By sdnonline

Friends and associates including an assemblage of journalists will be gathering at a posthumous birthday to honour late Mrs. Aramide Oikelome, former Religion Editor of Independent Newspapers Limited. Mrs. Oikelome, who until her death in June this year was a Girls’ Right Advocate and Founder, Girls Arise Initiative, in addition to running Goshen Home & Orphanage, among other initiatives.

The posthumous birthday event, organised by her family holds on Saturday, November 28.

The program, which is billed to hold at the Father’s House Church, 90, Ajayi Farm, Akute by 9am will witness a variety of events such as music ministrations and performances, tributes and the unveiling of Aramide Global Girls Arise Initiative.

Expected guests include Rev Richard Udoh, the General Overseer of the Father’s House; Pastor (Mrs.) Nike Lamai; Tony Ademuyiwa/Biodun Adebiyi; Girls Arise Team; Funmi Sax; Goshen Children Choir; ministers from Men of Purpose Ministry; Best spring Board of Trustees; Best spring choir, Pat Uwaje King among others.

Elizabeth Aramide Kehinde Oikelome, who died on Friday, June 19, 2020, after a brief illness, was a Media Practitioner and Media Consultant. She was a journalist with over 20 years cognate experience garnered from both private and mainstream media.

She worked as the Head of the Religious Desk in Daily Independent before she resigned few years ago.

A Girls’ Right Advocate and Founder, Girls Arise Initiative, Aramide Oikelome was at the forefront of the vanguard to safeguard the girl-child against all forms of abuse and provided a safe space for her conquer all obstacles and maximize her potentials. She promoted advocacy against early child marriage, child-labour, rape, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation that tend to keep the girl-child down and out.  

Through Girls’ Arise Initiative, she inspired and supports girls to acquire good education and build life skills in spite of financial hardship and cultural barriers. She believed that girls should be resilient in pursuing a great career/leadership opportunity despite all odds.

By extension, she also ran an Adolescent Mothers Club to bring healing to pregnant girls, teenage mothers/out of school girls and builds a strong support system for them by giving them a second chance to rebuild their lives through education and economic empowerment.

Aramide Oikelome was a woman of many parts- a wife, mother, sister, friend, journalist, public speaker, counselor, Child’s Rights Advocate, Girls’ Right Advocate, Care-giver, Philanthropist, Social Entrepreneur and much more.