When the wife of the current Nigerian President, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, mooted her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in 2023 shortly after her husband came into power as Nigeria’s President, few people doubted her capability to deliver on the mandate she mapped out for herself, probably because of her antecedents as First Lady of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.
Since the inaugural board meeting held at the State House, Abuja on July 7, 2023, which culminated in the registration of the RHI as a non-governmental organisation to support economic empowerment, health, education and agriculture across Nigeria on August 9, 2023, it has been laurels upon laurels of achievements that could be hard to beat as Nigeria continues its sojourn as a sovereign country.
Perhaps, the only personality that could come close to Mrs Tinubu in terms of performance could be the late wife of former Military Head of State, Mariam Babangida, famed for her pet project, “Better life for Rural Dwellers”.
Since Senator Oluremi Tinubu opened her doors to her philanthropic gestures at Trademoore Estate in Lugbe, FCT, where she assisted flood victims to pick up the pieces of their lives, over 40million Nigerians, cutting across the 6 geopolitical zones, 37 states including the FCT and 774 Local Government Areas have felt her impact positively and still counting.
Known for her motherly role, she has proven to be a social mobiliser, as she seizes every little opportunity to advise Nigerian women of their enviable place in society and how they should nurture their family to become better citizens and contribute to national growth.
Although she recently drew controversy when she attempted to inspire women to be more industrious through building their financial independence. She still found her way of speaking to their consciences as she preached to them on how little entrepreneurial activities such as engaging in bean cake business could go a long way in salvaging a family from going hungry.
No sooner had she dropped the advice than the naysayers who thrive in dirty politics swung on her, criticising her. As a mature and educated woman that she is, she ignored their tantrums and forged ahead.
What they miss is that in the midst of the controversies, those with discerning minds understood her point and stood firmly to support her idea.
To date, she remains one woman who has initiated laudable agricultural projects through her National Community Food Bank Programme, which she launched to combat child malnutrition and food insecurity for vulnerable households and children under six.
Through her food outreach scheme, she has been able to distribute truckloads of essential food packs to persons with disability and low-income families across numerous states and the FCT.
When she introduced the “Every Home a Garden” competition, it gained traction nationally, as many housewives who used to sit idle and wait for their spouses for even the most basic needs to prepare meals for their family suddenly woke up and started gardens within their immediate environment.
The First Lady’s idea was simply aimed at encouraging home cottage farming to promote household food self-sufficiency, with cash awards reaching up to N20million for winners.
Like I said earlier, her economic empowerment has stood the test of time to become one of the most pragmatic since 1999.
She is renowned for her RHI women & PWD empowerment grants, through which she has disbursed billions of Naira in micro grants such as N1.85billion targeted at persons with disabilities.
Through the Renewed Hope Initiative, she distributed equipment like sewing machines, grinding machines, generators and freezers to petty traders and women entrepreneurs nationwide.
Only recently, she drew applause from Nigerians when she visited the Akwete Weaving Industry in Abia State. While at the state, she doled out N2billion as an intervention fund to help revive the historic Akwete traditional weaving heritage.
Three years down the line, Nigeria’s First Lady’s ingenuity and philanthropic activities have seen her going into partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation to raise N1billion in joint commitment to boost small-scale women-owned businesses across the country.
Not known to settle for less, her love for education and health infrastructure saw her raising over N20 million to support the completion of the long-abandoned National Library headquarters project in Abuja, when she marked her 65th birthday.
The amazon had been to Jigawa State, where she commissioned the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu IT Academy alongside a modern medical dialysis and maternal health clinic.
For a woman not known to rest on her oars, Mrs Tinubu secured international scholarship slots, including partnership deals with (AUDA-NEPAD) and distributed tens of thousands of cartons of sanitary pads “Flow with confidence” to keep young girls in school.
Her care and concerns for the elderly citizens got her conducting nationwide medical outreaches providing free health checks, eye screenings and cash grants of N100,000 per beneficiary for senior citizens aged 65 to 95.
Truth be told, no sane citizen can outrightly come out to say he or she has not benefitted in one way or another from the laudable initiatives of the First Lady.
This, no doubt, has attracted numerous honours and awards to her, with Independent Newspapers Limited, publishers of Daily, Saturday and Sunday Independent, naming her “the 2024 Woman of the Year”.
The award, which she dedicated to vulnerable groups in society, chronicled her contributions to national development as First Lady, a former Senator and a former State governor’s wife, alongside her initiatives supporting women, youth and children.
Beyond this, the Nigerian Red Cross Society decorated her as Grand Matron, while Leadership newspapers named her “Person of the Year” also for her humanitarian interventions through RHI.
Her social and economic exploits as First Lady earned her the title “Ugosimba 1” of Enugu State, from the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council. The chieftaincy title was bestowed on her in appreciation of her nationwide outreach and dedication to vulnerable groups, midwives and health care.
Another subtle quality which she brings into her leadership style of the RHI is her ability to mobilise the wives of state governors to align with her vision of helping the needy. Through her colleagues’ wives of governors, her impact has grown wider.
An Ishekhiri by tribe, from Delta State, she is an ordained pastor under the Redeemed Christian Church of God, a vehicle she also uses to dispense help to Nigerians. Her disposition to help the most vulnerable of society even in the face of economic uncertainty marks her out as a compassionate personality, whose impact may be very difficult to surpass.
NOTE: Views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Theliberationnews
