Wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, through her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative, has given a N50 million grant to 1,000 women petty traders in Kwara State for recapitalization.

Speaking at the commissioning of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)/RHI Community ICT Centre in Ilorin on Tuesday, the First Lady said that the gesture was in the spirit of the commissioning, adding that each of the beneficiaries would receive N50,000.

The wife of the President was in Kwara State on a three-day official visit to inaugurate the ICT Community Centre, built by her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in partnership with NITDA, the Intensive Care Unit, and Dr. Amuda Aluko Ward at the General Hospital, Ilorin, among others.

Mrs Tinubu, who said the grant for the women petty traders would be presented to the wife of the state governor, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq, stated that another set of 1,000 women petty traders had been empowered in August 2024.

“Under the RHI Social Investment Programme, 250 elderly citizens were given a grant of N200,000 each on December 17, 2024, to celebrate the yuletide season,” she added.

She also said that the RHI, under its Education Programme, is collaborating with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to build an Alternative High School for Girls in Kwara State.

“This is to provide another opportunity to access education for girls and women who dropped out of school due to early pregnancies, child marriages, and other socio-economic reasons.

“Also, Kwara State has been nominated to benefit from the construction of a model Early Childhood Care Development Education (ECCDE) Centre, which will be built in Ilorin. As part of the fruits of our collaboration with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Kwara State University is to benefit from the establishment of an ICT Experience Centre.

“Additionally, under our RHI Agriculture Programme, women and young farmers will benefit from the N68.9 million Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Support grant. This grant has been made available to Kwara State through the First Lady and RHI State Coordinator, who will be responsible for the implementation of the Women Agricultural Support Programme (WASP), Youth Agricultural Support Programme, Every Home a Garden, and Young Farmers Club of the Renewed Hope Initiative,” she explained.

Also speaking, the wife of the state governor, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq, said that the ICT initiative would not only equip the women and youths with in-demand digital skills but also position them for the opportunities that abound in the Nigerian and global digital space.

He said, “Today’s commissioning speaks to the many engagements and partnerships of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria towards ensuring that Nigerians are adequately supported in the pursuit of their goals and improving the livelihoods of the most indigent to complement the efforts of Mr President, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and the Federal Government in this regard.”

“While this milestone will continue to elevate the status of women, youths, and other users of the facility, it is also creating pathways to make Nigeria a digitally empowered nation and fostering a technology-enabled, equitable future for all Nigerians.”

Mrs Abdulrazaq enjoined the host school (College of Education, Ilorin) and users alike to ensure the protection and security of the edifice and to take full advantage of the services the facility provides to develop themselves and promote positive causes.

As part of her programmes in Kwara State, the First Lady is also expected to pay homage to the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR.

Mrs Tinubu is also set to lead the distribution of food support for the vulnerable under her RHI, among other activities.

The Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodinma, will conduct the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Oluremi Tinubu Hospital, a multi-storey building being constructed on the site of the old civil service clinic.

On the entourage of the President’s wife are the wives of the Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief of Staff, and First Ladies from across Nigeria.

The event is being attended by federal and state parliamentarians, top government functionaries led by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, local council chairpersons, and party bigwigs from across the state, led by Prince Sunday Fagbemi.

Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker, Saliu Yakubu, led the state lawmakers. Senator Sadiq Umar (Kwara North) and House of Representatives member, Mukhtar Shagaya, are also already seated, along with several other dignitaries.

The event at the University of Education is also being attended by clerics, led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Soliu, and CAN Chairman, Bishop Sunday Adewole, among others.

On Wednesday, the wife of the President will, among other things, inaugurate the newly constructed Unity Flyover, which Governor Abdulrazaq has named in honour of the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR — an honour anchored on the support of Mai Martaba for the administration, his peaceful reign, his fatherly role in the Emirate and beyond, and his support for development.