Theme: Women Empowerment and Inclusion
For Hon. Bolanle Aminat Sarumi (BASA), women empowerment is not a slogan — it is a mission deeply woven into her life’s work. She believes that no society can truly progress when half of its population is left behind.
Across Oyo State and beyond, BASA has stood out as one of the few female political figures who has consistently championed the inclusion of women in governance, business, and leadership. She understands the struggles women face — the cultural barriers, the economic hurdles, and the limited access to opportunities — and she has made it her duty to challenge these limitations.
As Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, BASA played a vital role in reconnecting Oyo indigenes abroad with home-based opportunities. She successfully facilitated diaspora-driven empowerment initiatives that benefited women and youth in local communities, bridging the gap between Oyo State citizens overseas and their grassroots counterparts. Her office championed investment talks, mentorship programs, and welfare support for families of Oyo indigenes abroad — particularly women who were single mothers or breadwinners.
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Through the BASA Foundation, she has also initiated several programs aimed at empowering women to be self-reliant. From market sensitisation campaigns to small-scale business support, and from healthcare outreach to skills development initiatives, her interventions are practical, people-focused, and sustainable.
BASA believes that empowering a woman means empowering a family, a community, and a generation. She often says, “When you train a woman, you build a nation,” a statement that guides her daily advocacy for gender balance in decision-making spaces.
Her commitment to women’s inclusion is also reflected in her leadership style. She mentors young women to see politics as service, not competition, encouraging them to rise above stereotypes and claim their rightful place in nation-building.
For BASA, every empowered woman becomes a ripple of hope that transforms her surroundings. Her vision is clear — a society where women are not spectators in development but active architects of change.
Indeed, Hon. Bolanle Aminat Sarumi is not only a voice for the grassroots; she is a voice for every woman who dares to dream, lead, and make a difference.
