Goldberg,
the leading culture centric beer brand from the stables of Nigerian Breweries
Plc, on Friday rewarded 28 entrepreneurs and small-scale business
owners operating in Ondo State with a total sum of ₦8.4million throughIsedowo,
its empowerment initiative.
The 28
beneficiaries received a business grant of ₦300,000 each after being selected
from a large pool of over 700 business entries received in the state.
The winners
comprise men and women operating in the catchment area who are skilled in all
forms of handiwork including poultry farming, tie and dye, hand weaving, diesel
injector repair, fashion designing and painting. Participants went through
auditions and screening exercises to be selected for the reward which happened
at a grand ceremony at Fadeolu Guest House in Ondo town.
Emmanuel
Agu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands at Nigerian Breweries
Plc, explained that Goldberg is riding on the platform of Isedowo to
demonstrate its passion towards improving the entrepreneurial drive of youths
in the Southwest. The initiative allows the target groups to nurture business
ideas that would transform into job opportunities, and in turn better the lot
of the region.
“These
grants would encourage more businesses to spring up in the region. As we
fortify more start-ups with the financial wherewithal to gain solid ground of
operations, the beneficiaries would improve the living standards of the
Southwest people by creating more jobs and adding value to their communities,”
he explained.
One of the
beneficiaries, Balogun Wuraola, could not hold her excitement on the night. She
said that as a new business owner, her grant would be invested to expand her
business. “With my ₦300,000, I plan to acquire enlargement and thread rolling
machines, which are important tools in my business. I also need a bigger space
to exhibit my products, which my grant would enable me to achieve,” she said.
Akindeni
Kolawole, a diesel injector repairer, described Goldberg as a “supportive
brand” for coming to the aid of small business owners in the region. “If as
little as 30 percent of all brands in Nigeria can emulate Goldberg by
supporting indigenous business owners in different regions, more youths would
be encouraged to run their own businesses,” Kolawole said.
He further
commended Goldberg for making entrepreneurs in the region to realise that
truly, there is dignity in labour. Kolawole also enjoined all the beneficiaries
to utilise their grant with all sense of purpose as he would, so as to better
the lot of his community through the service he renders.
Later in
the evening, residents of Ondo town trooped to the same venue to witness
the side attractions that came with the reward of the entrepreneurs. The host,
Odunlade Adekola thrilled the crowd with his comic acts. Onimama Fahoziat, 2017
Ariya Repete ‘Fuji’ winner, also thrilled the crowd, while popular
afro-pop musician, Iledare Oluwajuwonlo, known by his stage name of Jaywon,
added spice to the night of fun with his popular hits, which got the audience
soaring in euphoric excitement into the late hours of the night.
Some lucky
guests at the event also went home with bags of rice, kegs of vegetable oil and
other items as they savoured the entertainment with their favourite beer,
Goldberg lager beer.
Before the
Ondo event, 32 artisans had been rewarded in Osun and Ekiti states where the
beneficiaries affirmed that the initiative is laudable and has provided
them huge relief from financial challenges faced in expanding their businesses.
Isedowo is an initiative of Goldberg,
which was launched last August by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi
Ojaja II with the aim of empowering businesses and start-ups with cash reward
to boost their business ventures.
So far, 60
artisans have been rewarded in three Southwest states and Goldberg plans to
support 40 more entrepreneurs with each winner receiving ₦300,000 through the
empowerment scheme.
Ogun and
Oyo States are next in line to be stormed by the brand to select and reward new
set of entrepreneurs.
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