Nigeria’s First Lady Empowers 500 Rivers Women With Business Tools

…Wife Of Rivers Administrator Calls For Sustained Peace

In a bid to boost economic opportunities for women, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has distributed essential business equipment to 500 underprivileged women in Rivers State.

The initiative, aimed at enhancing livelihoods and fostering national development, was carried out by the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in partnership with the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The empowerment event, held at the EUI Event Centre in Port Harcourt on Friday, saw beneficiaries receive deep freezers, gas cookers with ovens, grinding machines, and generators.

Senator Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Rivers State Administrator, Dr. Theresa Ibas, stated that the initiative is part of a broader national program targeting 18,500 women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

According to the First Lady, the scheme has already been completed in the North Central zone, with the Rivers State event marking its conclusion in the South-South region.

“These tools are designed to help our women establish and grow successful businesses, contributing to the nation’s prosperity,” she said. “This program reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritizes inclusivity, economic growth, and sustainable development—particularly for women.”

She further highlighted the initiative’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-5 (Gender Equality) and SDG-8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Dr. Ibas underscored the critical role of peace in achieving lasting development, noting that her husband’s appointment as Rivers State Administrator was aimed at restoring stability. She urged residents to support efforts to maintain law and order, ensuring the state returns to its “cherished path of glory.”

Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, emphasized the need for women to engage in productive ventures amid current economic challenges. She stated that the program was designed to drive inclusive growth through strategic partnerships while addressing poverty and hunger.

Mrs. Tonye Oniyinde-Briggs, Rivers State Coordinator of RHI, explained that the 500 beneficiaries were selected from all 23 Local Government Areas of the state. She encouraged them to utilize the items effectively—whether to launch new businesses or expand existing ones—to maximize the program’s impact.

Although there was a melodrama as hundreds of women staged a walkout from the event

The event turned chaotic when the wife of the Sole Administrator was invited to speak on behalf of the First Lady.

A viral video captured moments the women protested, chanting “We want Valerie Sim-Fubara or Remi Tinubu to address us, not the wife of an imposter!”

They expressed anger that Senator Remi Tinubu failed to attend despite reportedly being expected, and that Lady Valerie Fubara, the wife of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, was excluded from the official lineup.

Nigeria’s First Lady Empowers 500 Rivers Women With Business Tools is first published on The Whistler Newspaper