First Lady challenges Governors’ Wives to empower grassroots

2026-03-05 - 15:37

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA—The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday issued a stern call to action at the first quarter meeting of state first ladies and Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) coordinators. She demanded they prove their mettle amid national challenges or forfeit the prestigious title of “First Lady”. Senator Tinubu urged state first ladies to take bold, independent action against social and economic hardships. She likened the RHI to a child learning to walk unaided. Frowning at excuses amid issues like banditry and kidnapping, she called for prioritizing youth empowerment, women’s skills training, and grassroots interventions tailored to their regions. Drawing from her tenure as Lagos First Lady, Mrs. Tinubu shared how initiatives like Spelling Bee competitions kept children in public schools despite dilapidated infrastructure, subtly complementing government efforts. The First Lady outlined ambitious 2026 programs, including a National Community Food Bank launch in April across the six geopolitical zones. Linked to primary healthcare centers, the food bank will supply nutritional supplements for malnourished children aged 0-6 and pregnant women, backed by a new trust fund. She stressed that child nutrition is non-negotiable, saying: “As usual, we are going to start on child nutrition. We are going to go at it aggressively. It is sad for a nation like ours to still be talking about child malnutrition at this level.” She commended some state first ladies for specific efforts, such as Ekiti’s adire fabric hub, and called for large-scale cassava production or smoked fish processing in riverine areas. She also encouraged boy-child mentoring programs like Lagos’ ongoing initiative to reshape mindsets. Tinubu spotlighted agriculture and small enterprises for women, noting: “Encouraging women to produce cassava on a large scale... those in riverine areas, we want to see them doing smoked fish.” She also highlighted the RHI National Scholarship Programme launching in September (urging early submission of results); the Elderly Support Scheme in December, challenging states to exceed the national target of 250 beneficiaries each with N100,000 grants, medical screenings, and more; and initiatives for International Disability Day, including support for persons with disabilities and Business Recapitalization Grants. Tinubu spotlighted successes like her Spelling Bee in Lagos—launched amid dilapidated schools to incentivize public education—alongside musical fiestas and girls’ leadership academies that started with just 20 participants. She urged states to replicate such grassroots innovations, stressing: “Despite what we are doing nationally, I expect them to handle their states.” Child nutrition emerged as the meeting’s top priority and vowed relentless action against malnutrition. Senator Oluremi Tinubu said: “Why would we be talking about child malnutrition at this level? We want to make sure we tackle it as much as we can.” She said she was expecting tangible stories of self-reliance from attendees, warning that RHI’s impact must ripple independently—even “trickling down to the states.” Tinubu praised Mrs. Shetimatu’s past tenure as First Lady, while challenging all to inspire youth mentoring, economic hubs, and self-sufficiency. “We, as mothers, can encourage young people... to be self-reliant,” she said, setting a high bar for RHI’s next phase.