Oluremi Tinubu: Galvanising Positive Change

President Bola Tinubu and his wife Oluremi, are a unique pair in Nigeria’s history. They are the first to have govern a state, serve in the Senate and now ultimately, rule the country. As they marked their first anniversary, Vanessa Obioha pans her lens to the First Lady and her accomplishments so far, especially with young people 

It is unlikely that the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, knew her life’s trajectory would lead her to Aso Villa when she exchanged vows with President Bola Tinubu during their traditional marriage in 1987. For all she knew, he was a friend of the family, a businessman with lofty dreams and very kind eyes. Whether she later realised his political vision or not, one thing was certain, she was not going to sit idly. When the President became the first governor of Lagos State in the new democratic dispensation, she was prepared to be the First Lady of the state. After their tenure, she took her time before joining the Senate in 2011 where she worked diligently as the senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District. On May 29, 2023, when her husband was inaugurated as the 16th president of Nigeria, it was a joyous Remi, as she is fondly called, who danced with her husband as they celebrated the achievement of his long life ambition.

Her husband’s ascent to the presidential seat was not embraced by many, especially Nigerian youths who felt a younger president would do more good to the country. There were also corruption allegations and other political tussles that nearly sank his dream, but the Tinubus prevailed, making history as the first to have govern a state, serve in the Senate and now ultimately, rule the country.

Despite this significant milestone, the Tinubus have not had it easy. The criticisms that trailed them during their presidential campaign are yet to evaporate, particularly for the president who is not a popular topic for young people. However, the First Lady is unrelenting in changing that narrative, coming up with initiatives that will promote inclusivity and empower youths.

To be sure, Mrs Tinubu has always been passionate about youths, championing their cause through education, right from her days as the First Lady of Lagos State. It was during her tenure that she launched the New Era Foundation under which several programmes were initiated. These include the Spelling Bee competition for public primary and secondary schools in Lagos, the Council of One-day Governors consisting of past winners and runners-up of the Spelling Bee, and the New Era Youth Camp (NEYOCA), a unique co-educational, residential facility that caters for youths aged seven to 17 in a secure and first-class setting comparable to the world’s best youth camps, according to the foundation’s website.

Other youth-oriented initiatives implemented by the foundation included the NEF Junior Chef Competition aimed at inculcating cooking skills in young persons; the HIV/AIDS advocacy programme for youths where teachers were trained to enlighten youths on the dangers of HIV/AIDS; and the establishment of the Alternative High School for Girls, which served as a vehicle for rehabilitation and propelling the out-of-school girls towards the acquisition of Senior Secondary School Certificate and acceptable societal values and norms.

Now as the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Tinubu has further introduced similar programmes for youths, recently launching the Alternative High School for Girls in Osogbo, Osun State.

“This ceremony marks the beginning of an opportunity for a new chapter and a chance for a promising future for exceptional young girls and women who evolve through the door of this school,” she said during the launch. “I introduced the idea of the establishment of an alternative high school for girls, a vision that was accepted and utilised by the Lagos State Ministry of Education in 2007 when my husband was the governor of Lagos State, and this particular school still runs to date.”

She further disclosed that “My motivation as an educationist and a lifelong teacher stems from a desire to see young girls and women who dropped out of school due to unplanned pregnancies, cultural barriers, economic and financial reasons and many more, have a second chance to acquire higher education and valuable skills to enable them reach their full potential in life.”

The ceremony in Osun came on the heels of the school launch in Bauchi. Additionally, the First Lady has inaugurated new ICT centres in  Bauchi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as part of the social investment programme under the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Still in line with the alternative education for girls, the First Lady in collaboration with the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAND) just launched the one-year-long campaign ‘We Are Equal’ which would focus on education as a tool to promote gender equity.

These initiatives reflect the First Lady’s passion for the girl child, ensuring they are well-equipped to take on leadership roles in the country.

But education is not the only tool the First Lady is deploying to impact the younger generation. During the Children’s Day celebration, which she marked with 500 children, Mrs. Tinubu announced the launch of the Young Farmers Club in public schools nationwide.

“This initiative is to encourage farming among our young population. The first school to start the club, either primary or secondary will have their members kitted with branded club t-shirts and trousers,” she said, noting that the motto of the club would be  ‘Growing the Food I Eat, Starts with Me.’

“The school with the best farm in each state would be identified and prizes would be given to them, ranging from school renovations, equipping of school laboratories, provision of ICT equipment and upgrading of school libraries, as their preference may be.”

The schools that participated in the Children’s Day special event also received a grant of N10 million.

As she and her husband marked their first anniversary in office, the First Lady celebrated outstanding youths like the chess master Tunde Onakoya  in an event tagged, ‘Honouring the Youth of Our Nation,’ with the theme: ‘Becoming: Pathway to Success.’

Mrs Tinubu, at the event, reiterated that she and her husband, the president will “do our best to provide an enabling environment to foster and support you as active participants in national development and in re-writing Nigeria’s story for good.”

At the same event, Mrs. Tinubu announced the “Every Home a Garden” competition for young female farmers aged 15-25. This project, part of her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), encourages participants to plant a garden at home, with the harvest providing food for their families and neighbours. Participants also have a chance to win a N20 million prize.

The First Lady is also expected to crown the winner of the #ONE NIGERIA/Unity Fabric competition on October 1. This competition challenges young Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to create an indigenous fabric that promotes peace and unity. The winner will receive N25million, which can be used towards their education or a business venture of their choice.

Mrs. Tinubu’s efforts, so far, are laudable, but only time will tell if they will bring about the desired societal change. More importantly, it remains to be seen whether these initiatives will make Nigerian youths embrace her husband wholly as their president.