First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Thursday donated 140,000 copies of seven storybooks on girl-child development to the Federal Ministry of Education for distribution to public school libraries across the country, reaffirming her commitment to empowering young girls through education.

Mrs Tinubu said the initiative underscored her determination to equip girls with the knowledge, confidence and values needed to realise their aspirations while improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

The books, published by the Merck Foundation, carry a foreword written by the First Lady and were reproduced by her office under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

Speaking during the handover ceremony in Abuja, Mrs Tinubu said although the number of books was modest compared to Nigeria’s population, the intervention would make a meaningful impact on the lives of children.

The wife of the President explained that the storybooks, which address different aspects of child development, would benefit both girls and boys by promoting confidence, empathy, healthy living, equity and social responsibility.

“It gladdens my heart that I am able to partner with the Merck Foundation on this initiative. Though the books are small in number compared to our population, they are meaningful. The foundation has been working with several African countries, and we now have them as international partners of the Renewed Hope Initiative,” she said.

According to the First Lady, the partnership with the Merck Foundation extends beyond education, with the organisation supporting healthcare development across the continent.

She disclosed that through the collaboration, the foundation has awarded 91 medical scholarships to Nigerians to strengthen the country’s healthcare sector.

Presenting the books to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for onward distribution to public school libraries nationwide, Mrs Tinubu stressed the need to provide adequate support for girls to navigate the challenges of growing up through access to quality education.

She expressed confidence that the ministry would ensure the books reach children in public schools across the federation.

“I am confident that the ministry will facilitate the effective distribution of the books to public school libraries across the country, ensuring that children from diverse backgrounds benefit from their lessons,” she added.

Responding, Alausa described the books as timely educational resources that tackle critical issues affecting the girl child, including gender discrimination, sexual violence and the promotion of positive values.

He commended the First Lady for her sustained investment in education and humanitarian interventions despite public criticism and misinformation.

Alausa also acknowledged that the ministry had drawn inspiration from some of Mrs Tinubu’s initiatives, citing the “One Day Minister” programme introduced during this year’s Children’s Day celebration, which he said was modelled after a similar initiative she pioneered as the wife of the Governor of Lagos State in 2007.

“I promise you that we will make effective use of these books and ensure they are distributed across the country,” the minister assured.

With the formal handover, distribution of the books to public school libraries nationwide has commenced.