Decade after passing, Queen Erediauwa’s Legacy continues through OLEEF—Ebhodaghe

Ten years after the death of Queen Oloi Evbagharu Erediauwa, members of the Benin Royal Family and other dignitaries have celebrated her enduring humanitarian legacy through the Oloi Erediauwa Empowerment Foundation (OLEEF)

Speaking at an event commemorating the 10th anniversary of the queen’s transition and the third anniversary of OLEEF, a member of the foundation’s Board of Trustees and husband of the queen’s first daughter, Pastor Sylvester Ebhodaghe, said her commitment to the less privileged continues to inspire the foundation’s humanitarian interventions.

Pastor Ebhodaghe who is the publisher of Nationaldailyng.com/National Standard magazine, drew parallels between the late queen’s life and Michael Jackson’s famous song, Man in the Mirror, which challenges individuals to look inward and contribute to making society better.

He said the late queen, who was one of the beloved wives of the late Oba Erediauwa, was deeply concerned about the plight of disadvantaged people despite her privileged position as a member of the royal household.

According to him, the queen’s compassion for orphans, vulnerable children and other disadvantaged members of society motivated her family to establish OLEEF in 2023, seven years after her death.

He said the foundation was created to preserve the queen’s legacy of compassion, service and commitment to community development.

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Pastor Ebhodaghe explained that the foundation’s interventions had expanded significantly since its establishment, with programmes covering education, healthcare, women’s empowerment and vocational training.

He said the scholarship programme initially launched with N100,000 awards to indigent students from each of Edo State’s three senatorial districts had subsequently been expanded to reach more beneficiaries.

According to him, OLEEF has also provided financial assistance, primary healthcare interventions and educational opportunities to Nigerian children and youths who lack the economic resources to pursue their academic and vocational aspirations.

Highlighting the foundation’s healthcare interventions, Ebhodaghe said free cataract surgeries and comprehensive eye-care services had been provided to hundreds of beneficiaries across communities in Edo State.

He added that 100 pairs of prescription glasses were distributed to schoolchildren, while 200 reading glasses were provided to adults following eye screening at the event.

Beneficiaries who underwent surgery were also provided with post-operative medication, he said.

Beyond healthcare and education, Pastor Ebhodaghe said the foundation had trained hundreds of beneficiaries in fashion design, baking, confectionery, hairdressing and other vocational skills, with some subsequently receiving support to establish their businesses.

He said the interventions reflected the values the late queen demonstrated throughout her lifetime.

Chairman of the OLEEF Board of Trustees, Mrs Joyce Ojemudia, said the foundation was determined to ensure that the late queen’s humanitarian legacy remained alive.

Ojemudia described education as critical to the future of every child and called for greater collaboration and sponsorship to expand the foundation’s programmes.

She said the foundation would continue to work towards ensuring that children within its reach were not deprived of educational opportunities because of poverty.

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Former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro, also called for increased support for the foundation.

Otuaro said the late queen lived a life dedicated to God and humanity, adding that supporting OLEEF would help extend the impact of the values she represented.

He urged stakeholders to support the foundation so that more disadvantaged children could benefit from its programmes.

The Vice-Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Sam Guobadia, said non-governmental organisations such as OLEEF were increasingly important in addressing social needs that government alone could not adequately meet.

Guobadia said the late queen’s commitment to supporting orphans and disadvantaged children provided an example of how individuals and organisations could contribute to social development.

He urged stakeholders to sustain the values of compassion and sacrifice associated with her legacy.

Member of the House of Representatives representing Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency, Billy Osawaru, commended the foundation and pledged to explore ways of incorporating some of his constituency projects into its programmes.

Osawaru described OLEEF as a valuable initiative for the Benin Kingdom and urged stakeholders to sustain its activities.

Former Lagos State lawmaker Segun Olulade also called for increased support, noting that the foundation’s programmes required substantial resources to reach more beneficiaries.

The event was attended by representatives of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa; Senator Ehigie Uzamere; former Delta State Deputy Governor Kingsley Burutu Otuaro; former Bendel State Commissioner for Information Goodwill Ogboghodo; palace chiefs, members of the Benin Royal Family and other dignitaries.

Established in 2023, OLEEF has continued to honour the memory of Oloi Evbagharu Erediauwa through interventions targeting education, healthcare, women’s empowerment and vulnerable members of society.

For Ebhodaghe and other speakers at the event, the late queen’s physical absence has not ended the impact of her humanitarian work.

Her legacy, they noted, continues through the lives being touched by the foundation established in her memory.