**With BTO’s Support, We Are Showcasing Tinubu’s Scorecard to Nigerians — Saka Yusuf – Ogunleye
Akungba-Akoko, a bustling university town in Akungba-Akoko, came alive on Saturday as traders and residents thronged the main market for the Asiwaju Tiwantiwa Market Outreach, popularly known as E-Lo-So-Loja.
The outreach, organised by the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT), Ondo State chapter, and sponsored by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is part of a broader grassroots mobilisation and economic support initiative targeted at market women and small-scale traders.
The event, held at the Akungba-Akoko Main Market in Akoko South West Local Government Area, drew a large crowd, creating a vibrant atmosphere as the outreach team engaged directly with traders, market leaders and residents.
Beneficiaries received cash grants aimed at supporting and expanding their businesses, a move organisers said is designed to stimulate local economic activity and strengthen community-based enterprises.
Speaking at the event, GMT Director General, Hon. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the initiative is part of a statewide campaign to sensitise citizens on the policies and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are here in Akoko after visiting Akure and Ondo. Our goal is to empower market women while informing them about what President Tinubu has achieved in the last two years, particularly his economic reforms and long-term vision for Nigeria,” he said.
Yusuf-Ogunleye noted that Ondo State recorded significant voter support for Tinubu in the last general election, adding that the group is intensifying grassroots engagement through local language communication and continuous community outreach.
He attributed the success of the programme to the support of Tunji-Ojo, whose backing, he said, has enabled the group to extend its activities across communities in the state.
Also speaking, GMT State Secretary, Hon. Rasheed Badmus, expressed confidence in the long-term impact of the administration’s economic reforms, especially the removal of fuel subsidy.
According to him, the policy has helped eliminate petrol scarcity and increased revenue allocations to subnational governments, thereby enhancing their capacity to deliver infrastructure and development projects.
Badmus pointed to ongoing national infrastructure initiatives, including major road constructions and the Lagos–Port Harcourt coastal highway, as indicators of the administration’s commitment to economic growth.
In her remarks, the coordinating chairman of the outreach, Deaconess Lola Fagbemi, urged market women to sustain their support for President Tinubu, describing them as key drivers of grassroots economic development.
She encouraged beneficiaries to invest the financial assistance prudently to improve productivity and ensure long-term business sustainability.
Fagbemi also commended Tunji-Ojo and the GMT for combining economic empowerment with political sensitisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Aminu Deborah Ewatomi, described the initiative as timely, noting that the support would go a long way in strengthening small businesses at the grassroots level.
The event was attended by GMT coordinators from across the Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State, including representatives from Akoko South East, Akoko South West and Owo, as well as women leaders and other stakeholders.
