Wife of the president, Senator Remi Tinubu and wife of the Enugu State governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, have flagged off the 2024 annual August meeting in Enugu State, calling for synergy and action against all forms of abuse.
Mrs. Tinubu and Mrs. Mbah commended the August Meeting initiative as a veritable platform to rally women for community development, noting that it was a reminder that individual contributions and selfless service were crucial to the nation’s progress.
Flagging off the meeting themed; “Eliminating Abuse to Foster a Healthy Society”, the wife of the president, who was represented by the wife of the vice president, Hajiya Nana Shettima, said, “This annual tradition provides a vital platform for our mothers, daughters and sisters to gather and address pressing societal issues, mobilizing women in community building, political participation and community development.
“This year’s theme is a clarion call to action. Abuse in all its forms is a scourge that we must eradicate. Every individual has the right to safety, free from physical, domestic, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial and material discrimination, among others.
“Let us also remember that abuse starts and ends with us, either as victims or as perpetrators. I, therefore, urge us all to rise to the challenge of eliminating abuse and fostering a healthy society for all of us. We must speak up and speak out against abuse,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to learn to dialogue responsibly and work together to foster a sense of empathy, compassion towards one another, restating her resolve to better the lives of Nigerian women through her pet project, the renewed hope initiative.
“In education, we have provided scholarships to our children and youth across the country, with some having opportunities to study abroad. In agriculture, we have supported our women farmers with fertilizers and farming implements,” she stated
“Very soon, we will be starting the renewed hope women economic empowerment for 1000 petty traders in each state of the federation and the FCT. Our women will be supported with ₦50,000 each to recapitalize and support their businesses. Under our social investment program, there is a scheme that provides for assorted food items, moving from one state to another,” Senator Oluremi Tinubu stated.
Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, while thanking the president’s wife for accepting to flag off the meeting in the state, added that Enugu women were hugely inspired by the first lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, as it had stirred the spirit of self-reliance in women through its numerous empowerment programmes.
