First Lady Oluremi Tinubu urges governors’ wives to strengthen grassroots initiatives and social programmes under the Renewed Hope Initiative
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has met with the wives of the 36 state governors under the Renewed Hope Initiative in Abuja, urging them to ensure that the initiative’s impact reaches grassroots communities across the country.
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Speaking at the first quarterly meeting of governors’ wives in 2026, held at the State House, Tinubu emphasised the need for the women to take ownership of social programmes and complement government efforts through humanitarian and developmental initiatives.
Addressing newsmen after the opening session, the First Lady likened the initiative to nurturing a child: “It’s like giving birth to a baby, the teething stage and learning how to walk. After a while, the baby is supposed to walk unaided, and that is what I want to see.”
Tinubu called on the governors’ wives to justify their title by initiating impactful programmes, recalling her own experience as Lagos State First Lady.
She encouraged projects that support youth development, mentorship, and self-reliance, citing the Lagos Spelling Bee and leadership programmes for girls as examples of successful initiatives that complemented government efforts.
She also highlighted the importance of addressing emerging social concerns, including the need for targeted mentorship for boys and aggressive action against child malnutrition, describing it as a major priority for the RHI this year.
In addition, Tinubu urged governors’ wives to promote women’s economic empowerment through agriculture, skills development, and small-scale enterprises tailored to local strengths.
She cited initiatives such as adire production in Ekiti and cassava processing and fish production opportunities in other regions as examples of programmes that generate income while strengthening community economies.
The quarterly meeting also served as a platform for sharing success stories and best practices across states, with the First Lady stressing that replicating effective initiatives could amplify the initiative’s nationwide impact.
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“We want to hear their stories; what they are doing in their states, so that we can tell people and encourage others to do more,” Tinubu said, underlining the goal of translating groundwork into visible results at the state level.
