By Our Reporter
In a grand celebration of unity, empowerment, and purpose, the people of Ondo State led by women in vibrant display, rolled out the drums to welcome Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to the state capital, Akure.
The International Event Centre, known as The Dome, was filled to capacity as Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his wife, Oluwaseun, and dignitaries from across the South-West and beyond gathered to receive the First Lady, who visited to launch the regional phase of her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
The visit was far from ceremonial; it was a strategic engagement that touched every critical area of human development from healthcare and education, to agriculture and economic empowerment.
At the heart of the event was the distribution of 10,000 professional kits, including scrubs and Crocs, to nurses and midwives in the region, a gesture the Governor described as a morale booster and a significant step towards improved maternal and child healthcare.
In her remarks, Mrs Tinubu, visibly moved by the reception, announced a raft of impactful programmes under the RHI.
She unveiled Flow with Confidence, a menstrual hygiene campaign targeting the distribution of 10,000 sanitary pads per state to girls in rural communities.
She also pledged a N50 million grant to support rural women in Ondo and empowerment for 200 women in the textile industry.
She passionately addressed the menace of female genital mutilation, describing it as a “harmful and outdated tradition built on myths,” and called for unified action against it.
In meetings with traditional rulers, including the Ondo State Council of Obas and Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, she sought the support of cultural institutions to amplify her advocacy against child-to-mother disease transmission and improve the welfare of women nationwide.
The First Lady further highlighted government-backed agricultural empowerment through the Young Farmers’ Club and Women’s Gardening Initiative, backed by a substantial N400 billion intervention fund.
Each state’s First Lady, she noted, received N68.9 million to boost women’s participation in agriculture.
Education also featured prominently, with scholarship schemes and the rollout of the Alternative High School for Girls, a unique educational model catering to teenage mothers through on-site crèche facilities.
Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, in a deeply heartfelt address, hailed the First Lady’s visit as a “demonstration of motherly love” and a “gift that will remain evergreen in our collective memory.”
She urged beneficiaries of the various interventions to treat the opportunity as a renewed call to service and commitment to better health outcomes.
In his address, Governor Aiyedatiwa echoed these sentiments, praising Senator Tinubu as a “national treasure and mother of the nation.”
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to inclusive governance, highlighting ongoing support for the elderly, people with disabilities, and the appointment of women to key government roles.
His administration, he stated, is fully aligned with the Federal Government’s development trajectory under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose numerous federal projects including road infrastructure, educational upgrades, and health institutions, have significantly transformed Ondo State.
The event was attended by an array of dignitaries including wives of senators and governors, healthcare professionals, and officials from the Ministry of Health.
Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, and NPHCDA Executive Secretary, Dr Muyi Aina, both commended the First Lady for her efforts in revitalising Nigeria’s healthcare system and her commitment to maternal and child health.
