First lady project to the rescue

Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) set to empower women, touch lives across Nigeria


Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has said that she is determined to change the ugly narrative of women being financially disadvantaged and thus, unable to stand the vagaries of lives. In saying this, she has a clear cut view of how she intends to go about it and has therefore, identified the areas that she can intervene to mitigate the narrative and upturn the apple chart. She identified skill acquisition, education, enlightenment, empowerment, digital literacy and ICT proficiency as some of the areas that women need to be exposed so that they can be independent.

She captured the essence of her pet project thus: “This programme represents a critical step in this direction. It also aligns with two priority areas of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The first one being the investment in digital economy to empower Nigerians with new skills and also sustain jobs. Secondly, to drive women empowerment to champion equity and parity across every facet of our lives” Following this, the wife of the president, on Friday, July 14, 2023 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), her pet project.

At the meeting held in her office at the Presidential Villa, Mrs Tinubu congratulated the governors’ wives on the successful conduct of the 2023 elections, which brought their husbands to the office and reminded them that it was time to keep promises made during the elections. She solicited for their support to reach every nook and cranny of the country in the execution of the project, noting that looking at the past can most assuredly chart a path for the present and future, and this can best be done collectively for better and more sustainable impact.

Mrs Tinubu, a former senator and first lady of Lagos State, assured the governors’ wives that the RHI would not interfere with their personal programs and projects and that she believes 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,” she said.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the wife of Kwara State Governor, assured of the willingness and commitment of the wives of the governors to support RHI, stating that they will go back and elect zonal coordinators to take the mantle to ensure that the grassroots are reached. Mrs AbdulRazaq also confirmed that RHI would not affect their projects in their various states but instead complement their own efforts. Also, in keeping with its mandate of empowering Nigerian women with enabling skills, the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady has graduated the first set of beneficiaries of its Women ICT Training and Empowerment Programme.

The training had no fewer than 35 women drawn from across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The First Lady in her address congratulated the participants and applauded the director general and his team of facilitators for the success of the training. She emphasised the importance of digital literacy and its role in fostering economic independence, noting that these skills are indispensable tools for driving growth and innovation”.

“Also, the importance of digital literacy and its role in fostering economic independence cannot be overemphasised. In a world driven by technology, these skills empower women to take control of their lives, contribute to their communities and seize opportunities. “As we celebrate the successful conclusion of this programme, I extend my congratulations to all participants. You have exhibited resilience, determination and a hunger for knowledge that will undoubtedly set you on a path of success.” The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Abdullahi, appreciated the First Lady for the opportunity given to work with the RHI.

“Thank you for protecting all the vulnerable Nigerians. We are blessed to have you as the First Lady and mother of our nation. “The participants, your daughters are graduating today taking home five major things. They are all equipped with digital literacy and ICT proficiency, they are going home empowered to safely and responsibly use digital platforms. They also master digital marketing on how to be able to use social media to sell their products and services.

“You are also enlightened on how to be part of gig economy, you learnt skills on how to work remotely and earn money; you also learnt how to use productivity tools and lastly they were empowered on how to network. They are going back home with a laptop and N100, 000.00. “The First Lady has agreed with us to work and collaborate with Renewed Hope Initiative to craft a national digital gender inclusion strategy in order to bring you at parity with the men to benefit from digital economy”.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, also promised to work with the Initiative in ensuring that the training is extended to millions of women across the country. He said the programme was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for women inclusion and empowerment among others. “I want to extend my appreciation to the visionary of this initiative, our First Lady. Your unwavering commitment to empowerment and progress has charted the course for change for all the members of this cohort. This is a programme that we hope we can partner with you to actually scale significantly.

“I’m a big believer in the fact that we have to empower women because there is something that works really well for me, women are empathetic and when you have women around you, it is about the good for people not ego, this is why it is important the role you are playing in the society. “I must also acknowledge the DG of NITDA and his team for their role in bringing this programme to fruition. “Women empowerment is fundamental for the development and growth of every society. There is actually no any individual that was not raised by a woman. By empowering women, we unlock the unique creativity and innovation that can enrich every aspect of our lives. “It is well documented that when we provide equal access to education resources and opportunities, that it becomes architect of positive change, changing the trajectory of economic progress, social harmony and sustainable development”.

On behalf of other participants, Nkiru Ogbuli, a graphic designer, expressed gratitude to the first lady for keeping her promise of empowering women and explained that the program has expanded her knowledge and provided her with opportunities she wouldn’t have known existed. Another beneficiary, Promise Ogbuehia, a makeup artist, says the training is not only beneficial for her but also the people she would subsequently teach in order to impact them with knowledge she has gathered.

The First Lady, alongside the minister then handed certificates, brand new laptops and N100,000 intervention grant to each of the graduates. In continuation of her advocacy and to ensure that all the critical stakeholders buy into the project and take the message to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, urged Nigerians to look forward to a greater and better country under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

She urged Nigerians to look beyond the present situation in the country and see the bigger picture which has light at the end of the tunnel. She said this while addressing Wives of Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police led by the wife of Chief of Defence Staff and President, Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), Mrs Oghogho Musa. The First Lady assured that her husband, President Tinubu’s administration is doing everything possible to ensure that it cushions the effects of the removal of payment on fuel subsidy until the gains of the policy begins to materialize. Tinubu said that her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is also supporting the government in this regard and that is why she is soliciting the support of the wives of the Service Chiefs.

“We will need your various Associations from time to time, at least to be able to reach out women in your various barracks, to reassure them that we mean well for this country,” the First Lady said. “They should be patient and whatever we can do to ameliorate what the subsidy has meted to us; we believe there is always light at the end of the tunnel. “It is a greater Nigeria we are looking out for and it is a legacy that our children and generations yet unborn, we would leave a Nigeria we can relate better as Nigerians and also look for the good of this nation and the wealth of this country can be greater enhanced,” she said.

The First Lady also promised that the RHI would soon be reaching out to vulnerable widows of fallen officers in the military. Earlier, the leader of the delegation, wife of the Chief of Defence Staff and President, Defence and POWA, Musa assured that the various Associations under Defence and Police Officers wives are poised to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in all areas of its scope of coverage namely Agriculture, Education, Health, Economic Empowerment and Social Investment. She said this is importantly so because these are all areas of interest to all the Associations.

The First lady was then decorated as the Grand Matron of the Defence and Police Officers Wives Association which is as enshrined in the constitution of the various associations.