Analysis by Celine-Damilola Oyewole, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
“I am here also as a Nigerian to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the country.
“With the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), we shall assist the vulnerable groups; we shall try to see what we can do to naturally meet their needs.
”We hope to take off with unspent funds from the 2023 campaign purse, after which we shall solicit for funds from private organisations, international donors, Non-Governmental Organisations and free will givers.
These were the words of the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu on June 24, 2023 at the State House when she inaugurated her pet project, RHI, designed to cater for vulnerable women, youth and children.
Mrs Tinubu specifically said that the initiative aimed at empowering women, youths and children with focus on five key areas of agriculture, education, economic empowerment, health and social-investment.
To hit the ground running, the first lady on June 24, 2023 constituted a Governing Council Board for the pet project.
Members of the Governing Board include: the First Lady; wife of the vice president, Hajiya Nana Shettima and wife of the Senate President, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio.
Others are; wife of the Chief of Staff, Mrs Salamatu Gbajabiamila; wife of the Imo State governor, Mrs Chioma Uzodinma and the then All Progressive Congress (APC) National Women Leader, Dr Betta Edu.
Two weeks after the inauguration of the board, Mrs Tinubu met with the wives of the 36 State Governors to formally introduce and acquaint them with the objectives and the mission of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
At the meeting Mrs Tinubu reminded the governors’ wives that it was time to keep promises made during the elections.
According to her, she will require their support to reach every nook and cranny of the country.
The First Lady assured the governors’ wives that, the RHI will not in any way interfere with their personal programmes and projects, rather, she believed that their support would be impactful.
“I wish to remind each of us that the exalted positions we are in today should be seen as an opportunity to impact more meaningfully, not only in the lives of people in your states but Nigeria as a whole.”
About two months into its inauguration, RHI had started yielding fruits with the graduation of first set of 35 women on ICT training and empowerment programme.
The training done in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA was in keeping with RHI mandate of empowering Nigerian women with enabling skills.
Mrs Tinubu in her address at the graduation ceremony, emphasised the importance of digital literacy and its role in fostering economic independence, noting that the skills were indispensable tools for driving growth and innovation.
The participants, drawn from across the FCT, were given starter packs which include a laptop and N75, 000 cash to enable them practice what they had learnt.
The first Lady said the training would also assist those already in business to project their businesses to the public, while adding value to the society.
Similarly, in response to the yawning gap in girls’ education, the first Lady through her pet project introduced the Alternative High School for Girls who drop out of schools.
Mrs Tinubu who launched the programme in Oshogbo, said It would offer a second chance opportunity to young girls who dropped out of school to continue their education and fulfill their dreams and aspirations.
“Our girls are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. It is high time we break down barriers that have held them back for long.
“Education is the key weapon that we must use to ensure that every girl is free from discrimination and intimidation,” she said
In addition to declaring support for the Federal Government’s Students Loan Scheme, the first lady, also, through RHI, offered full scholarship opportunities to 200 deserving students across the country to study at the African School of Economics Nigeria.
The school is in affiliation with Princeton University, U.S, under the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership For Africa’s Development-AUDA-NEPAD/RHI Scholarship Programme.
Also, in December 2023, Mrs Tinubu, through RHI, gave scholarship grant of N1 million and a new laptop to each of the five kidnapped undergraduates of Federal University Dutsinma, Katstina state, after they were rescued from their abductors.
Mrs Tinubu also awarded N46 million scholarships to university students who were unable to pay their school fees.
In line with RHI vision of advocating gender equity through inclusive education, Mrs Tinubu championed the #WeAreEqual campaign nationwide, which focuses on education as a powerful tool for change.
The first lady launched the initiative in Abuja when she hosted some first ladies across the African continent at the State House Banquet Hall.
She said the initiative, led by the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAND), will last for one year.
The first lady raised concern over the rate of school dropouts among girls and primary school pupils in Nigeria
In the agriculture sector, the first lady, has, at different occasions, reiterated that her aim is to contribute to food sufficiency in the country by supporting women farmers and encouraging them to expand their agricultural ventures.
To this effect, Mrs Tinubu, launched the RHI–Women Agricultural Support Programme (RHI-WASP) empowering women farmers in each of the 36 states and FCT with N10 million.
The inauguration of the programme and disbursement of the grant was done on geo-political zones basis
Specifically, on April 17, The RHI-WASP was inaugurated simultaneously in four zones of the federation: the Southwest, the Northcentral, the Northeast, the Northwest.
During the launch of the Southwest zone of the programme at June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Mrs Tinubu presented cheques of N10 million to each of the six states in the Southwest – Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti.
She said the money was for onward disbursement to the beneficiaries – 120 women farmers selected across the states who are involved in animal husbandry, poultry farming, and fishery.
The First Lady also gave N100,000 each to 100 physically challenged entrepreneurs to boost their businesses.
“The administration of President Tinubu recognises the pivotal role agriculture plays in achieving sustainable development and ensuring food sufficiency.
“Therefore, the Renewed Hope Initiative commitment to supporting women farmers nationwide aligns with the broader agenda to strengthen agricultural sector
“Today, we are supporting 20 women per states in the Southwest with N500,000 each.
“To this end, a draft cheque of N10 million per state will be handed over to the first ladies who are the Coordinators of this programme in each of the Southwest states for disbursement to the beneficiaries.”
She urged the beneficiaries to expand their farming entrepreneurship, improve their contribution to national and local food production and serve as role models to aspiring women in the country.
Also, during the launch of the Northcentral zone of the programme in Jos, the Plateau State capital, Mrs Tinubu announced the release of N10 million to women farmers in each of the states in the zone.
Twenty women were selected from each of the states in the zone – Kogi; Benue; Plateau; Kwara; Niger; Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – totalling 140 women.
In the Northwest, comprising Kebbi; Katsina; Kaduna; Kano; Jigawa; Sokoto and Zamfara states, held in Birnin-Kebbi, Mrs Tinubu announced a competition, called “Every Home A Garden”.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of House of Representatives Speaker, Hajiya Fatima Tajuddeen Abbas, said the competition was meant “to encourage each Nigerian woman to cultivate a garden at home to feed the family and share with neighbours. We want to see food on every table”.
The winner of the competition, she added, would get N20 million star prize by December 2024.
Also, in the Northeast, which comprises Adamawa; Bauchi; Borno; Gombe; Taraba and Yobe state, held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the First Lady distributed cheques to some of the pre-selected recipients of women farmers and Persons with Disability Small Business Owners in the state.
Mrs Tinubu, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, announced that other upcoming initiatives under the RHI include “Food on EveryTable” and “Young Farmers’ Club”.
In the health sector, the first Lady, in March 2023, donated N1 billion through RHI to support the fight to end the tuberculosis epidemic in Nigeria by 2030.
The event was her investiture as the Global and National Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Champion
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), TB is the second leading infectious killer disease after COVID-19 (above HIV and AIDS). with a total number of 1.3 million people globally died from the disease in 2022.
Similarly, in May, 2024, at the opening ceremony of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Mrs Tinubu openly disclosed her interest in championing the advocacy for cancer awareness and prevention in Nigeria and across Africa.
She reiterated that her pet project, RHI, prioritised support for vulnerable populations, including women and children, who are disproportionately affected by cancer.
The First Lady also assisted victims of natural disaster through her pet project, such as the cash gift of N250,000 to each of the 57 families affected by flood at the Trademore Estate, Lugbe in Abuja
A sum of ₦500 million was also disbursed as relief and resettlement packages to 500 families in Plateau State and other states like Bornu, Kogi, Benue and other states.
One Mrs Olufunke Adeola, a benefactor of RHI training in Lagos said “I was able to start my own business and support my family.
“I want to appreciate the first lady. Thank you ma, for the entrepreneurship training and funding I received from the Renewed Hope Initiative.”
Also, Mrs Nneoma David, an Owweri resident said “”The RHI agricultural support scheme helped me to expand my farm and increase my yield.
“Now, I can feed my family and even sell some produce in the market.”
Similarly, Mrs Fatima Mohammed from Kano said “the education support programme has helped my children to get back to school and now they are doing well in their studies. I want to say thank you to Mama” .
Miss Yinka Oshuniyi, an Abuja resident also commended the first lady, saying “the skills acquisition programme that I attended in 2023 has helped me to learn a new trade and now I am empowered to take care of myself and my family”
The notable activities of the first lady through her pet project, since her husband resumed office as president in 2023 till date, has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of the vulnerable.
She has also ensured that gender inequality and education barriers are completely wiped out in the country by giving several educational supports to the needy.
Mrs Tinubu, no doubt, is walking her talk, to play a supportive role in actualising her husband’s Renewed Hope Agenda. (NANFeature)
**If used, please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria