The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on the National Assembly to provide constitutional recognition and support for the Office of the First Lady at both federal and state levels, similar to the structure in the United States.
Speaking with newsmen after her second quarterly meeting with Wives of State Governors and Coordinators of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) at the State House, Abuja, the First Lady said institutional backing would enhance the capacity of First Ladies to make meaningful impact across the country.
“We are wives; we want to see our husbands succeed. They are like trees, and we are the branches that perch on them. We want to help as much as we can,” she said.
Senator Tinubu highlighted some of the achievements of the RHI in the past two years, stressing that while the initiative has done a lot with limited resources, increased support would allow it to reach even more beneficiaries.
“Through RHI, we have supported as many people as possible within our means. For instance, we awarded scholarships worth N1 million each to 47 indigent students. We could have done more if we had more resources,” she said.
Reflecting on the broader vision of the Renewed Hope Initiative, the First Lady said the goal is to uplift the vulnerable, one life at a time.
“We are helping those who are less privileged. Nigeria is blessed with resources. What we need is to harness them effectively and focus on doing what is within our capacity to make society better,” she added.
Reacting to recent violent incidents in parts of the country, including Borno and Plateau States, Senator Tinubu condemned the resurgence of attacks, describing them as evil and deeply unfortunate.
“As mothers and women, we must intensify prayers for our nation. These killings are not new, but why are they resurfacing now, just as things are beginning to look up?” she asked. “We must all contribute our part. Nigeria needs our prayers.”
Earlier in the meeting, the First Lady commended the Wives of State Governors for their complementary efforts and urged them to deepen their advocacy, particularly in public health campaigns against HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Syphilis, Tuberculosis, and Cervical Cancer.
She announced the upcoming launch of the “Flow With Confidence” initiative, aimed at supporting adolescent girls in rural areas with access to sanitary products. Each state, she said, will receive 10,000 cartons of disposable sanitary pads for distribution.
In addition, she revealed plans to unveil the RHI Environment Club/Society as part of a broader strategy to engage communities on environmental issues.
The meeting was attended by the Wife of the Vice President, the Wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Wife of the Deputy Senate President, and 24 State Governors’ Wives.
