Human Capital is the most valuable resource any family, community, society, or nation could ever possess.
The value addition invested in a nation’s human capital has been a major determinant of the contemporary value, influence, relevance, and power any society enjoys.
No wonder it is a recognised norm all over the world that it is the Human Capital or Human Resource that creates and adds values to all other known resources be it material, money, land, technology, infrastructure, and time globally.
The conceptualisation and institution of FOLORUNSO AWOMOLO MENTORSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (FAME) PROJECT by the Mofolorunso Awomolo Foundation is not only welcome but also salutary, desirable, benignant, and beneficent.
The choice of focus on mentorship and entrepreneurship by the foundation should not be a surprise to any Ijesa who is familiar with the colossus pedigree of late Pa Mofolorunso Awomolo in large-scale enterprises in Ijesaland, Nigeria, and the universe.
It is therefore easy to figure out the main objective of the Mofolorunso Awomolo Foundation which is to create many more successful Ijesa Entrepreneurs who would not only rule the business empires in Nigeria but become global wealth creators of far bigger dimensions and scope than our revered late Ijesa Leader who made Ilesa the centrepiece of his business empire.
I therefore wish to commend and congratulate the Late Pa Mofolorunso Awomolo family and the Foundation for not only coming up with this promising and propitious initiative for the benefit of our Youths Start-ups in Ijesaland but also the decision of the Foundation to give back to the society that moulded the progenitor of the dynasty.

FOUR TAKEAWAYS!
First, we have several Ijesa men and women who are sufficiently blessed. Similarly, we have many Royalties, Dynasties, and Families in Ijesaland who are also resources gifted. This is one gesture in which the beneficiaries shall eternally live to keep the names and flags of the family, dynasty, and royalty flying. Those who are reading this piece and are in a position to empower the Human Capital in Ijesaland, please do not hesitate to take action today!

Second, there are many Foundations that were established during the life time of the benefactors or immediately after their passage but a few years thereafter, little or nothing is heard again about their value addition to the society.
This is a clarion call on such non-performing Foundations to kindly come on board again and continue to make their impact felt in Ijesaland.

Third, are the prospective Ijesa Youths beneficiaries. The popular adage says “To whom much is given, much is expected!”. Our Youths in Ijesaland need to take advantage of this fresh window of opportunity to make us proud in Ijesaland. I make bold to say that there’s no community in Nigeria today where all segments of community stakeholders are competing to invest and bequeath a better future to her Youths than Ijesaland. For instance, if it’s not provision of Federal Science and Technical College Scholarship, it is provision of free Agripreneurship Training or provision of free and empowered ICT and Telecommunication Hardware Assemblage and Maintenance Training amongst several other initiatives by Pan-Ijesa Development Bodies, Societies, Clubs, and Associations in addition to those being provided by individuals in Ijesaland. The leadership of the various Youth Bodies in Ijesaland across the six LGAs in Ijesaland needs to assure all the Stakeholders in Ijesaland that they are ready to justify the trust and confidence being reposed in them with these waves of fresh Human Capital Development Initiatives.

Fourth, is advice to the Management of Mofolorunso Awomolo Foundation. Going through the FAME PROJECT’S objective and methodology, I wish to commend the excellent professional inputs of Ilesa Business School for the fantastic technical support in coming up with a specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound mentorship and entrepreneurship proposal.
My advice is that the family of our revered late Ijesa Leader, Pa Mofolorunso Awomolo should continually leverage on the support of Ilesa Business School in order for the Mofolorunso Awomolo Foundation to be around till eternity for the continuous advancement of Human Capital in Ijesaland. We want to see and feel the impact of FAME PROJECT in Ijesaland not for decades but forever!

God bless Mofolorunso Awomolo Foundation!

God bless Ijesaland!

Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi,
The Asiwaju Of Ijesaland,
ICDA CHAIRMAN,
Oke Baba Okuta Villa,Ilesa,
11th March, 2025