By Ayodele Oni
First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has sought the cooperation of Traditional Rulers to enhance success of her women focused Renewed Hope Initiative, (RHI)as she flagged off the South West phase of the project.
Mrs Tinubu spoke on Thursday, when she visited Akure, the Ondo State capital, and addressed members of the Ondo State Council of Obas, urging the royal fathers to lend their voice and influence to her advocacy, which aims to address critical health challenges affecting Nigerian women.
These include the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Syphilis, and Tuberculosis.
As part of her drive to strengthen healthcare delivery, the First Lady announced plans to distribute no fewer than 10,000 professional kits, comprising Crocs and scrubs, to nurses and midwives across the South-West region.
She also hinted at a new menstrual hygiene campaign tagged Flow with Confidence, through which her office intends to supply 10,000 sanitary pads to young girls in each state, with a focus on rural areas.
“Ending female genital mutilation is also one of our key priorities. It’s a harmful and outdated tradition built on myths. It does not stop promiscuity, as some believe.
“Instead, it destroys the lives of young girls,” urging traditional leaders to help spread the message in their domains.
The First Lady didn’t stop there. She spoke passionately about boosting food production through the Young Farmers’ Club and Women’s Gardening Initiative, which she said had attracted a massive N400 billion intervention fund from the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to her, each state’s First Lady received a grant of N68.9 million to support women farmers under the programme.
Also on the agenda is a scholarship scheme for students, including international education opportunities in Belarus as well as the Alternative High School for Girls, an initiative tailored for teenage mothers, providing both education and childcare support through on-site crèches.
She revealed that while the programme is already operational in Osun State, it will soon be launched in Ondo.
Welcoming the First Lady, the Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas and Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye, who was represented by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, commended Mrs Tinubu’s initiatives and pledged the support and prayers of the traditional institution.
“We may not be able to offer financial help, but our prayers will never cease for the success of President Tinubu’s administration,” the monarch assured.
Oba Aladelusi also hailed the First Lady’s loyalty and visible support for her husband, stating: “By the time Asiwaju completes his first term, Nigerians will beg him to go for another.”
The highlight of the visit was the symbolic presentation of a gift to Mrs Tinubu by the wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa.
Welcoming the First Lady, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa pointed out that the intervention, under the Renewed Hope Initiative Programme (RHI) will complement the Federal Government’s on-going efforts to ensure that quality healthcare system is accessible to all women and vulnerable in the Country.
“Permit me Your Excellency to state that this intervention will also go a long way to enhance maternal and child healthcare across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States which constitute the South-West region. he Country.
“Your Excellency, I sincerely appreciate you for recognising that the demands of the health profession require not only skills and compassion but also the right tools and kits to encourage our midwives as they serve others. These incentives will go a long way to encourage, inspire and support our dedicated midwives and reduce infant mortality and morbidity in the country.
“I therefore urge the beneficiaries to see this as a call to serve, bringing hope and care to mothers, newborns and the vulnerable across the region. You should strive to justify these benefits by working hard to ensure improved health outcomes in our Country, Nigeria.”
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