Oluremi Tinubu has urged the wives of the 36 state governors to strengthen grassroots interventions and ensure that the programmes of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) make meaningful impact in communities across the country.
The First Lady made the call during the first quarterly meeting of governors’ wives under the RHI platform, held at the State House Abuja.
The meeting brought together state First Ladies to review ongoing activities, programmes and targets outlined for the year under the initiative.
Focus on Grassroots Impact
Speaking to journalists after the opening session, Mrs Tinubu explained that the meeting provided an opportunity for governors’ wives to assess their roles in promoting social development and humanitarian programmes in their respective states.
She noted that while the initiative had laid important groundwork since its launch, the time had come for its programmes to mature and produce visible results at the grassroots level.
“It’s like giving birth to a baby. After the early stages of learning to crawl and walk, the child should eventually be able to walk independently. That is what we want to see with these programmes,” she said.
Call for Greater Ownership
Mrs Tinubu said the gathering was the first in 2026 for the governors’ wives to collectively evaluate their contributions as partners in national development.
She encouraged them to take greater ownership of the social initiatives they lead and to demonstrate leadership through impactful programmes in their states.
The First Lady added that both she and the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, previously served as state First Ladies and understand the responsibilities and challenges that come with the role.
According to her, the title of “First Lady” should go beyond ceremonial recognition and translate into meaningful social impact.
Encouraging Youth Development
Drawing from her experience as former First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs Tinubu encouraged the governors’ wives to create programmes that support young people through mentorship and leadership development.
She recalled introducing initiatives such as spelling competitions and leadership programmes aimed at encouraging pupils to remain in public schools during periods when educational infrastructure faced challenges.
Mrs Tinubu also highlighted the need to address emerging social issues affecting young boys and urged state First Ladies to implement mentorship programmes focused on the boy-child.
She commended efforts already underway in some states, including initiatives led by Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu that focus on youth development.
Tackling Child Malnutrition
The First Lady further identified child nutrition as a major priority for the Renewed Hope Initiative in 2026.
She described the level of child malnutrition in Nigeria as concerning and stressed the need for coordinated interventions across states.
“It is sad that a nation as rich as ours is still dealing with child malnutrition at this level. We will tackle the issue aggressively and do everything possible to improve the situation,” she said.
Promoting Women’s Economic Empowerment
Mrs Tinubu also encouraged governors’ wives to support women through economic empowerment programmes tailored to the strengths of their respective states.
She pointed to examples such as the development of an adire production hub in Ekiti State and initiatives involving cassava processing and fish production in other regions.
According to her, such locally driven programmes can help women generate income while strengthening community economies.
She added that the quarterly meetings would also provide a platform for sharing success stories and best practices that could be replicated across different states.
“We want to hear their stories and the initiatives they are implementing in their states so that others can learn from them and do even more,” she said.
