Mrs Funmi Falana, Mr Femi Falana, SAN with other prominent guests at the ceremonyWomen Empowerment and Legal Aid promoted by a Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Mrs Funmi Falana, has trained over 80 individuals in it’s empowerment program, just as Falana named a facility in honour of a student of Dowen College, Lekki in Lagos, Sylvester Oromoni, who died mysteriously after he was bullied and allegedly poisoned with a substance last year
Oromoni, 12, a student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos died on 30 November 2021.
Speaking at the commissioning of the gigantic edifice in Otubu area of Agege, Lagos, Falana said the graduation ceremony that goes along with the building dedication was the fourth vocational training graduation in the series.
Falana stated that 30 students who benefitted from the different batches of training conducted in fashion design, hairdressing, make-up and cosmetics shoemaking, photography catering, soap making and fish farming etc, graduated from the centre this year.
She added that 80 students graduated last year in the former place they were using before they launched the WELA home and that the organisation from next year will graduate 150 students who will be trained in two tranches of 75.
According to her after graduation, the students will also be given the necessary equipment and capital to start their businesses.
“It is important to add that WEAL’s efforts in vocational training have encompasses both the male and female genders and this has informed an evolution in the nonprofit. Thus, WELA has advanced to protect not only women’s and girls’ rights but now advocates for equal gender rights for everyone who has suffered abuse of any kind.
“The vocational training will last for six months while the makeshift home will only accommodate people for three months. It’s a makeshift shelter for people who have been disconnected from their homes and so they need time to stay and get rehabilitated with their families and get proper accommodation for themselves.
“We are not going to take anybody in the home for more than three months. Because while they are here for three months we will also try to train them to be able to get a skill they can use to earn a living,” she said.
Falana who named a room after the late Oromoni in her newly commissioned vocational training centre and makeshift home said that Oromoni was a victim of societal violence.
She said, “Oromoni died as a result of violence in the society so he is a victim of society and so we have decided to name one of the rooms after him.”
On the commemoration of the celebration of International Human Rights Day with the theme: Dignity Liberty and Justice for All, Falana said the WELA’s theme is equal rights and equal opportunity for men and women.
She explained that was the reason they are at Agege, adding that when talking about victims of violence in society few men are also victims but unfortunately many of them don’t get to speak out because of ego some women don’t get to speak out because of stigma
“We recognise the fact that there are men who may be undergoing domestic violence so our services are not just limited to them but to everyone that needs these services. And so we are for the oppressed masses of the country not a segment of the masses but the entire masses”, she stated.
