First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has rallied Wives of State Governors to take bold, independent action in tackling social vices and economic challenges.
She made the call while speaking at the First Quarterly Meeting of Wives of State Governors for the year 2026.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu urged them to prioritise youth empowerment, women’s skills development, and grassroots interventions tailored to the unique needs of their respective states.
Drawing from her tenure as First Lady of Lagos State, she shared how initiatives such as the Spelling Bee Competition encouraged children to remain in public schools, thereby complementing government efforts in the education sector.
She noted that her previous projects—including the Musical Fiesta and the Leadership Academy for Girls, which began with just 20 participants—served as successful models, encouraging similar self-reliance initiatives across the states, even with the support of the Federal Government.
“It’s like giving birth to a baby—the teething stage and learning how to walk. After a while, the baby is supposed to walk unaided, and that is what I want to see. I expect them (wives of state governors) to do what they are supposed to do.”
The First Lady commended state-specific initiatives such as Ekiti State’s Adire Fabric Hub and encouraged other states to identify and develop sectors where they have comparative advantages. She called for large-scale cassava production in suitable areas and smoked fish processing in riverine communities. She also encouraged the introduction of boy-child mentoring programmes similar to the one currently being implemented in Lagos State to help reshape the mindset of young boys.
“Encouraging women to produce cassava on a large scale… those in the riverine areas, we want to see them doing smoked fish.”
The meeting featured progress updates from the Wives of State Governors and mapped out programmes for 2026, including the launch of the National Community Food Bank in April across the six geopolitical zones.
Linked to Primary Health Care Centres, the Food Bank will provide nutritional supplements for malnourished children between the ages of 0 and 6 years and pregnant women, supported by a newly established trust fund.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu stressed that child nutrition is non-negotiable.
“We are going to start on child nutrition. We are going to go at it aggressively… It is sad for a nation like ours to still be talking about child malnutrition at this level.”
Environmental sustainability also featured prominently at the meeting, with the First Lady appealing to the Wives of State Governors to immediately establish environmental clubs in their states. She also urged youth groups to plant trees and intensify efforts to combat plastic pollution ahead of 15 July 2026.
She applauded the overwhelming response to the National Library Fund, driven by the Wives of State Governors, describing it as a generational legacy that every Nigerian should take pride in supporting.
The First Lady also highlighted the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) National Scholarship Programme, scheduled for September, and urged states to ensure the early submission of examination results. She also spoke on the Elderly Support Scheme, coming up in December, challenging states to surpass the RHI target of 250 beneficiaries per state, each receiving a ₦100,000 grant, medical screenings, and other support services.
She further announced activities planned for International Day of Persons with Disabilities, including the launch of the Persons with Disabilities Support Programme and the Business Recapitalisation Grants Scheme.
She also highlighted education interventions, which include the distribution of books, pencils, crayons, and other learning materials to schools.
SIGNED
Busola Kukoyi
Senior Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Thursday, 5 March 2026
