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Tag: First Lady

  • First Lady to Nigerians: Politics is over, it’s time for healing

    First Lady to Nigerians: Politics is over, it’s time for healing

    First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Friday, September 8, said the time for politicking is over in Nigeria, adding that it is now time for the prospect seen by the founding fathers of the nation to materialize.

    In a statement issued by her spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady stated this when wives of ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria paid her a congratulatory visit in her office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    She noted that women have a critical role in bringing healing to the nation hence the reason for the RHI reaching out to the displaced people of Mangu in Plateau state.

    Tinubu said: “Our colonial masters saw a prospect in Nigeria and that is why they brought all of us together. It is time for that prospect to materialize now.

    “When we build lives, we are actually building our nation. Politics is over. Every state we want to really affect. We want to go in there because it is our state. Nigeria belongs to all of us.

    “So when we want to begin politics, everybody will go back to their own tents, but right now, Nigeria is more important. It is more important than any party or any political affiliation.”

    The First Lady used the occasion to highlight some of the achievements of the Initiative within the first 100 days of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

    Read Also: My focus is on better life for all Nigerians – First Lady

    They include the award of scholarships to 43 Nigerian students in tertiary institutions, ICT training and empowerment of women within the FCT among others.

    She said: “We have so much work to do together. I expect you all to be available to assist with the work we have to do in Nigeria.

    “There is no gainsaying that families need a better life but how do we go about it? Turning lives around is very important.”

    She, however, urged the ministers’ wives to continue to support their husbands and make them proud at all times.

    In her remarks, the leader of the team and wife of the minister for petroleum Resources, Susan Lokpobiri appealed to the First Lady to have their forum participate in the Renewed Hope Initiative RHI, through capacity utilization.

    “We will continue to support your dreams for Nigeria and support Mr President in the Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigeria.”

    They also congratulated His Excellency President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON for the victory at the Presidential Election Tribunal.

  • My focus is on better life for all Nigerians – First Lady

    My focus is on better life for all Nigerians – First Lady

    The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday in Abuja said that her focus through her national project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), is to make life better for all Nigerians.

    The first lady said this during a courtesy visit by the Honourable Ministers’ Wives Forum led by its convener, Mrs Susan Lokpobiri, wife of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil).

    The first lady further intimated the forum with a rundown of the aims and objectives of the initiative, a brief of all the activities it has carried out so far and planned programmes for the future.

    She mentioned few of this to include, indigent student scholarships, a visit to Nanabery Orphanage, computer training, a proposed partnership with the United Nations, AUDA-NEPAD, UNICEF, and capacity-building training for wives of top government functionaries.

    “In this Tinubu’s administration, we are all into it, hands are full and I expect you all to be  available to assist in all the works we have to do for this country.

    Read Also: First Lady’s initiative partners NEPAD for growth

    “The mission of RHI is better life for all families, there is no family that will say that they don’t need a better life, a lot of people have been saying different things about the way the fuel subsidy removal affects them but we know those people who their shoes actually pinches.

    “These are the people we want to reach out to and see how we can help families, this is the reason why the RHI is focusing on agriculture, education, health, economic empowerment and social investment.

    “When we build lives, we are actually building a nation, because if every life is happy, they will be able to contribute meaningfully to the development of the nation and Nigeria has great prospects.’’

    According to Mrs Tinubu, the RHI is partnering with other organisations to sponsor people in schools.

    “I am more interested in lives than building huge houses.

    “Another one that will interest you which everybody can participate in, for agricultural programme in RHI, we are planning that everyone should have a garden to grow food.

    “Since President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency on food security, therefore, we are encouraging people to start planting in gardens and we are only going to pick one garden as the winner.

    “Therefore, your garden should be able to produce food for you and your neighbour. The best garden will go home with prize money of N20 million  for the winner,” she said.

    Earlier, Lokpobiri hinted that the forum had come to congratulate the first family on the recent victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which she described as “a well-deserved victory”.

    She commended the first lady for supporting her husband in his quest to engage capable hands to constitute the present Federal Executive Council (FEC), for which their respective husbands are direct beneficiaries.

    She pleaded with the first lady to embrace the forum as her own, on all ramifications.

    “It is our desire to continue to participate through capacity utilisation and to contribute meaningfully to all programmes intended to be carried out by your Excellency.

    “We are here to pledge our loyalty to you and to identify with RHI. We wish to emphasise that your cool, calm and noiseless disposition in handling state matters has greatly endeared  you to us in this forum.

    “We are proud of you,’’ she said.

    (NAN)

  • First Lady’s RHI, AUDA-NEPAD plan scholarship for 200 students

    First Lady’s RHI, AUDA-NEPAD plan scholarship for 200 students

    A collaboration between First Lady Oluremi Tinubu‘s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA NEPAD), is set to provide scholarships to 200 Nigerian tertiary students at the African School of Economics.

    A statement issued by First Lady Tinubu’s spokesperson, Busola Kukoyi, indicated that the collaboration was disclosed during a courtesy visit by Ms Gloria Akobundu, the national coordinator of NEPAD and Obinna Obiwulu, the director of communications, African School of Economics (ASE), to the First Lady at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday, September 6.

    As evident from the National Scholarship Programme (NASP), Tertiary Education, the project recently flagged off by The First Lady aimed at providing access to education, is one of the passions of Nigeria’s First Lady.

    Excited to have the partnership, the First Lady described the opportunity for Nigerian students to have entrepreneurial education as what the nation needs at this time when many youths erroneously wait for white-collar jobs after their tertiary education.

    She said: “In the developed world if you are not innovative enough then you will become jobless, so to have a school where entrepreneurship is being driven is very well thought out and commendable of the founder of Princeton University.”

    According to Ms Akobundu, the NEPAD strategic partnership is focusing on various sectors, in line with the objective of AUDA-NEPAD in the area accelerating of economic empowerment for women.

    She said NEPAD is known for partnership with public and private sectors and for governance, development and economic growth which she said are part of the focus that attracted them to work with RHI.

    She said NEPAD which has now been transformed into the African Union Development Agency (AUDA) was a pledge by African leaders based on a common vision to eradicate poverty in the country.

    Read Also: Imo First Lady hosts August meeting

    Akobundu said: “In line with our mandate, AUDA-NEPAD, in partnership with ASE on development, economic and resource mobilisation is offering scholarships to 200 children captioned ‘Sen. Remi Tinubu’s Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative mission.

    “The project is designed to provide equal opportunity of access to the highest global standards of tertiary education to young Nigerians.”

    NEPAD is an economic development programme of the African Union. It was adopted by the African Union at the 37th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia.

    Meanwhile, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, on Wednesday said information regarding activities and intervention programmes by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) will henceforth enjoy wider coverage.

    This is in order to capture more women and other vulnerable groups targeted by the initiative across the country.

    According to another statement by Kukoyi, the Minister stated this during a courtesy call to the First Lady at the Villa.

    Applauding recent interventions by the Initiative, the minister says the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI programmes effectively complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, and as such deserves to be supported.

    He said: “We all know that her role is largely to support Mr. President in the execution of his policies, but she also has her own Initiative. We discussed that and how the Ministry of Information and National Orientation can help in disseminating that to the Nigerian public.”

    This is the first official visit of the minister to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu CON.

  • Governor-elect in search of First Lady takes new wife

    UNKNOWN to many, the success of a governorship candidate in the just concluded elections threw up a completely new challenge for him and members of his family.

    Although the governor-elect was married to a couple of women at the time he won the election, he considered none of them befitting of his new status as the popularly elected executive governor of a state in the Middle Belt zone.

    For a man that had just won a keenly contested governorship election, however, the challenge of sourcing a smooth – talking, delectable, vivacious, trendy, urbane, versatile and learned young woman as his First Lady was certainly not one that was difficult to surmount.

    Pronto, he hit the matrimony market and found his dream girl. Without much ado, she became a new addition to his harem, preparatory to her inauguration as First Lady on May 29.

    As it would be expected, the older wives are said not to have found the development funny and are kicking while the people of the state are wondering if they have not voted a lover boy as their governor. His associates are also perplexed, wondering if he would not be beholden to his new found love during his tenure.

    It all reminds one of a current governor in one of the states in the Northwest who took a similar step soon after he was elected in 2015. The said governor simply went to another state entirely to get a damsel as new wife as then First Lady.

  • First Lady of Kwara meets ‘Diamond in the Sky’ cast

    First Lady of Kwara meets ‘Diamond in the Sky’ cast

    Notable actor and Kwara State Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Femi Adebayo, who is currently working on a movie, Diamond in the Sky, has expressed his gratitude to the First Lady of Kwara State, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed for her support.

    The First Lady recently paid a visit to the set of the movie, where she met with the cast and crew. Adebayo described the visit as a morale booster.

    “It was an honour to have her Excellency, The First Lady of Kwara State and CEO @leahfoundation, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed, pay us a visit on set. Your visit serves as a morale booster for the cast and crew,” he stated.

    The movie features the likes of Toyin Abraham, Teju Babyface, Yvonne Jegede, Bimbo Akintola, and Omowunmi Dada, among others.

    Adebayo revealed that the cast and crew of the movie had a nice time with her Excellency, evidenced in clips they posted on Instagram.

    The movie which is being directed by CEO of Golden Effects Pictures, Kunle Afolayan aims to tackle social issues in the society.

     

  • Rashida Bello spreads her wings

    Rashida Bello spreads her wings

    For the average Kogi woman, the First Lady of Kogi State, Madam Rashida Bello, is like the coming of rain after a prolonged drought. Such is her impact in the life of women and the young in the state in just a short time. Everywhere she goes, she is greeted with songs by happy and excited women who have felt first-hand the impact she is determined to make on their lives.

    No sooner had the youthful wife of Governor Yahaya Bello assumed office than she sprang into action with the launch of the Kogi Women and Youth Advancement Foundation (KOWYAF). It is an initiative aimed at helping women and the youth with means that will make them become self-reliant and gainfully employed indigenes of the Confluence State.

    The career accountant has also established health centres in the three senatorial zones of the state to take care of the masses’ pressing health needs. And while some others in her position would stop there and pat themselves on the back for a job well done, Madam Rashida is not one to rest on her oars. Only recently, she established DROP, a programme aimed at helping women and young ones in the hard-to-reach parts of the state.

    Her numerous empowerment programmes have not only earned her the gratitude of the people, they have also drawn international recognition. Just recently, she was honoured with an award of excellence at the International Women Conference in Dallas, USA.

  • First lady calls for patriotism, prayers

    The President’s wife, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has urged Nigerians to be more patriotic and prayerful in the interest of peace and growth of the country.

    Mrs. Buhari said this in a goodwill message read by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr.Hajo Sani, on yesterday in Abuja.

    “I appeal to all Nigerians to show true sense of patriotism for national cohesion to ensure that Nigeria attains the greatness for which it was destined,” she said.

    She urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President’s well-being.

    According to the president’s wife, the Sallah celebration is imperative as it marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

    “I felicitate with Nigerians and the Muslim Ummah over this opportunity to get closer to Allah,’’ she said.

  • Buhari seeks support for Osinbajo, says First Lady

    Buhari seeks support for Osinbajo, says First Lady

    President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to keep supporting Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
    He also urged Nigerians to continue to be strong in the face of challenges, supporting the Federal Government’s agenda.
    First Lady Aisha Buhari, who returned to Abuja yesterday morning from the United Kingdom where she visited the President, who is on medical leave, brought the message
    A statement by the Director of Information in the Wife of the President’s Office, Suleiman Haruna, said Mrs. Buhari conveyed the appreciation of the President to Nigerians for their prayers.
    The statement quoted her as saying the President would soon return to Nigeria as he is recuperating fast.
    “Mr. President thanked the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for his loyalty and called on Nigerians to continue to support the acting President in his effort to actualise the mandate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC),” she said.
    Mrs. Buhari travelled to the UK last week to spend some time with the President.

  • Edo First Lady launches Child Protection Policy

    Edo First Lady launches Child Protection Policy

    The Wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, on Thursday, launched the Edo Child Protection Policy to strengthen the child protection system in the state.

    Launching the policy book with executive members of the Edo Children Parliament and members of the State’s Child Right Implementation Committee at the Edo State Government House in Benin City, she expressed delight that Edo pioneered the development and launch of such a policy in Nigeria.

    In addition, the governor’s wife noted that the Obaseki-led administration prioritised child protection and provision of quality education for Edo children, as well as vocational education for students to facilitate skill acquisition and self-reliance.

    “This administration wants to produce medium manpower through vocational skills acquisition because when people don’t have skills they are helpless. I will also like the introduction of vocational skills/handwork into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools in the state”, she said.

    Meanwhile, the First Lady commended the proactive steps of members of the Edo Children Parliament to prevent abuse of children’s rights emphasising that the government was set to end child trafficking, strengthen the newly established family court with better staffing and provide help lines for children to report cases of abuses.

    On the nature of the Children Parliament, Mrs Abieyuwa Efeomo, its speaker, revealed that the Parliament was established in 2015, aiming to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, but also called on the government to create awareness about the existence of the Family Court so that abused children could take full advantage of it.

    She also decried the rate of child abuse and rape in the state, calling on the government to act against violence directed at children in the state.

  • Tinubu, Aisha Buhari, Ooni, others bag TELL awards

    Tinubu, Aisha Buhari, Ooni, others bag TELL awards

    The maiden edition of the Annual TELL Awards for Excellence will hold on June 17 at the Civic Center, Ozumba, Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    It is organised by TELL Communications Limited, publishers of TELL magazine.

    President and Chief Executive of TELL Communications Limited, Mr. Nosa Igiebor, said the selection and voting processes were opened to the public to ensure transparency, credibility and fairness.

    The Tell Man of the Year awards will go to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, and His Royal Highness, Sarkin Kano, Emir Muhammad Sanusi 11.

    Tell Woman of the Year is the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

    Governor of the Year is Cross River State Prof. Ben Ayade and Borno State Gov. Kashim Shettima.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the winner of the National Icon of Democracy award.

    Other winners are Air Peace Airline, as well as post-humous awards for the late Dele Giwa and the late Chief Gani Fawehimi (SAN), among others.