for a living when she initially told them. But, she did not relent in learning it, and her friends are interested in learning how to drive now.

“Driving is my passion. I don’t really know what led me there. Driving is my hobby. I stopped my education at SS3. After that, I told my friend that I wanted to learn how to drive a truck. I told my family too, and they all thought I was joking. They first asked me not to do it, and when they saw my seriousness, they obliged me.

“Initially, my parents were scared, but when they observed it was what I wanted to do and that it was my passion, they asked me to go ahead. I resisted their discouragement, and they allowed me eventually. My friends thought I was joking or that I was driving for fun, they didn’t know I was serious about it.

“Most of my friends that initially tried to talk me out of it are now coming to say I should teach them how to drive,” she said.

Talking about the challenges, she said they are ordinary daily odds of life such as having a flat tyre, except if she wants to urinate while in the traffic on the highway.

“There are many challenges just like when there is traffic on the road, and I want to pee. There are a lot of people that would be looking at me as to who is this young girl jumping out of a truck. Another challenge is having a flat tyre or when my truck breaks down. But, I don’t see them as challenges, I see them as part of my daily work,” Ademola added.
VANGUARD

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

4 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.