Oluremi Tinubu And Akara: Details Of The Renewed Hope Initiative

The role of first lady was previously not a major role in Nigeria. Mrs Flora Azikiwe acted as hostess to visiting dignitaries.

Mrs Victoria Gowon was a style leader and often appeared in public with her husband and on her own. Women often copied her fashion styles.

Mrs Ajoke Muhammed was more reserved and she only began her activities (gardens) after she left the office of first lady.

The first lady role was not really performed during the Obasanjo, Shagari and Buhari eras.

It was Mrs Maryam Babangida that made the role a major charity role.

Mrs Babangida had her Better Life For Rural Women (later called Better Life For Rural Dwellers) through which she tried to improve the lives of people living in rural areas.

She had her annual First Lady’s Children’s Concert, where the child xylophonist Udo Maryam was discovered.

I have told you about the donation circuit. Mrs Babangida had similar programmes where wealthy people donated a lot of money that she used to fund her programmes.

The members of the donation circuit included Chief MKO Abiola, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Chief Sunny Odogwu, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, Chief Razak Okoya, Prince Adedapo Tejuosho, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, Prince Adekunle Ojora, Chief Onwuka Kalu (Onwuka Inter-Biz), Alhaji Ahmed Mai Deribe, Chief Michael Ibru, Dr Alex Ibru, Chief Sunny Okogwu, Chief Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo, Alhaji Grema Mohammed, Chief Francis Arthur Nzeribe, Alhaji Isyaku Rabiu, Dr Olusola Saraki, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, etc.

These people donated enormous sums of money at Better Life events.

All first ladies since Mrs Babangida have had similar charity programmes.

Mrs Maryam Abacha had the Family Support Programme.

Justice Fati Lami Abubakar had the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative.

Mrs Stella Obasanjo had the Child Care Trust.

Mrs Turai Yar’Adua had the Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation (WAYEF).

Mrs Patience Jonathan had the Women for Change and Development Initiative (WCDI). She also had the A. Aruera Reachout Foundation.

Mrs Aisha Buhari had the Aisha Buhari Foundation (ABF) and the Future Assured.

Mrs Oluremi Tinubu

Mrs Oluremi Tinubu founded the New Era Foundation in the Year 2000 when she was first lady of Lagos.

The New Era Foundation engaged in charity work in Lagos, it created the alternative high school for (out of school) girls, the Spelling Bee competition, the One Day Governor (for winners of the Spelling Bee competition), the Wheelchair Tennis competition, HIV/AIDS advocacy for youths, a Junior Chef competition and the New Era Youth Camp (Asisat Oshoala attended one of the youth camps when she was a teenager).

The foundation also did charity work in Liberia in collaboration with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Renewed Hope Initiative

Since she became first lady of Nigeria, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu has run the Renewed Hope Initiative.

The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) is a non-governmental organization whose primary mission is to empower women, youth, and children nationwide through grassroots social investments, agriculture, health, and education to ensure a better life for vulnerable families.

The Renewed Hope Initiative has

• Provided ICT training for women and youths
• Provided professional kits to midwives and nurses across Nigeria in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality and support frontline health workers.
• Provided medical outreach to communities in the Niger Delta and Northern Nigeria.
• Provided targeted disease interventions by donating funds and equipment to the National Cancer Fund for cervical cancer prevention, and providing tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic machines to Primary Health Care (PHC) centers.
• Provided support to the elderly by hosting regular support schemes that provide senior citizens with free medical checks, food items, and financial grants.
• Established food banks near PHCs to provide targeted nutrition support for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and malnourished children.
• Provided grants to small and medium scale businesses to help to empower women and youths. For example:

RHI Women Economic Empowerment (WEE): Provides direct, non-repayable grants (typically ₦50,000) directly to rural and market women, petty traders, and widows in specific states.

Renewed Hope Scale-Up Grant: Targets existing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with grants ranging from ₦250,000 to ₦1,000,000 to stimulate local economies and job creation.

Renewed Hope Ward Development Program (RHWDP): A grassroots-level grant program aiming to provide direct funding and capital to low-income residents and working citizens in all 774 local government areas.

• Provided assistance to victims of natural disasters.
• Donated sanitary pads to girls in secondary schools and women in prisons.

Donors

Very many wealthy Nigerians have donated to the Renewed Hope Initiative and they include:

Alhaji Aliko Dangote

Alhaji Abdulsamad Isyaku Rabiu

Mr Tony Elumelu

Sir Emeka Ofor

Prince Arthur Eze (he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the initiative)

Chief Remi Makanjuola

And many others, including anonymous donors.

Corporate sponsors

The Renewed Hope Initiative has received donations and other assistance from:

Keystone Bank

Zenith Bank

Bank of Industry

Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)

UBA

Partners

The Renewed Hope Initiative has partnered with

Unicef

Dangote Foundation

Abdulsamad Rabiu Africa Initiative

BUA Foundation

Sir Emeka Ofor Foundation

Tony Elumelu Foundation

Board of Trustees

The members of the Board of Trustees include:

Mrs Oluremi Tinubu (National Chairman)

Hajia Nana Shettima (National Vice Chairman)

Alhaji Abdulsamad Isyaku Rabiu (member)

Prince Arthur Eze (member)

Chief Remi Makanjuola (member)

Mrs Chioma Uzodimma (member)

Governors’ wives

The wives of governors serve as state chairmen/coordinators of the Renewed Hope Initiative in their various states. They often represent Mrs Oluremi Tinubu at events in their states.

Government agencies

The Renewed Hope Initiative has partnered with government agencies in order to leverage on their skills and abilities. The agencies include:

• National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) : NITDA provides the personnel and equipment for ICT training while the Renewed Hope Initiative bears the cost.
• Bank of Industry (BOI) : Assists in providing loans, grants and business training to beneficiaries.
• Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) : Collaborates with the Renewed Hope Initiative in providing medical outreach to communities in the Niger Delta and in renovating cottage hospitals.