Tinubu’s wife empowers 500 women in Anambra

First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has empowered over 500 women in Anambra with cash and other livelihood support as she concluded the South-East launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme (NCFBP).

Senator Tinubu, who launched the programme for the five South-East states in Anambra on Thursday, also charged governors in the zone to collectively drive the initiative to strengthen food security and support vulnerable Nigerians.

She spoke during a reception held in her honour at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, where women, traditional rulers, political leaders, youths, captains of industry and support groups gathered to receive her.

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The First Lady said the Anambra launch marked the conclusion of the NCFBP rollout across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, expressing optimism that the initiative would improve the livelihoods of women and children and provide support for vulnerable communities.

She said the programme demonstrated that there was hope for Nigerian women and children, adding that citizens should continue to look out for one another regardless of their state or ethnic background.

According to her, her visit to Anambra was not for political campaigning but to promote unity and strengthen bonds among Nigerians.

She said, “We are not here to campaign but we gathered here as Nigerians. I will come again for campaign. Any place you find yourselves, try to know your brothers across Nigeria. The Igbo are very nice people.”

As part of the empowerment programme, the First Lady announced a cash grant of ₦100,000 for each beneficiary.

She said the grant, combined with the support provided by the Anambra State Government, would amount to about ₦500 million for the beneficiaries.

The women also received various empowerment items, including sewing machines, farm seedlings, pigs, goats and other livelihood support materials.

Senator Tinubu commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his wife for their support for the programme and for providing empowerment items for beneficiaries across the state.

She said the state government’s intervention had complemented the support provided through the NCFBP.

During the visit, the First Lady was conferred with the chieftaincy title Ugoeze Anambra, meaning “the glory of the king”, by the Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council and Igwe of Obosi, HRM Igwe Chidubem Iweka.

The title was conferred in recognition of her contributions to the welfare of women, children and vulnerable Nigerians.

The First Lady thanked the people of Anambra State for the honour and the warm reception accorded her.

Earlier, Governor Chukwuma Soludo described Senator Tinubu as a mother figure who had used her position to promote the welfare of women, children and youths across the country.

Soludo said the First Lady’s interventions reflected the biblical injunction to care for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick and the vulnerable.

He quoted Matthew 25:35-40, saying Senator Tinubu had used the platform provided by public service to demonstrate compassion and support for Nigerians.

The governor also commended the First Lady for her initiatives and thanked her for her support for Anambra and Nigeria.

The visit also featured the commissioning of a new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

The event brought together chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), traditional rulers, youths, captains of industry and other stakeholders.

Governor Soludo noted that the presence of leaders from both APC and APGA at the event demonstrated the possibility of cooperation among progressives, stressing that “even in APC there is APGA DNA in them.”

He added that Anambra remained committed to working with relevant stakeholders to improve the welfare of its people.